ipl-logo

Mercutio In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

1231 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Romeo and juliet fate or choice

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a play which explores oppositional ideas throughout the story. Mercutio is a minor character in the play. However, Mercutio plays a vital role in the play, he acts as a comedic foil to Romeo, his loyalty to Romeo brings him closer to the storyline and helps to set up the story. His death signifies a complete tonal shift towards tragedy from romance and his role, both regarding his characterisation and the significance of his death, serves to develop the opposing themes and genres within the play such as Love & Violence and Fate & Destiny.

Mercutio’s character is used to develop the primary themes, such as the horrific consequences of mindlessly-preserving honour and reputation, shown through his meaningless death. The massive shift in the play shines light upon Mercutio’s stance on reputation. He was willing to defend Romeo’s honour no matter the circumstances by risking his own life. This ambition is recognised when Mercutio insults Romeo and decides to fight Tybalt himself just to defend Romeo’s reputation: “O calm, dishonourable, vile submission! Alla stoccata carries it away.” The diction of “dishonourable, vile …show more content…

As a result of this action, the hopes of the audience is similarly crushed. The regret Romeo feels after killing Tybalt shows how consumed he was with ideas of revenge. After the death of Mercutio, Romeo is told by Benvolio that Romeo’s death is inevitable when he gets caught. Then, Romeo's regret is portrayed when he calls himself “O, I am fortune's fool!” The personification in “fortune’s fool” suggests that Romeo feels like destiny has tricked him. This event highlights how the fates of Romeo and Mercutio were intertwined so that the transition between light and dark exists through both

Show More
Related
444 Words | 2 Pages

In the play Romeo and Juliet, he called out, "O calm, dishonorable, vile submission" (III.1.72). Mercutio demonstrates his loyalty and courage when he takes up Tybalt's challenge to defend his Romeo’s name. Being the relative of the prince makes him have a strong amount of respect for himself, so he thinks Romeo is a coward for not taking up the challenge. Mercutio shows that he is a good friend and that he is courageous by fighting Tybalt in place of Romeo, which in turn leads to his death. If he didn't put himself in that situation than he wouldn’t have been

Read More
513 Words | 3 Pages

True love is a concept perceived as achievable by many and a myth to some. In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio’s purpose is to foreshadow an important aspect of the play, be a foil for Romeo, and lead to the woeful turning point of the comedy turned tragedy. Mercutio is used to foreshadow Romeo and Juliet’s tragic fate. After being stabbed by Tybalt under Romeo’s arm, Mercutio manages to tell Romeo that he wishes a “plague curse both your families” (III,1,94). After Mercutio’s death, only tragedy ensues- Tybalt dies, Romeo is banished, the Friar does not deliver a message, and Romeo and Juliet end their lives.

Read More
418 Words | 2 Pages

In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, through the first three acts, Mercutio is the most important character because he participates in all of the major parts of the play. To illustrate, Mercutio is involved in a very pivotal scene where Tybalt is being arrogant and trying to get into fights with the Montagues. Mercutio antagonistically says to Tybalt, “And but one word with one of us? Couple it with / something; make it a word and a blow” leading to a Tybalt and Mercutio fight that Tybalt ultimately wins in the end (3.1.35-36). Romeo fights for Mercutios honor and ends up killing Tybalt.

Read More
848 Words | 4 Pages

Mercutio is making light of Romeo’s deep depressing love for Rosaline, he’s mocking love and making it a joke. This creates an emphasis on Romeo’s utter affixation with love. Mercutio’s playfulness and ability to make a serious subject humorous and reasonable bring out the deep, dark, and depressing side of Romeo, who is completely the opposite when it comes to love. Romeo does not see love as a joke and we see him fall into a depression, Mercutio only makes this sadness more apparent as he talks so jokingly of love. Shakespeare uses Mercutio to lighten Romeo’s depression and make it more

Read More
623 Words | 3 Pages

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.

