How Does Shakespeare Shape Romeo's Character

Mercutio is responsible by pressuring Romeo into going to the Capulet's party, talking about Rosalie by comparing her to a dream, and saying dreamers often lie. First of all When Romeo and his friends are caught crashing the Capulet's party, “Tut, dun’s the mouse, the constable’s own word. If thou art dun, we’ll draw thee from the mire, Or—save your reverence—love, wherein thou

Mercutio is one of Romeo’s dearest friends. In Act 2 Scene 1, Mercutio begins his speech, speaking of Romeo’s love. The context of Mercutio’s little speech is that Romeo moves on quite too easily. He goes from one girl to another, meaning Rosaline to Juliet, in a matter of days. He is talking about blind love.

A: She can’t decide whether he is damned or a saint. She describes him in contradictionsbecause she loves both Romeo and Tybalt.

Romeo’s lovesick moping for Rosaline sparks a need for a wild rant within Mercutio. Mercutio taunts and mocks Romeo, for his dream which tells him they should not crash the Capulet’s party. This, in the end, all falls back on the theme of fate. As a result, Mercutio’s rant persuades Romeo to attend the party because after all, dreams are ridiculous and not always truthful. Additionally, Mercutio is suggesting that, like Queen Mab, dreams (specifically Romeo’s) are petty and insignificant. All of this takes place in Act once Scene four. The purpose of this speech is to add comic relief amongst the tragic events, whilst foreshadowing what’s to come. Romeo is constructed as a juvenile character with a dreamy nature, who is romantic and lovesick , in comparison to his best friend, Mercutio, who takes on the role as a comedic, volatile, pessimistic and sharp-witted personality.

To start with, Mercutio brought Romeo to the dance where he met and fell in love with Juliet. A quote said by Mercutio Romeo and Juliet states, "If love be rough with you, be rough with love/Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down," (Shakespeare I.iv 27-28). This quote reveals that Mercutio is encouraging Romeo to get

Romeo replies by saying "I am to sore empierced with his shaft." Mercutio can represent a number of comparisons and contrasts to other characters by means of his quick wit and optimistic attitude. Mercutio begins to mock Romeo with witty wordplay and sceptics when Romeo talks about having had a "dream"; Mercutio delivers a nonsensical speech on "Queen Mab" "being"

He mopes, “Give me a torch. I am not for this ambling./ Being but heavy, I will bear the light” (I.iv.11-12), and, “I have a soul of lead./ So stakes me to the ground I cannot move” (I.iv.15-16). The first attempts to cheer him up weren’t successful at all, so Mercutio thought up of the tale of Queen Mab. He then turns it into a speech that didn’t seem like much at first, but it unraveled to showcase the fact that the dreams Romeo had were meaningless and that he needed to let himself be happy. When Mercutio’s monologue is abruptly cut off by Romeo telling him that he “talk’st of nothing” (I.iv.95-96), Mercutio replies in a predicted sardonic tone, “True. I talk of dreams” (I.iv.97). This refers back before the speech when Romeo announced he had a dream. Mercutio wants to try and let the dream pass by as if it were nothing and just enjoy the party. He taunts Romeo for not being able to choose whether he should be happy or depressed over something as meaningless as a

Mercutio affects Romeo’s life by persuading Romeo to attend the Capulet party. Mercutio says, “Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance” and, “You are a lover, borrow Cupid’s wings,”(1.4.13-17). Mercutio persuades Romeo to attend the party where he meets Juliet, proving he has a grand effect on Romeo. This scene causes Mercutio to be unforgettable because he is always trying to give Romeo advice, and in this particular scenario without Mercutio, Romeo will not meet Juliet. Subsequently, Mercutio is always there to support Romeo whether he is feeling cheerful and in high spirits, or somber. When Romeo is depressed about Rosaline not loving him, Mercutio tries to lighten the mood by saying, “If love be rough with you, be rough with love:”(1.4.27). When Romeo is joyful, Mercutio says, “Why, is not this better now than groaning for love?” (2.4.80). Whenever Romeo is mourning and needs comfort, or is cheerful and wants to share his excitement, Mercutio is there to support him. The audience remembers Mercutio for the reason that whenever Romeo has important moments in the play, like problems or being excited, Mercutio is there with him. Overall, Mercutio is the most memorable because he plays such a large role in the life of

