Mercutio’s character in the play, Romeo and Juliet, has potentially changed the storyline and many different aspects of the play. “O Mercutio, Mercutio, what hath thou done Mercutio. Thy presence of thyself has changed the play, and now the two star cross’d lovers have to pay.” In the play, Romeo and Juliet, created by William Shakespeare, we are introduced to a very humorous and influential character in the play, Mercutio. Mercutio was looked upon as the jokester but still changed many aspects of the play, as he was a significant character.
Throughout the play, Mercutio portrays an immature and ignorant mindset. Although he makes the audience laugh with sexual jokes, he is continually thinking wrongly about love. Many people approach him for
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What were Shakespeare’s intentions or purposes for establishing Mercutio’s character? Mercutio is said to be a comic relief, but his significant role in the play has affected the plot and the climax. All the humorous comments and interesting dialogues are based around him. At the beginning of the story, Mercutio brings Romeo to the Capulet feast. As the story continues, Romeo finds the girl of his dreams. If Mercutio was not there for Romeo, he would be depressed and even have a feeling of melancholy. Even though his words are harsh, he brings Romeo back on track and always protects him. Another effect he has on the play is the climax of the story. Romeo was not going to fight Tybalt, but Tybalt started abusing him. Therefore, Mercutio stepped up and fought Tybalt, but he died in the end. For this reason, Romeo plotted revenge by killing Tybalt. This lead to the banishment of Romeo from Verona. Believe it or not, technically it was Mercutio who started all this. Later on, the two deaths of Romeo and Juliet were recorded. Although he does engage his audience with humour, he is still one of the most significant characters in the
He is often up and happy, which immediately turns to serious brooding. The best example of this comes at his death. He has been stabbed through by Tybalt’s cruel blade and the killer has flown. All his fellows gather around laughing when Mercutio yells that he is injured. After sending for a surgeon he stumbles about saying, “No, ‘tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door; but ‘tis enough, twill serve: ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man. I am peppered I warrant for this world. A plague o’ both your houses! Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat to scratch a man to death” (III.i.94-99). In this quote Mercutio seems to go from cracking jokes and making puns to all seriousness, screaming plague upon the quarrel between the two houses. This was very serious considering the plague was running rampant at that time, killing thousands of people. To wish plague on someone is to wish the most feared thing of their age on them and their family. This is not the only example of such emotional instability as he often ranges from very high to very low, creating quite the dramatic and loud character. Mercutio’s characteristics are wide and varied, making him into an extremely complex, extremely prominent character. Shakespeare places this persona of varying emotions who may not be thinking exactly what he seems to be into the story of Romeo and Juliet, a stage full of such
In a story of unorthodox love, family feuding, and violence, many are at blame for the deaths. One of the people I think is responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s death is Mercutio. Mercutio had evoked a fight with his enemy Tybalt. In Act 1 Scene 1 lines 228-229 Benvolio tells Romeo “By giving liberty unto thine eyes.
Romeo was very loyal to his friends and family, and it is possible that Mercutio thought that Romeo would help him fight off Tybalt (since he was unaware of Romeo and Juliet’s secret marriage that somewhat united Romeo and Tybalt). However, this argument is easily deemed invalid. Romeo was not in the town square when the fight had first began, so Mercutio expecting his help in the fight would be a far-fetched idea. A person who is not present cannot help or hinder the situation at hand. In addition, Romeo tried to break up the fight when he said, “Gentlemen, for shame forbear this outrage! Tybalt! Mercutio! The Prince expressly hath forbid this bandying in Verona streets. Hold, Tybalt! Good Mercutio!” (Shakespeare 121). Romeo tried to stop the fight and therefore gave Mercutio more time before death, albeit minimal. The blame cannot be placed on Romeo since he did all that he could to stop the fight from
Mercutio is one of the most unique characters in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. His language is always powerful and imaginative. The Nurse is a very important character in the play because as her title suggests, she is. a Nurse for the Capulet family. She is also a surrogate mother to Juliet.
Mercutio is Shakespeare's prominent comical character in Romeo and Juliet. He is not bound by the events around him, as he often rambles on a topic that is completely irrelevant to the situation in which he finds himself. Mercutio is a free character who is independent of the world around him. His existence is entirely comical in his play with language. For Mercutio, speech is nothing more than a game, which is fitting of his carefree disposition.... ...
Shakespeare uses Mercutio’s insight as a contrast to every other character to show how ridiculous the other characters actually are. If you pay attention to the plots and story lines, this play is a love story. If you understand Mercutio’s purpose, then this play is one of the greatest satires on human emotions ever made.
In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the views of love held by the character Romeo contrast sharply with the views of Mercutio. Romeo's character seems to suffer from a type of manic depression. He is in love with his sadness, quickly enraptured and easily crushed again on a passionate roller coaster of emotion. Mercutio, by contrast is much more practical and level headed. His perceptions are clear and quick, characterized by precise thought and careful evaluation. Romeo, true to his character begins his appearance in the play by wallowing in his depression over Rosaline who does not return his love:
Nurse and Mercutio may seem like minor characters but in reality, they play a major role throughout the play. They provide humor and serve as companions to the main characters. They keep the story going and help transform the play from humor to misfortune. Their parallel role helps to amplify the love felt between Romeo and Juliet.
