Benvolio and Tybalt are foil characters. They are both
male, around the same age. Benvolio is Romeo's cousin, Tybalt is Juliet's cousin. When
we first see them in Act I, scene i they have come upon a street scene with the servants
fighting. Their respective reactions to the fight help the viewer define who these
characters really are and predict how they will react to future
events.
When Benvolio sees the fight, he attempts to break
it up. He seeks peace either because he is a peaceful person or he fears the
consequences of the fight. When Tybalt appears Benvolio asks him to help bring peace.
Tybalt answers, "Peace? I hate the word. As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee."
Instead of breaking up the fight, he adds to its violence which leads to the
proclamation later by the Prince.
In this initial scene
Shakespeare sets the mood of the play. Tension and violence will be present
throughout. Benvolio will try to lessen it; Tybalt will add to it. This part of the
scene is quickly followed by Romeo and Benvolio's discussion of love, so the whole
love/hate thing is established from the very beginning of the
play.
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