Question

Read the excerpt from Act I, scene i of Romeo and Juliet. Tybalt: What! art thou drawn among these heartless hinds? Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death. Benvolio: I do but keep the peace: put up thy sword, 50 Or manage it to part these men with me. Tybalt: What! drawn, and talk of peace? I hate the word, As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee. Have at thee, coward! [They fight.] What inference can be made about Benvolio and Tybalt from this dialogue? Benvolio and Tybalt are both worried about disturbing the peace. Benvolio is more concerned with keeping the peace than Tybalt is. Benvolio is a much more skilled swordsman than Tybalt is. Benvolio and Tybalt both want the feud between the families to continue.

Answer 1

The answer is B. Benvolio is more concerned with keeping the peace than Tybalt is.

Answer 2

Benvolio is more concerned with keeping the peace than Tybalt is.

When Benvolio says "I do but keep the peace: put up thy sword, or manage it to part these men with me." he's saying : I'm trying to keep the peace. Either put away your sword, or use it to help keep everyone cool. But Tybalt is having none of it: he thinks it's ridiculous that Benvolio has pulled out his sword and then is trying to talk about peace. Tybalt then initiates the fight with "Have at thee, coward!" which is Shakespearian for "come at me, bro'!"