In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Tybalt is Juliet’s cousin and the Capulets’ chief fighter.
Tybalt is Lady Capulet’s nephew and Juliet’s cousin. He is highly skilled with a sword and intensely committed to the Capulet-Montague feud. His hostility appears immediately when he recognizes Montagues at the family feast and later challenges Romeo after Romeo enters the celebration.
Tybalt’s aggression drives several turning points. He fights Mercutio, then Romeo, in the street. Romeo’s attempt to avoid fighting Tybalt fails, and Tybalt’s death leads directly to Romeo’s banishment from Verona. That punishment separates Romeo and Juliet and makes their later plan even more desperate.
Tybalt is sometimes called the play’s villain, but Shakespeare also presents him as a product of the same honor culture that traps the lovers. His concern with family reputation and masculine combat helps keep the old feud alive. He is distinct from Paris, who is a noble suitor rather than a Capulet relative.