The Death of Mercutio
The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. The play is about a feud between the Capulets and the Montagues. Their feud goes back many years and has caused both sides a lot of grief. During their war, “a pair of star-crossed lovers” secretly get married. Mercutio dies early in the play to increase Romeo’s despair and to establish the play as a tragedy. Mercutio’s death creates a conflict in Romeo which causes him despair.For example, after the death of Mercutio he cries out “O sweet Juliet, thy beauty hath made me effeminate and in my temper softened valor’s steel!” Only moments before Mercutio’s death, Romeo got married to Juliet which made him reluctant to fight Tybalt. He is in despair because Romeo believes that his friend is dead because of his weakness. After the Prince hears what occurred from Benvolio he decides Romeo’s punishment and declares “Immediately we do exile him hence.” Romeo’s punishment does not allow him to stay in Verona
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This ensures that somebody else will die as the effect of Mercutio’s tragic demise. When the Capulets and the Prince arrive at the scene Lady Capulet exclaims “Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live.” The Capulets feel the loss of Tybalt and wish to get revenge. But getting revenge, just as Romeo did, would only cause further tragedy. Mercutio’s death is important because it allows the story to continue as doomed. In this story the author wanted us to learn that both love and hate can fuel revenge. Romeo’s hatred for Tybalt and love for Mercutio causes him to kill Tybalt. In the final analysis, Mercutio died so early in the story because Romeo needed to get revenge for him in order to meet his