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Mercutio's Decisions

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“A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life, Whose misadventured piteous overthrows. Doth with their death bury their parents ' strife. The fearful passage of their death-marked love” (Prologue). The agonizing story of Romeo and Juliet is abounding with plot twists and destructive decisions. The star-crossed lovers’ deaths were unavoidable, no matter what decisions led up to them. Without a doubt, the most destruction was made by Mercutio. Mercutio was Romeo’s best friend, which led to Romeo’s underestimation transform into angry rage once Tybalt killed Mercutio. His decision to fight Tybalt put himself amid an ongoing quarrel between Romeo and Tybalt, causing tension between the Capulets and Montagues, and disconnecting Romeo from Juliet. …show more content…

Mercutio held his head high around the Capulets, and was due to pay the consequence. Mercutio and Benvolio had a conversation that states,“I pray thee, good Mercutio, let 's retire:/The day is hot, the Capulets abroad,/And, if we meet, we shall not scape a brawl;/For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.” (3.1.2-6). When Benvolio made note of the Capulet 's arrival, he wanted to leave. Mercutio, on the other hand, wanted to stay to prove his courageousness around the rival family. They remained for the Capulet’s arrival. Romeo arrived soon after that. To Tybalt 's surprise, Romeo would not contest against him. Instead, Romeo told Tybalt that he loved him. Mercutio then decided to step in to protect Romeo of his vulnerability and fight Tybalt. In the text Mercutio states, “Will you pluck your sword out of his pitcher/by the ears? make haste, lest mine be about your/ears ere it be out” (3.1.108-110). Mercutio felt that it was his responsibility to take down Tybalt since he was intimidating Romeo. So, Mercutio decided to brawl with Tybalt. Mercutio’s ignorant decision to duel Tybalt led him to his own death and grief of friends and family. Mercutio was not aware of the consequences he would be facing because of his own decision. He announces in the text, “Ask for/me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I/am peppered, I warrant, for this world. A plague o '/both your houses!” (3.1.140-144). Tybalt had struck Mercutio enough to eventually kill him, so Mercutio exited to his grave, cursing the Capulets and the

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Some people fight for honor, and some fight for revenge, or to avenge their friends or loved ones. Some fight with words and wisdom, while others choses to use physical force, even by taking the opponent’s life to fulfill their vengeance. One of the First lives lost in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, triggers the protagonists, Romeo, to avenge his friend, Mercutio. Romeo avenges his friend’s life, with the his own life and the trust from his wife, Juliet, at stake. When Romeo is mocked by the antagonist, Tybalt, a Capulet, Romeo decides to withdraw from the fight, then, his friend Mercutio decides to fight for him to protect his honor on Act three scene three.

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Mercutio is also responsible for the continuation of the duel after Tybalt drew first blood. Although it is not depicted in the text, in the Globe Theater Production of Act III Scene I, Mercutio and Tybalt started off the duel in intense combat, but after a while Tybalt laid a hit on the forearm of Mercutio, leaving a bloody wound as he crouched down in pain. As Mercutio’s weapons laid aside him, Tybalt took a bow of grace in front of Mercutio, symbolizing what he thought was a victorious duel over the royals, as he had drawn first blood and assumed that was the end of the fight, that they were only fighting to first blood, not to the death. If Mercutio had agreed to end the fight there, it is likely his life would be spared. However, Mercutio threw his glove in the face of Tybalt, then stood up with his rapier and sword in his hands, and continued to swing at Tybalt.

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This passage occurs in Act Three, Scene One. At the time of this quote, Mercutio is speaking directly to Romeo and Benvolio as they are the two characters physically with Mercutio at the time. However, the speech was intended for the houses of both Montague and Capulet as they had made a fool of him enough to result in his untimely death. Tybalt disrupted Mercutio and Benvolio in search of Romeo as Tybalt had the intent to fight him. However, Mercutio continued to make vulgar remarks towards Tybalt until eventually causing a fight of their own.

