“A plague a’ both your houses!” (Shakespeare III, i. 102) Mercutio, on the brink of death at the hands of Tybalt, shouted this line to Romeo and Benvolio as he lay in his friends’ arms. His death acts as a turning point in the play, contrasting the previous humour of the first two acts with the tragedy of the last three. His death influences Romeo, causing him to kill Tybalt in revenge, sending Romeo down a winding path that led to his eventual downfall. Mercutio’s influence is seen often through the play, time and time again leading Romeo to make decisions that may not always be in his best interest. Mercutio acts as Romeo’s foil, using his quick wit and sexual interpretations of love to add humour to the play, but his actions that contribute to Romeo’s downfall are where his multi-faceted role is shown. Mercutio’s role in the play is very important to …show more content…
The first two acts of Romeo and Juliet are comedic in nature: sexual humor, lovers kept apart by a feud, and much wordplay. This period ends, however, with Mercutio’s death, the first death of the play. This is especially important not just because it tells of events to come, but also because Mercutio is from neither the Capulet nor Montague households, but from the house of the Prince. Therefore, his death is not just the first death of the play, but an innocent death, only connected to the feud because of his friendships with Romeo and Benvolio. Following the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt, the enmity and tension of the two houses climaxes. With Mercutio’s innocent death, the tragic part of the play begins: brash, ill-advised actions on the parts of the protagonists eventually lead to their downfall. Both due to acting as a turning point, and an influence on Romeo, Mercutio leaves a lasting mark on the play, changing its course and leading to its eventual
In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio plays a very important role because of his impulsivity and loyalty to his friends. The first picture I used to illustrate Mercutio’s role in the story was a picture of a dog, because dogs are a very common symbol of loyalty, and the one of the main aspects of Mercutio’s personality is his loyalty to Romeo. In act three, Mercutio believes that Tybalt is insulting Romeo and attempts to defend his friend, leading to his own death. The second picture I chose was that of a smiling joker. I chose this because Mercutio is a very facetious character without a serious bone in his body. Most of his dialogue is joking around, for example, when he says “to hide her face, for the fan’s/ the fairer of the two”
I think that one of the biggest causes of Mercutio’s death is the ‘ancient grudge’ between the ‘two households’, the Capulet’s and Montague’s. This is a massive cause because this alone was what started off all the fights. After Mercutio has been mortally wounded, he sees that this is why he is dying, which is why he says ‘a plague o’ both your houses!’ If the Montague’s and Capulet’s weren’t fighting, Tybalt wouldn’t have gone up to Romeo and insulted him. If that never happened, Mercutio would have never fought Tybalt and died. Also, all of the other reasons for Mercutio’s death would have never happened if the Capulet’s and Montague’s weren’t fighting.
" Mercutio was correct in his predictions. The love between Romeo and Juliet ends up a tragedy for both families. Mercutio's character is essential in driving the action forward in this play. He foreshadows the devastating events, serves as Romeo's friend, and gives the audience important information throughout the play. Mercutio's death is the turning point in the play.
eye, / Shot through the ear with a love song.” Early on in the play,
Mercutio’s Archetype in Romeo and Juliet Mercutio is a character in “Romeo and Juliet” written by William Shakespeare in the late 1500’s. It has been a fan-favorite since the 1500’s. Some of the characters can relate too different archetypes. For example, Romeo would be the star cross’d lover archetype because he falls in-love too easily. In William Shakespeare’s play, “Romeo and Juliet.”
