The Role of Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet Essay examples

He is the one who tries to pick Romeo back up and dust him off. Even though Romeo may not have admitted it, Mercutio was portrayed as his rock. That is why when he dies, this triggers a turning point in the play for the worst, resulting in multiple deaths and even an exile. Romeo and Juliet’s plan was caused by the death of Mercutio, because if he had not fallen, Romeo would not have lost his temper and slain Tybalt in a fit of rage. Romeo feels to blame since Mercutio “…got his mortal hurt in [Romeo’s] behalf;” (III.i.106-107). In turn, Romeo strives for vengeance and achieves it through the death of Tybalt. Although Mercutio is considered to be a subsidiary character, the outcome of the story would have been much

Mercutio’s role to Romeo and Juliet takes many shapes and forms. Mercutio is the opposite of Romeo when it comes to love, as he says “If love be rough with you, be rough with love. Prick love for pricking and you beat love down. (1.4.27-28)” While Romeo believes in love both ways in a relationship, Mercutio believes that long-standing love isn’t real. Also, Mercutio isn’t technically a Montague or a Capulet, so he doesn’t really take the feud or love very seriously. Mercutio is also quick tempered, and even though he isn’t truly a Montague he is shown like a counterpart to Tybalt because he likes to side with the Montagues. Like Tybalt, Mercutio is quick to go to his sword, “O calm, dishonourable, vile submission. Alla staccato carries it away. Tybalt you rat catcher, will you walk?(3.1.74-76)” When Romeo rejects Tybalt’s offer to fight, Mercutio draws his sword to save Romeo’s name, but also because his love to fight. Mercutio offers as a contrast between houses, sort of like the man in the middle in Romeo and

When Romeo finds out about Juliet’s “death” he believes he has all the facts. He suddenly makes the decision to kill himself, aided by poison. “Romeos best speech is perhaps the one he delivers in the tomb; with it he gives dignity, meaning, and finality to the one act he plans and executes” (Huntley). The speech and characters of the play have been depicted all throughout music, literature, dance, and theater. There’s a certain musical flow and intense alternation of mood that enliven the speech. Mercutio is a big part of this. When Romeo needs guidance, Mercutio is there quickly giving him advice worth hearing. In fact, some believe the wisest words in the entire play are said by him.

Mercutio, similar to Tybalt is a fiery combatant, onry, and quick to fight. However, Romeo’s own actions to stop the duel between Mercutio and Tybalt would result in Mercutio motivating Romeo’s rage. Without Mercutio’s desire to battle Tybalt, Romeo never would have discovered his vengeful side. On page 868 of Prentice Hall’s Literature, Volume Two, lines 107-113, Romeo realizes his actions, “This gentleman, the Prince’s near ally, My very friend, hath got his mortal hurt In my behalf-my reputation stained With Tybalt’s slander-Tybalt, that an hour Hath been my cousin. O sweet Juliet, Thy beauty hath made me effeminate And in my temper soft’ned valor’s steel!” This shows the boiling anger building within Romeo, ultimately brought on by himself and

Mercutio is the best friend of Romeo Montague in William Shakespeare’s, Romeo and Juliet. He is known as the life of the party, because he’s lighthearted and always fun to be around. Mercutio’s death brings about a lot of chaos for Verona but, because of his childish ways, he’s responsible for his own death. He never took anything seriously, couldn’t control his anger, and he never walked away from altercations, he had to have the last word.

Mercutio? How could he blame for such a thing like this? He was one of Romeo’s best friends and only wanted the best for him. Mercutio doesn’t seem to be a person to cause the deaths of Romeo and Juliet,

Tybalt wanted to fight Romeo for coming to the Capulet ball uninvited. Romeo backed down because he could not fight Tybalt because he loves him since becoming a part of his family after marrying Juliet. Romeo did not tell Tybalt about the marriage and Mercutio did not know that. “O calm, dishonorable, vile submission!” (3.1. 44) Mercutio was shocked that Romeo refused to fight when he thought Romeo was just a coward and afraid. He and decided to fight Tybalt in his honor to defend his friend’s name after Tybalt insults Romeo. Tybalt said “Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford, No better term than this: thou art a villain.” (3.1.59-60) Tybalt is saying that he could never be Romeo’s friends because he thinks he is being a bad guy. He thought that Romeo was just being a coward and he is scared of Tybalt. While this does show how loyal Mercutio is to Romeo, if Mercutio would have just left after Romeo said no, the fight would have never happened. Mercutio did not have to fight Tybalt meaning it was his

“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

Mercutio is one of Romeo’s closest friends. He tries to council Romeo through his heartbreak over Rosaline by bringing him to the annual Capulet house party, and even stands up for Romeo when Tybalt comes to Romeo seeking suppressed revenge on him for crashing the party. Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt because he considers him family, now that he is wedded to his cousin. Mercutio deems his attempt to reason with Tybalt as “vile submission” and a disappointed Mercutio takes on Tybalt instead, defending Romeo. When Mercutio is stabbed by Tybalt, he says “I was hurt under your arm.”

The playwright uses him to show the reader that the protagonist is not as perfect as one can imagine. He is a character who plays a crucial role in bringing out the traits in Romeo by his dramatic use of words. At one point, he thinks Romeo should not get ahead with Juliet, but Romeo ignores him. In fact, Romeo describes Mercutio as a man who likes hearing himself talk more than he will stand. This shows that Romeo is a man who is blind in love, and nothing can make him shift his focus on Juliet.

In Act 3 scene 1, Tybalt challenges Romeo to fight with him to the death, but Romeo refuses the challenge. In the rage, to defend Romeo's name, Mercutio suggests fighting for his friend, and Tybalt accepts it. As the readers already know, Mercutio is killed by Tybalt and Romeo takes revenge for his friend( he kills Tybalt after). Mercutio is a loyal best friend to the death. Mercutio's death is the turning point of Romeo and Juliet, brings the story to a dramatic climax between two families- Montague and Capulet.

“Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford No better term than this: thou art a villain.” said Tybalt. Me, a villain? How dare he call me that name? Does he know about me and beautiful Juliet? He can’t know. These are the only things that blow through my mind. I respond as if he knows nothing.

Mercutio thinks that Romeo will not answer Tybalt’s challenge to fight him as he states that “Romeo is already dead.” (2.4.14) Mercutio doesn’t feel confident for Romeo. Mercutio also says that Romeo’s white wench’s black eye shot him with a love song which cut his blind bow-boy’s butt shaft. When saying this, Mercutio is referring to how Rosaline blinds Romeo’s with his love even though Romeo loves Juliet much more. Mercutio’s words here can also mean that Rosaline/Juliet has taken Romeo’s concentration, virginity or even manhood and that Romeo doesn’t have what it takes to fight. Mercutio also remarks that “And is he a man to encounter Tybalt,” questioning if Romeo has the guts to forget about love and defend himself and his honor as a man. Mercutio’s comments allow Shakespeare’s audience to question Romeo’s masculinity. His dialogue also exemplifies Mercutio’s sense of humor as well as his minimal respect towards

he play focuses on romantic love, specifically the intense passion that springs up at first sight between Romeo and Juliet. Mercutio is an important character in the play, as he is a kinsman to the Prince and Romeo's close friend. He has a big effect on both Romeo and Juliet's lives. His actions cause the death of Tybalt and he also indirectly causes Romeo and Juliet to meet. Mercutio's first effect on Romeo and Juliet's lives was the fact he caused them to met one another.

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.