Mercutio's Death Scene

Comparison and Effect of Mercutio’s Death Scene

There is only one way that a scene is written, but multiple ways, that scenes are portrayed. In the aftermath of 9/11, multiple screenwriters wrote films that depicted their own thoughts on the tragedy and how it should be perceived by the public. Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center focuses on the struggle of two police officers stuck under piles of mountainous rubble and the chaos that surrounded New York City at its height. Paul Greengrass's United 93 another 9/11 movie, focuses on flight United 93 which was hijacked, and the havoc that was created trying to save the lives of its target; Capitol Hill. The two films illustrated a horrific tragedy but was displayed in different interpretations

In the 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet, Romeo tries to stop the predicament by stating, “Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.”(III.2.84) but instead of there being a gun, the use of the word “rapier” indicated the use of a sword. If there was a specific reason to kill, the sword would have killed someone at the scene immediately, but that was not the case. The 1996 version of Romeo and Juliet supports that the usage of guns versus swords is an indication of what Tybalt and the Capulets intend to do when coming to Verona beach. Since just one gun shot can typically inflict more harm than a stabbing, the fact that Mercutio’s murder weapon was a gun, indicates that the scene was depicted for killing from the beginning. The subversive behaviour that Tybalt expresses after shoving Romeo away by stating, “Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries, That thou hast done me. Therefore turn and draw.”(III.1.68-69) This violent reaction that Tybalt has towards Romeo for getting in the way of him fighting Mercutio causes Tybalt to draw his gun and take the shot that ends Mercutio’s life. This constant fierce conflict that results in many agonizing deaths, prevents the Montague and Capulets from living in accord. This also helped foreshadow the impending doom that Mercutio faces in the life or death situation that the 1998 version of Romeo and Juliet