Gcse Coursework Questions Romeo Juliet

It is only on the third challenge that Tybalt actually engages with Mercutio.Shakespeare could be showing us this to try and represent the fact that Tybalt is not actually a physcopath who seeks unnecessary violence but, is instead someone who engages in violence for a strict purpose.Perhaps Shakespeare is trying to present the fact that unnecessary violence only leads to misery and bad faith.

Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare's greatest and best loved tragedies.

In this series for GCSE English Literature we analyse all aspects of the play ensuring that you gain a full understanding of the various complexities, including key themes, characters, context and structure.

Before the combat, Mercutio challenges Tybalt twice but, Tybalt dismisses him both times.

The first time he dismisses him he says, “Peace be with you good sir”.

Because it was Mercutio that he killed, the audience would have felt even more hatred towards Tybalt.

Mercutio, is made to be a comical character and distracts the audience from the tragedy of the play so, him being killed makes the audience feel sympathy for him and triggers emotions of hatred towards Tybalt for taking him from the play.As with Macbeth we have brought together Stella Vassilou and Catherine Hartley, both of whom received Masters in English Literature from Oxford and Cambridge University and are now teaching GCSE English Literature.How far do you agree that the character of Tybalt is presented as the villain of this play?However, there are also quotes that can show a flip side to Tybalt.A further analysis is needed to fully explore his character.We can infer this because there is arguably no more of a negative word than “hate” and therefore Tybalt is at the bottom of the scale in regards to his opinions on peace.Furthermore, his hate for peace can also be seen a suggestion for his love of violence.However, another view can be taken upon Tybalt’s violence.It could be argued that Tybalt is in the play to represent everything that the feud has caused and that he is not, in fact a villain but, is a result of an ancient rivalry.This is made evident by the fact that he chooses not to engage in any violence the first two times with Mercutio because he is there to fight with Romeo for showing up at the party.The only reason he fights Mercutio is because he is left with no choice.