Mercutio’s perception of love is crude, obscene and sexual, similar to of the Nurse. It is certain that he does not understand true love and does not believe in it. “By her high forehead and her scarlet looks and by her fine foot straight leg,” Mercutio explains his view of Romeo’s affection toward Rosaline and it is unquestionably sexual. Many of Mercutio’s speeches consist of nonsense but they happen to be long and contain obscene concepts to them such as the infamous “Queen mab” speech in Act 1. “Prick love for Pricking, and you beat love down,” as Benvolio, Mercutio believes that females are interchangeable. Mercutio always manages to turn a simple discussion into a coarse and obscene conversation such as, “She had a better love to berhyme her.
Mercutio’s role in the play, as the joker, the catalyst, the best friend, is an essential part to what is such a famous and respected play. Without him, Romeo and Juliet wouldn’t be the play it is today. He is, though, a very subtle character in the way that he isn’t seen as a main character but probably has the most important role. He introduces the idea of fate, adds to the effect of tension, and causes the reason for Romeo to murder Tybalt. He also shows another side to Romeo emphasising the effect that Juliet has on Romeo and how he changes around her.
Mercutio and Tybalt are characters with inherently similar characteristics, but hold contrasting attitudes in the way the deal with in everyday life. Both Tybalt and Mercutio play integral roles in the famous play “Romeo and Juliet’ by William Shakespeare. To summarize, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ tells the tale of two lovers from opposing families that fall in love. The love they have for each other is forbidden, and after a series of misfortunate events, it results with them taking their own lives, thus expelling the long lasting feud between their families. The event that sends the play towards its doom began with Mercutio’s death at the hands of Tybalt. After lamenting the loss of his friend, Romeo then sets out after Tybalt on a quest of vengeance,
Humor can be found to be a virtue and a vice; however, in the grimmest situations humor may allow the gravity to turn into glee and gayness. Mercutio’s greatest aspect is his sense of humor. Which he doesn’t fail to display even in the most inappropriate moments. An instance of such portrayal is during the scene where Romeo has ditched Benvolio and Mercutio in pursuit of Juliet, in the Capulet’s garden. In which Mercutio comically says, “Nay, I’ll conjure too. / Romeo! Humors! Madman! Passion! Lover!” (II.i.7-8). This moment can be considered much graver than Mercutio depicts it to be which makes this scene much more like comic relief than a serious scene. The fact that there are Montague’s in Capulet’s territory is serious enough and can cause some major consequences for the perpetrators if caught. And now to betray their positio...
Mercutio, though a minor character, had and enormous impact on the outcome of the play. Before the Capulet Ball, Romeo had been debating whether to go or not. Mercutio persuaded him to go by giving a big speech to him about a dream he had. This makes him partially responsible because the Ball is where Romeo first met Juliet. Mercutio also caused Romeo to be banished from Verona. Mercutio got in a fight with Tybalt and ended up dead. His death enraged Romeo enough to make him kill Tybalt in revenge. When the Prince saw what happened, he sent Romeo into exile. Romeo's banishment to Mantua made it near impossible for Romeo and Juliet to see each other. Mercutio was to blame, though only partially for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.
Mercutio’s wit makes him an unforgettable character and one of the most beloved characters in all of Shakespeare’s works. In this Shakespearean tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio steals the spotlight with his bawdy humour and his puncturing of romantic sentiments. Mercutio is one of the most memorable characters in this tragedy because he serves as Romeo’s foil, while also linked with the violence and comedy in the play. Most importantly, he serves as a tragic hero, marking the downfall of the story, which proves his significance to the storyline. Mercutio's personality can be described by many words as he is such a complex and quick-witted but the character traits that best describe his essence are impetuous and hot-tempered. In the next paragraph of
Mercutio's personality is happy ,filled with humor and is an anti romantic. Whenever Romeo is in a moody depression , Mercutio is there to lift him up with positive humor. For example, in act one, scene four of Romeo and Juliet , Mercutio says to Romeo to lift his mood from being lovesick "Nay gentle Romeo we must have you dance." Romeo's Personality is serious ,moody and focuses on the negative. In this quote you feel Romeos sad ,depressed mood ,"Tut! I have lost myself; I am not here:This is not Romeo, he's some other where."(1.1 .201-202)Romeo is a full romantic as in this quote he tells of girls who cover themselves still have beauty that they are hiding."That way is To call her beauty, which is exquisite, more into question.These happy masks that cover fair ladies' faces,Being black, reminds us that they hide their beauty." (1.) Romeo and Mercutio are complete opposites , but even so their personalities balance each other in helpful ways like when Romeo is sad Mercutio's uplifting personality comes to the rescue.