Who Is Tybalt In Romeo and Juliet?

Tybalt is a Capulet, and he’s Romeo’s rival in love and Juliet’s cousin. It’s easy to see why Tybalt is so quick to anger. He’s a Capulet and he has a bone to pick with the Montagues, who are also his family. But when it comes to Tybalt, there’s not much gray area; he’s either hot-headed or he isn’t. It would be more accurate to say that he always has been hot-headed, even as a child—and that his hot-headedness often gets him into trouble. For example, when Romeo shows up at the Capulet party after being banished from Verona for killing Tybalt, Tybalt is quick to pick a fight with him. This leads to Mercutio getting killed by Tybalt (but then again, Mercutio would have died no matter what). And if Mercutio hadn’t gotten killed by Tybalt… well then Romeo wouldn’t have killed Tybalt and been banished himself! Which means that Tybalt is really responsible for all of the tragic events of Romeo and Juliet unfolding the way they do.