is a
stern, noble figure. He is not affiliated with the Montagues or the Capulets, and he rules over
the city. When the Montague and Capulet servants break out into a brawl (which inspires their
masters to get in on the action as well) at the beginning of the play, the Prince shows up to
get everyone to stop, threatening capital punishment if there is another disturbance of the
peace.
The Prince is, therefore, a voice of reason, as well as a symbol of
law and order. His goal is to make sure peace prevails, for the sake of the people of Verona who
often get caught in the crossfire during these brawls. He does not take sides and is willing to
administer punishment on anyone who deserves it. Yet he is not without some level of mercy, as
seen when he hasbanished rather than executed for killingin a fight, aftertells him Romeo was
only reacting to Tybalt's killing .
At the end of the play, the Prince has
also lost relativesMercutio and as a result of the Montague-Capulet feud. During the final
scene, he expresses his own complicity in the violence, claiming that he too has been punished
for "winking" at their fighting. This suggests he feels he did not do enough to
prevent the deaths that happened as a result of the feud.
So, it can be said
the Prince is just, moral, strict, honest, and humble enough to admit when he has been at
fault.
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