Tybalt Character Traits

When we first meet Tybalt at the Capulet's ball, he comes across as quite aggressive and vengeful. When he notices Romeo, who had gate-crashed the ball and is a sworn enemy of the Capulet's, being a Montague, he remarks:

This, by his voice, should be a Montague.
Fetch me my rapier, boy. What dares the slave
Come hither, cover'd with an antic face,
To fleer and scorn at our solemnity?
Now, by the stock and honour of my kin,
To strike him dead, I hold it not a sin.

It is clear from the extract that he has recognised Romeo from the manner in which he speaks. This shows that Tybalt also has a keen ear and is constantly aware of what goes on around him. It is as if he is paranoid about protecting the house of Capulet and in his overzealous loyalty would kill anyone from the opposition, in this instance, a Montague. He immediately calls for his sword, since he sees it as an insult that an enemy should have invaded and mocked the graciousness of their celebration. He vows to kill the insurgent as a matter of honor and duty to his family. He does not perceive such an act as evil.

In spite of the fact that his uncle, Lord Capulet, instructs him not to cause a scene and thus disrupt the party, Tybalt is stubbornly insistent, allowing his affirmed loyalty and emotion to be dismissive of his uncle's entreaty. He responds:

It fits, when such a villain is a guest:
I'll not endure him.

This indicates that Tybalt is stubborn and insistent, saying that Romeo's presence would have been excusable if he had been invited, but he was there without invitation and had to be dealt with.

It is only when his uncle imposes a threat and tells him to calm down, that Tybalt grudgingly accedes. He does however, grumble that it is a shame and that Romeo's intrusion will increase his resentment. Lord Capulet clearly knows that Tybalt is of a choleric disposition, meaning that he has a quick temper.

We also learn from Mercutio in his discussion with Benvolio, that he deems Tybalt to be quite a prima-donna, a playboy, fashionable, one who is keen on putting on airs. Mercutio seems to admire him, for he says that Tybalt is also tall and is a skilled swordsman. He resents the fact, however, that Tybalt and his like never seem to be satisfied and constantly change their style and manner. He resents the fact that he has to be regularly confronted by them, and sees them as pesky flies.

Later in the play we witness further evidence of Tybalt's hate, short temper and aggression. He actually sends Romeo a written challenge to a duel for having insulted the house of Capulet by surreptitiously attending a function to which he was not invited. When he confronts Romeo, we also learn that he is forthright and fearless, for he immediately challenges Romeo who rejects his challenge. This infuriates Mercutio who then takes up Tybalt's challenge. Mercutio is tragically killed because of Romeo's intervention which gives Tybalt a slight advantage which he then uses to fatally wound Mercutio.

Romeo later avenges Mercutio's death by killing Tybalt, an event that eventually leads to the tragic denouement of this dramatic tale.