Benvolio

One character that I have found to be interesting in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is Benvolio.  Benvolio is the nephew of Montague and the kinsman to the Montagues.  From the very beginning of the play onward, Benvolio always seems to try to keep the peace and also tries to counsel Romeo and his issues.

Benvolio seems to be one of the more logical characters in the play.  He does not try to start or even be a part of conflicts between the Montagues and the Capulets.  In fact he does the exact opposite, he tries to keep the peace.  In act one scene one Benvolio breaks up the fight between the servants Sampson, Gregory, Abram and Balthasar, saying, “Part fools! Put up your swords; you know not what to do!”  This shows that Benvolio always makes his best effort to halt violence and also that he thinks about the consequences of actions.  He says, “you know not what to do!” which is him advising the quarreling servants that their fight will not have a good outcome and it is not a good choice to battle.

One theme that we have been studying about the play is youthful rashness.  Many of the actions of the characters in the play seem to support this theme of youthful rashness.  However, Benvolio seems to be opposite.  Instead of wanting to rush into something without thinking of the consequences that might come from it, Benvolio often talks people out of conflicts.

The character of Benvolio is almost like a parent during a child’s play date.  He is there to keep things running smoothly, without fighting and also to make sure that no one does anything stupid that they might regret in the future.  Benvolio seems to be one of the more wise characters in the play.  He constantly tries to resolve conflicts and make peace.  He never wants anyone to do something that he believes is ill-advised and always makes people think twice about their actions, before they are carried out.  A rational minded person like Benvolio is useful in any situation.