Revenge plays a significant role in Shakespeare's play, "Romeo and Juliet." It drives the actions of several characters and ultimately leads to the tragic demise of the titular characters.
The Capulet family, specifically Tybalt, seeks revenge against the Montagues for the insult of attending their party uninvited. Tybalt provokes a fight with Romeo, saying, "This, by his voice, should be a Montague. / O, be some other name! What's in a name? / That which we call a rose by any other name / Would smell as sweet; so Romeo would, / Were he not Romeo call'd, retain that dear / Perfection which he owes without that title" (2.2.138-144). Tybalt's desire for revenge is fueled by the longstanding feud between the two families and his own pride.
Similarly, Mercutio seeks revenge on Tybalt for the death of Romeo. In his anger, Mercutio says, "For Romeo, he is exiled: / He made you for a highway to my bed; / But I, a maid, die maiden-widowed" (3.1.121-123). Mercutio's desire for revenge ultimately leads to his own death as he becomes involved in the fight between Tybalt and Romeo.
The Prince of Verona also seeks revenge in the play, as he declares, "For never was a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo" (5.3.309-310). He seeks revenge against the Capulets and Montagues for their continual disobedience and the deaths that have resulted from their feud.
However, it is not only the external characters who seek revenge in "Romeo and Juliet." The play's titular characters also experience a desire for revenge. Juliet, upon learning of Romeo's banishment, says, "O, I have bought the mansion of a love, / But not possess'd it, and, though I am sold, / Not yet enjoy'd" (3.2.109-111). She seeks revenge against the circumstances that have separated her from Romeo.
Ultimately, the desire for revenge drives the actions of several characters in "Romeo and Juliet" and leads to the tragic outcome of the play. It serves as a reminder of the destructive power of such emotions and the importance of forgiveness and understanding.
