In the play Romeo and Juliet. This literature technique, foil is used between the characters Romeo and Mercutio. They talk to each other but are nothing alike. Romeo is more impulsive with his decision making. And never really thinks before he does.
Shakespeare uses foils to illustrate parallels and disparities certain qualities in characters. In Romeo and Juliet he created four foils, there was Tybalt and Benvolio, Romeo and Mercutio, the nurse and Lady Capulet, and finally Tybalt and Lord Capulet. Each of these characters contrast others in their own genuine way, these alterations made systematic qualities more extravagant than most generally are. The most attention-grabbing and hysterical foil that Shakespeare used was Lady Capulet and the nurse, as the nurse made more juvenile jokes Lady Capulet contracted a more grave attitude. Lady Capulet is a woman of dignity.
Achilles vs Hektor The Iliad, an epic poem by Homer, takes place in the tenth year of the Trojan War. Recalling important events that take place bringing the war to an end the poem uses figurative language and literary devices to enhance its characters, presenting similarities and differences between how the characters handle specific situations and how they deal with the concept of masculinity. For example Homer uses the method of literary foils. A foil is a character that depicts traits that differ with the traits of another character. In The Iliad, Achilles and Hektor are foil characters.
William Shakespeare’s, Romeo and Juliet, provides great foils for the main character, Romeo. Shakespeare includes many foils throughout his stories to make his character’s emotions, attitude, and characteristics more apparent. Romeo’s character traits, lovestruck, cowardness, and emotional are highlighted through his foils, best friend Mercutio, and enemy, Tybalt. Romeo’s foils help to make his character’s personality stronger and clear. One character trait that’s highlighted through Tybalt is Romeo’s complete awe and love for Juliet.
Mercutio is different from Romeo because he does not believe in love and makes fun of Romeo and falling in love so heavily all the time. When Romeo describes his love for Rosaline using a rose with thorns as a metaphor. Mercutio laughs and says ”If love be rough with you, be rough with love; Prick love for pricking and you beat love down”(I.4.27-28). In another scenario of Romeo and Mercutio’s foils is when Romeo tells his friends about a dream he had about the party and is expecting a disastrous outcome of the party. Mercutio makes fun of Romeo because he does not believe that dreams can become visions of impending danger.
These lovers show an unfortunate fate, leading to their deaths that ends the feud of their families. In this play, three characters, Mercutio, Romeo, and Juliet show disloyalty and loyalty in some moments throughout the play. First character who shows both loyalty and disloyalty is Mercutio. Mercutio shows loyalty when defending Romeo, but after he gets badly wounded by Tybalt, he curses both families saying, “A plague o’ both your houses” (3.1.96). To begin, this quote shows Mercutio’s disloyalty towards Romeo by cursing both families.
This striking character foil in this timeless tragedy emphasizes by contrast the two juvenile men’s individual personalities. Throughout the play it becomes apparent that Romeo’s cousin, Benvolio, takes on the role as the peacemaker. For instance, Benvolio goes betwixt the Montagues and
In the play Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, there are many characters that are used as dramatic foils to one another. By creating these characters, he is able to give more information to the audience about the characters and give more meaning to the play overall by adding to the plot through their conflicts. Throughout the course of the play, there are two characters that stick out the most as dramatic foils; Tybalt and Benvolio. In the play, these two are considered foils since Tybalt is portrayed as an aggressive, hot-headed, and unreliable man, while Benvolio is shown as a trustworthy and rational man who takes on the role of peacekeeper and problem solver during disputes. All throughout the play, Tybalt is always trying to cause
Romeo takes love very seriously, while Mercutio mocks him time after time with the belief that love is a
The exchange between the character’s motivations sets the stage for even novice readers to grasp the essence of foil characters. Tybalt and Romeo also have very different character traits, further exemplifying the fact they are foil characters. Romeo, impulsive and romantic, has more emotional and gentle
"Love is poison. A sweet poison, yes, but it will kill you all the same." - George R. Martin. This quote reflects the idea that when love consumes a person's personality, it can be their downfall. Although love can sometimes improve a person's life, it can also lead to their destruction.
Both Romeo and Mercutio have a lot to learn from each other and their mistakes. They have a strong understanding to each other, and that's what makes them best
In the play, Shakespeare uses Tybalt and Benvolio because one is very hostile while the other is peaceful much like how the family feud can be. They are a smaller version of the feud combined into a character so the reader can really understand how bad the feud is. He also uses the main character Romeo and his best friend Mercutio because one is humorous and jokes around while Romeo is serious and believes in love, dreams and fate and that essentially what the play is about. Their difference allows the reader to know how in love Romeo is for this girl he met and how he would do anything for her yet Mercutio does not understand love or take it as serious. Without foil the reader may not understand who a person is as much or why they do what they do.
Romeo fights for his loved ones, but usually is the one that tries to break up fights, as he tries to do before Mercutio was killed. Another example of how Romeo has a bold personality is when he breaks several laws, throughout the play for his love of Juliet. One instance, is when Romeo is overlooking Juliet’s tomb and drinks the poison, killing himself. Romeo professes, “Here’s to my love! O true apothecary!
Secondly, Laurence impute guilt against Romeo of being “unseemly woman in a seemly man” and verbalize that his tears are “womanish” (Shakespeare 111.iii.). Another example, is Mercutio, he enjoys fencing, quarreling, and joking. Mercutio defines himself on how masculinity is supposed to look like. He criticized Juliet cousin Tybalt for his fake accent that he speaks and his interest in his clothes. In addition Marcutio is happiest when Romeo rejoins his group