In one if William Shakespeare's plays, "Romeo and Juliet", Mercutio, Romeo's best friend, makes a speech, the Queen Mab speech. According to Mercutio, Queen Mab is a tiny, mischievous fairy that rides around in an "empty hazelnut" as a chariot, drawn by a "team of little atomi" (I.IV. 59-69) and makes sleepers dream about good or bad things, for example, love. “Through lovers’ brains, and then they dream of love; On curtsies straight; o’er lawyer’ fingers, who straight dream of fees: o’er ladies’ lips, who straight on kisses dreams…” (I.IV.74-77)
They have made worms meat of me,” (3.1, 68-69). This quote exemplifies that although Mercutio is neither a Montague nor a Capulet he still dies in a battle fought between the families. This incident heightens Romeo’s fatal flaw, as his reckless act of heroism turned out to be a burden as it caused the death of Mercutio. Moreover, Mercutio’s plague towards the families also foreshadows further tragedy, as Romeo then gets banished from the Verona, along with additional events which later on result to his death. Last, even after his death, Mercutio acts as a foil character to Romeo by causing a shift in Romeo’s gentle character. For example, after Tybalt slays Mercutio, Romeo avenges his friend by killing Tybalt. This act shows his alteration in character, as he was never seen as a ferocious character in any previous scenes. This is evident in the play when Romeo says, “Away to Heaven, respective lenity, and fire-eyed fury be my conduct now,” (3.1, 125-126). This quote exemplifies Romeo’s new perception, as he claims he is finished with sympathy and gentleness. This change in Romeo’s personality is significant because not only is he going to attack Tybalt, but also he is going to kill him, which then entitles him a murderer. This is significant because it further leads to his banishment, which in all leads to his death. The transition in the persona of Romeo is highlighted by the character Mercutio, which leads to the
Another role that Mercutio plays in determining the outcome of the play is Mercutio dies in the figth with Tybolt. In act 3, scene 1, lines 127-130, Romeo says "; for Mercutio soul is but a little ways above our heads, staying for thine to keep him company. Either thou or I, or both, must go with him." Romeo is saying that Mercutio is dead and that one of us, or both has to go keep Mercutio company. When Romeo knows that Mercutio is dead because of Tybolt he goes after him. This then leads to Romeo killing Tybolt, which gets him banished from Verona by the Prince.
At first, he is described as a jocular person who often use vulgar jokes. However, he accepts a challenge from Tybalt and because of this duel he dies although Romeo stands Tybalt’s provocation. Moreover, after Mercutio’s death, Romeo kills Tybalt, and he is banished from Verona. Because of Mercutio’s foolish action, “Romeo and Juliet” starts to be tragic.
A friend is defined by an important individual who defends and advises their companion. In Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Romeo has two friends, Benvolio and Mercutio, who are undoubtedly different, especially when it comes to their comes to friendships with Romeo. In many instances, there is substantial evidence exhibited to prove that Mercutio is the better companion. Mercutio counsels Romeo and tries to brighten his downhearted state when he is depressed. In addition, he is a humorous character that enlivens Romeo’s attitude.
Mercutio Character Analysis Essay Did you know that Romeo and Juliet isn’t only about love and tragic death? There is a character called Mercutio that makes the story better in many ways and makes many impulsive decisions just like many other characters in the play. Shakespeare describes him as a dramatic,funny,and out of control person in the play in order to illustrate the importance of emotion in the play. He is seen as a static character because he does not change much in the story.
The scene introduces Mercutio, Romeo's clever and witty friend. Mercutio's character is personally interesting because he is able to poke fun on Romeo's statements about love and dreams while humorizing it
Shakespeare’s characters in Romeo and Juliet were all memorable ones. The witty and loyal Mercutio is as memorable as any main character. Mercutio himself is a fascinating man in many aspects. A friend of Romeo's and relative to the Prince of Verona. Mercutio is involved in the feud between the Montagues and Capulets through his friendship with Romeo. Mercutio is utilized by shakespeare to have a comedic effect on the play along with diverting the seriousness of dramatic scenes.
As a friend of Romeo’s, Mercutio supports the Montague’s in the ancient feud. An example of Mercutio defending the Montague’s is when Tybalt, a member of the loathed Capulet family, abuses Romeo and Mercutio intervenes on Romeo’s behalf. Attempting to restore peace, Romeo gets between the two combatants and Mercutio “hath got his mortal hurt” (Page 149; Act 3, Scene 1) on Romeo’s account. In spite of his “life shall pay the forfeit of peace” (page 17; Act 1, Scene 1), Romeo seeks revenge on Tybalt as he loves his murdered friend. As Romeo kills Tybalt out of love for Mercutio, Shakespeare suggests that love conquered the thought of being penalized with death.
The Significance of Mercutio in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet is about two lovers whose families are at war and how the two overcome the family feud for their love for each other. Mercutio is one of the central characters in the play; he is one of the prince's kinsmen and is best friend to Romeo of the Montague household. The name Mercutio is derived for the word mercurial which means eloquent, active and changeable; Mercutio is all three because through out the play he changes his mood from a light-hearted joking to fiery insults in a short time. Mercutio is very persistent and is always ready to do things which again show the relevance of his name because of his