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Mercutio's Role In Romeo And Juliet

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In the novel Romeo and Juliet, there are characters that have structural roles to play. These characters have a deeper and more significant meaning to the story than how they are literally interpreted by the reader. One of these character is Mercutio, a blood relative of the Prince and a close friend of Romeo. Mercutio's role in Romeo and Juliet is to provide the masculine comic potential through the action of degrading love in a joking fashion as observed in the Queen Mab speech, the taunting of the Nurse, and the taunting of Romeo through Rosaline.
One example of how Mercutio is the masculine comic potential is through the Queen Mab speech. “This is the hag, when maids lie on their backs,/ That presses them and learns them first to bear,/ Making them women of good carriage./ This is she—”(Shakespeare, 1.4.92-95.)
Another instance in which Mercutio is the masculine comic potential is through the taunting of the Nurse. When the Nurse is trying to relay a message to Romeo, Mercutio steps in to talk to her. “'No hare, sir, unless a hare, sir, in a Lenten pie—that is, …show more content…

When Mercutio and Benvolio are trying to find Romeo, Mercutio attempts to provoke him into coming back by stating, “I conjure thee by Rosaline’s bright eyes,/ By her high forehead and her scarlet lip,/ By her fine foot, straight leg and quivering thigh/ And the demesnes that there adjacent lie,”(Shakespeare, 2.1._-_.) The use of sexual implications give the scene more comic potential as it makes a nice contrast to the rapidly moving tragic potential of Romeo’s love. Mercutio attempts to goad Romeo by using images of Rosaline’s body. Mercutio is the a person that is able to prevent Romeo from tragic love as he has a different viewpoint on love and is the masculine comic potential. Knowing this, if Mercutio is able to stay by Romeo’s side, the potential of tragic love could be

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There were many violent ends within the play that all began with Romeo and Juliet’s forbidden love, and one was the passing of five characters. Mercutio was a relative to the prince and as such he was untouchable. On the other hand he also subtly chose sides. Being friends with the Montagues was the beginning of the road to his death. He was an extremely witty person within the play constantly making jokes, but he also had a vivid imagination coming up with eloquent stories for the trio to hear.

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Mercutios relationship with Romeo is a foil because their beliefs are extremely controversial with each other's. Fates, dreams and love are few of the thoughts where they disagree, and there opinions on each matter were shown a myriad throughout the play , this is shown to be true when Romeo states, "In bed asleep, while they do dreams come true" (1.4, lns 52). This quote supports my answer because Romeo is stating that your dream are prophecies where Mercutio, "...nothing but fantasy" (1.4, lns 98) believes that they mean nothing and are just childish thought. Another quote from the text that supports my answer is between Romeo and Mercutio, "And, to sink in it, should you burden love- too great oppression for a tender thing" (1.4, lns 23-24)

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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.

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Mercutio is one of the most intelligent characters is this play. In this quote Mercutio is telling Romeo that he shouldn't let a dream he had keep him from doing what he wants. "True I talk of dreams which are children of an idle brain. Begot from nothing but vain fantasy; Which is thin of substance as the air, and more inconsistent than the air. Who woos even now the frozen bosom of the north and being angered puffs away from thence turning his face to the dew dropping south.

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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

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From the very start Romeo and Mercutio were side by side, this means that Mercutio had a great effect on Romeo's decisions, starting with the night Romeo met Juliet, which in the end leads to his unforgettable death. The night of the Capulets ball Mercutio convinces Romeo to go, to help with the grieving of his loss of love over Rosalie. “Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance”(shakespeare, pg 389) This line in turn leads to what eventually becomes the Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Romeo then meets, and falls in love with the Capulet daughter, Juliet.

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There are many to blame in William Shakespeare’s writing of Romeo and Juliet; however, Mercutio is the most to blame. There are many to blame in the story Romeo and Juliet, but if Romeo never met Juliet maybe the domino effect of bad events to take their lives wouldn't have happened. Mercutio, Romeo’s hot headed friend convinces him to go the the party, after he has doubts. He tells him to find a new lady to replace his heartbreak Rosealine. The two “Star Struck Lovers” (pg 1), Romeo and Juliet, started their tragedy that night.

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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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Throughout the whole play both Romeo and Mercutio were there for each other when in need of a friend or even just some comforting words. Mercutio always seems to say the right things to put Romeo back on track and in focus. While Romeo was relentlessly weeping over his unrequited love for Rosaline, Mercutio, with his wise and caring words said, “‘Why is not this not better than groaning for love? Now art thou sociable.

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Mercutio says that dreams mean nothing, and pressures him into going to the party anyways. Romeo agrees, and begins the chain of events that lead to his and Juliet’s deaths. He shows how reluctant he is to go by stating,

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Why Mercutio Died For many, the death of Mercutio came as a shock while reading Romeo and Juliet. As royalty, Mercutio is one of the only characters that can roam freely between the houses without wreaking havoc and offending either rivaling family. Mercutio’s role in the play is described as comedic relief. He has a way of distracting the audience from the impending tragedies.

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