Pre 1914 Drama Romeo & Juliet Speaking and Listening- Benvolio

Introduction

• What we are talking about
• Four main Characters
• How they change over the course of the play

Conclusion

• Its strange how out of these four characters, only one survives (in a sense) to the end of the play. Romeo: Benvolio disappears, probably to find Romeo, and Mercutio and Tybalt get killed. Perhaps Shakespeare decided to do this to show Romeo's isolation- from when he was banished from Verona.

Benvolio

• Montague
• Cousin of Romeo
• Very close friends with Romeo
• Sympathetic and sensitive
• Strong opinions
• Helpful, tries to help others
• Cares about Romeo
• Cares for peoples feelings
• Educated
• Honest and truthful
• Cowardly
• No sense of humor, but a nice person
• Serious
• Self conscious about his lack of sense of humor
• Naive/Gullable
• Peacemaker

Act 1 Scene 1

• Benvolio doesn't like getting into fights.
• If he had a stronger personality, he could have stopped the fight involving Sampson, Gregory and Montague.
• He tries to stop the fighting with his sword. On page 25, line 62, Benvolio says "I do not but keep the peace." But by using his sword, it would make the others want to fight back.
• He is very truthful: On page 27, line 100, to page 29…