The Role of Mercutio in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

The character of Romeo is important because he brings humour into the

play. The play 'Romeo and Juliet' is a tragity because both the main

characters die. Mercutio's character is humorous, comics, entertaining

and morose. This is important because he brings light relief to the

play. The effects he has on the other characters and the audience are

that they laugh and their mood get a new life.

In act 1, scene 4 we meet Mercutio for the first time and the

impression he give on us is that he is eloquent, humorous and witty

and doesn't take love seriously. For example he says Act 1, scene 4,

line 27: -

"If love be rough with you be rough with love."

This quotation gives us a view of how Mercutio thinks about love. In

his view love is only physical not something which deals with Emotion.

Another view in which is behavior portrays us that he is also very

cheerful. For example when Mercutio and Romeo were in the party, Romeo

was upset because of his love. Then Mercutio tried to get my out of

that misery in the following way: -

"Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance." (Act 1, Scene 4, Line

10.)

This shows us that Mercutio is being selfish here because he him to be

in a good mood in order to joke with him.

In Act 2, Scene 1 Mercutio makes fun of Romeo's love for Rosaline. He

says in Act 2, Scene 1, line 19 that Romeo loves her because of

"Rosaline's bright eyes, by her forehead and her scarlet lip, by her

fine foot, straight leg and quivering thigh."

He thinks that Rosaline had a quivering thigh because of being

physical exhausted. He thinks that this is because she has slept with

Romeo. This portrays us that in his vision women's role is just as

physical not as a good friend or a life partner. He also comment's in

Act 2, Scene 1, line 34: -

"He sits under a medlar tree.