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Tybalt killed Mercutio even after Romeo warned him to cease fighting which led to Romeo’s banishment. According to the text, Romeo states, “The prince expressly hath forbid this bandying in Verona streets. Hold, Tybalt! Good Mercutio! Romeo attempts to beat down their rapiers.

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“Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up” (Shakespeare 3. 1. 87). After Mercutio is wounded and gets news of his death, Romeo is motivated to fight. “Now, Tybalt, take the “villain”back again…either thou or I, or both, must go with [Mercutio] (Shakespeare 3. 1. 132-7). Romeo immediately tells Tybalt he will fight him and that he himself, Tybalt, or the both of them will die.

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Tybalt had originally wanted to fight Romeo for sneaking into the Capulet’s party, however because Romeo did not want to fight Mercutio drew his sword and challenged Tybalt to a fight. Mercutio said “Good King of Cats, nothing but one of your nine lives…dry-beat the rest of the eight. ”(3.1.73-75.) If Mercutio wasn’t so egoistic he would not have taken offense to what Tybalt said he wouldn't have fought and instead walked away. If he walked away he would not have died.

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Romeo tells Tybalt, “I do protest I never injur’d thee, but love thee better than thou canst devise” (162). Romeo tells Tybalt he loves him but cannot tell him the reason why, the reason being they are technically family now through his marriage to Juliet. Mercutio grows frustrated because Tybalt calls Romeo a villain, Mercutio believes Tybalt should not get away with being so insulting. Romeo reacts to being called a villain by saying “I love you so I don’t care that you called me a bad name. But you clearly don’t know me very well, goodbye!”

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Mercutio sees Tybalt insult Romeo and responds, “O calm, dishonourable, vile submission! Alla stoccata carries it away” (Shakespeare 3.1.69-70). Clearly, Tybalt insults Romeo rudely and this has also affected Mercutio. Mercutio can’t stand the fact he said that He decides to fight Tybalt himself instead of Romeo. Later on, Mercutio is killed by Tybalt.

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He wants to fight, but Romeo is not budging, for he does not want to harm Juliet’s cousin. So instead of Romeo fighting Tybalt, Mercutio fights Tybalt because Romeo will not fight for himself. Romeo steps between them and tries to stop the duel, but Tybalt manages to stab Mercutio underneath Romeo’s

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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.

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Mercutio decides to fight tybalt because Romeo would not fight back against him. Romeo is being a coward in the eyes of Mercutio so he decides to fight Tybalt on his own. “O calm, dishonorable, vile submission Alla stoccata carries it away. Tybalt, you ratcatcher, will you walk?” (Shakespeare 1091).

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Tybalt challenges Romeo to a duel and he declines the challenge and insists that he won’t fight Tybalt. Mercutio is angered by Romeo’s “cowardice” and takes on Tybalt himself. Romeo wants Mercutio to stop fighting Tybalt so he decides that it’d be a good idea to block his arm in mid combat and Tybalt stabs Mercutio from under Romeo’s arm and Mercutio falls dead after rambling about plagues and a pun or two. Romeo doesn’t realize that it is his own fault that Mercutio died after Mercutio even blamed his wound on him. Romeo lets his emotions decide his actions and becomes enraged and ignores that Tybalt is now his family and fails to see that he was the reason Mercutio was killed.

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This meant that Juliet could not admit she was already married to Romeo her “enemy”. “He’s alive and victorious, and Mercutio’s dead . Enough time with mercy and consideration”act 3 scene 1 line 1. This shows that Tybalt had killed Mercutio because Mercutio hung with Romeo and hated Montagues. This lead to the death of Mercutio.

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382 Words | 2 Pages

Tybalt takes offense to Romeo's presence at the Capulet's party and challenges him to a fight, despite attempts by Mercutio to claim the situation. This leads to Mercutio’s death. “Alive in triumph, and Mercutio slain! Away to heaven, respective lenity, And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!” (3.3.118-120).

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