Read More
436 Words | 2 Pages

Throughout history, it seems that many great stories include an outrageous character that completely grasps the audiences attention. In The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio is considered to be one of Shakespeare's most memorable creations because of his unique personality with the use of his wittiness, him being a foil to Romeo, and his ruining of romantic sentiments. Mercutio's wittiness makes him a memorable character because his silliness conveys the misery starting to screen so the general audience is able to a more prominent attitude. Mercutio begins a fight with Tybalt, but get injured when Tybalt accidents stabs him.

Read More
330 Words | 2 Pages

Jokester Inside Mercutio The embodiment of personas is what makes us act the way we do on a regular basis. In William Shakespeare’s, “Romeo and Juliet”, most times Mercutio is all laughs and jokes and doesn’t have a care in the world for anything. Mercutio even makes jokes to his enemy Tybalt who is a Capulet. Shakespeare uses witty comments and casual remarks to portray Mercutio to be the jokester of the book.

Read More
547 Words | 3 Pages

Both pieces of evidence relate to the theme because Romeo interferes with Mercutio’s decision leading to Mercutio's death. Romeo’s interference caused the death of Mercutio, proving that trusting others and letting them make their decisions is the best course of action at

Read More
349 Words | 2 Pages

Desires that Lead to Death In The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Mercutio is always pushing the limits. He doesn’t act his age despite being royal and having a good education. Mercutio goes about things in a bad manner and always wants his way.

Read More
741 Words | 3 Pages

Romeo acts as an arbitrator between Tybalt and Mercutio because he understands the repercussions of the impending clash. He tries his best to reason with Tybalt by saying “I do protest, I never injured thee, But love thee better than thou canst devise.” Meaning that he won 't fight because he is related to him through marriage. Tybalt, not knowing of their secret wedding ignores Romeo’s comment, continuing his goading of Mercutio.

Read More
1043 Words | 5 Pages

Romeo allows his thirst for revenge to cloud his logical reasoning when he kills Tybalt who has just murdered Mercutio, Romeo’s best friend. Mercutio defends Romeo against Tybalt’s insults with comebacks and later his sword. As Romeo attempts to intervene, Mercutio is stabbed by Tybalt and Romeo is enraged. Once he finds out from Benvolio that the wound had killed him, Romeo,”Who had but newly entertained revenge,” (III.i.173), kills Tybalt and flees the scene. Romeo declined to

Read More
914 Words | 4 Pages

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

Read More
899 Words | 4 Pages

Zoe Pavletich 3/6/24 English 8E R+J Essay Mercutio Character Analysis Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is a play set in Verona, Italy, in the 13th century. It follows the story of a pair of starcrossed lovers, named Romeo Montague Capulet and Juliet, from the growth and development of their relationship in the midst of a violent feud between their families, to their eventual tragic suicide. While the play begins as a romantic comedy, it turns into a tragedy in Act 3 with the death of Romeo’s friend Mercutio, and Juliet’s cousin Tybalt. In playwriting, a tragedy is the story of a character's tragic flaw, which is a strength that becomes their weakness, and eventually leads to their downfall. While the play's main tragedy is about Romeo

Read More
382 Words | 2 Pages

Tybalt’s actions demonstrate his aggressive and confrontational nature and his responsibility for Mercutio's death. Another reason Tybalt is responsible for Mercutio’s death is due to his lack of remorse or regret for his actions. Throughout the play, Tybalt demonstrates a ruthless and violent nature, and does not show any remorse for his role in Mercutio’s death. “O, I am fortune's fool!” (3.1.143).

Read More
597 Words | 3 Pages

When he is killed, it signifies the transition of the play from comedy to tragedy. There are clear-cut reasons, however, why Mercutio was destined to perish. Not only can we blame his death on his immature nature, but also on the actions and choices of Romeo and Tybalt. Concerning Mercutio’s demise, a few of his characteristics may have come into play.

Read More

More about Mercutio In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

Related Topics

Open Document