ROMEO AND JULIET - MEN AND MASCULINITY
Level 7-9
Shakespeare uses the opening of Romeo and Juliet to introduce the audience to a variety of masculine behaviours in an interesting way.
The most obvious example of masculinity in the opening is Tybalt from the Capulet family. He enters the situation as an aggressive force and continues to anger and barter with the men from the opposing house. Tybalt seems to want to fight, shown when he purposefully insults the men and their personal masculinity in order to engage them his fight. Tybalt calls Benvolio – a Montague – a “coward” which seems to be a direct insult that encourages the violence. “Coward” seems to be the biggest insult for a man as it diminishes him and abuses his honour. Tybalt is portrayed as the confrontational and aggressive man who is always eager for a fight especially against the Montagues his believed enemies. At the mention of peace, he responds with “peace! I hate the word” which enforces the idea of his love of violence and dispute. “hate” is a highly significant verb to say as it leaves little room for doubt which means that it is also a powerful word, embellishing his power over the other men in scene and the situation.
On the other hand, Benvolio demonstrates the calming nature of masculinity. Upon meeting the situation, he attempts to pacify it telling his slaves to “put up your swords, you know not what you do” which portrays that he is a level-headed character who is not so quick to resort to violence unlike his opposite Tybalt. Furthermore, his dialogue demonstrates his use of power, although in an opposite way to Tybalt, he uses his power and authority to control the lower men which again is an element of masculinity. However, although Benvolio was a calming influence at first, Tybalt struck a chord within him with his insults at the Montague family and Benvolio’s own personal honour. The adjective “coward” seems to be able to anger any man as it disrespects their honour, bravery and overall masculinity.
The differences between Tybalt and Benvolio, establish the little differences in masculinity, comparing their use of power and authority but also their eagerness for violence and how they choose to determine their honour. Tybalt has more qualities of toxic masculinity; craving anger and brutality contrasting with Benvolio’s quiet but just as easily angered presence. But both young men have their uncles as role models, Capulet and Montague are just as eager to strike a conflict against each other as soon as they arrive on the scenes of the impending fight. Both men seem to feel that they can’t back down when faced with an assault against each other and use each other’s presence as a willing excuse to fight and insult each other. In contrast to the angered men; the women are a calming influence, seemingly trying to bring the situation back to reality, Lady Capulet claiming that Capulet needs a “crutch” rather than his “long sword. These interactions infer their age but also suggest the masculine need to always be ready and enthusiastic for a dangerous frenzy against each other. This reinforces the idea that Capulet and Montague as the “role models” for the family not only encourage but enforce the hatred and violence between the families as to their masculine behaviours.
Overall, in the opening of Romeo and Juliet the masculine nature of the characters is much of those of men during the time period. The masculine nature is the fire behind all the violence and riots in the play driving the wedge further and further between the families and therefore Romeo and Juliet’s love.