This results in Romeo’s fate to be darkened. Second, Mercutio shows how Romeo is constantly dreaming. Mercutio’s realism contrasts Romeo’s head in the clouds. This is revealed when Mercutio says “True, I talk of dreams, which [is] the [child] of an [inactive] brain,” (1.4, 96-97). This quote exemplifies that dreaming cannot be a portent, and that it can change just like the wind. This also shows that Mercutio has a flamboyant imagination, while demonstrating his mocking side. This quote also acts as foreshadowing in which shows that if Romeo keeps his head in the clouds he will make mistakes in life, such as him quickly marring Juliet. Moreover, this quote reveals that Mercutio is an important foil character because his view on love contrasts that of Romeo. Mercutio’s view on love is that it is futile, however Romeo thinks of it as a key component to life. Mercutio’s mocking of the hopeless love, makes Romeo’s view look stronger and more passionate. Third, Mercutio shows how serious Romeo is. Mercutio always talks in a witting and light-hearted way, in which contrasts to Romeo’s seriousness. Mercutio always uses clever wordplay and puns to mock people and bring comic relief into the play. This is emphasized when Mercutio says “And but one word with one of us? ... Make it a word and a blow,” (3.1, 40-41). This quote illustrates the comedy that Mercutio brings. At the edgy moment when Tybalt was about to fight, Mercutio still made a mockery of him.

(Shakespeare 48). He is trying to assure Romeo in a tone similar to a “you got this” type encouragement, to go out and dance with a new woman. And after hearing this, he began to gain enough confidence in the dance to go out and meet Juliet. If it can be assumed that Mercutio is so confident with delivering these quotes, he has probably been giving Romeo

Tybalt intended to fight Romeo because he disliked his presence at the Capulet’s party but after Romeo refuses to fight Mercutio feels the need to fight for him instead. This is not the only time Mercutio is a display of masculinity in the play. As Romeo’s friend he likes to mock him, calling him an petrarchan lover and joking about his version of love. The difference to Romeo is also found when juxtaposing how Romeo and Mercutio speak. For instance, when Romeo talks about the girls he is in love with or has a crush on he talks in poetic sentences. In comparision, Mercutios:” Laura was a kitchen slave. Surely she has a better love to make rhymes for her. Dido was shabbily dressed. Cleopatra was a gypsy girl. Helen and Hero were sluts and harlots.

(I:IV:99) Someone else could claim that Mercutio is just trying to annoy Romeo but I don’t believe that is true because if it were, he could have ranted forever, but he didn't. The speech is implying Mercutio has a big imagination and is very boastful. Section

Mercutio is a relative of the prince and friend to Romeo. He is an eloquent man and becomes the center of attention whenever he appears in the play. It seems like he dominates Romeo with his teasing and irony. He mocks Romeo as he thinks he is too sentimental and tells him how foolish he is; he turns all of Romeo’s thought about love into sexual metaphors.

In Act 2, scene 1, Mercutio calls for Romeo by saying, "Romeo! Humors! Madman! Passion! Lover!

When Romeo is moping over his lover Rosaline, Mercutio and the boys persuade him to crash the Capulet party. “MERCUTIO. Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance. ROMEO. Not I, believe me: you have dancing shoes with nimble soles: I have a soul of lead so stakes me to the ground I cannot move. MERCUTIO. You are a lover; borrow Cupid's wings, and soar with them above a common bound. ROMEO. I am too sore enpierced with his shaft to soar with his light feathers, and so bound, I cannot bound a pitch above dull woe: under love's heavy burden do I sink. MERCUTIO. And, to sink in it, should you burden love; too great oppression for a tender thing. ROMEO. Is love a tender thing? it is too rough, too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn. MERCUTIO. If love be rough with you, be rough with love; prick love for pricking, and you beat love down. Give me a case to put my visage in: a visor for a visor! what care I what curious eye doth quote deformities? Here are the beetle brows shall blush for me” (Ⅰ, 4 , 13-32 ). Here we see Mercutio trying to cheer up Romeo by crashing the Capulet party. This is an example of Mercutio not thinking of what could happen and acting out by crashing the party. After Tybalt finds Romeo and Juliet dancing, Tybalt is infuriated by this and is on the manhunt for Romeo. “MERCUTIO. O calm, dishonourable, vile