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Romeo and Juliet Mercutio Essay
How is Mercutio presented essay
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In the famous Shakespearean play ‘Romeo and Juliet’, Mercutio is established as the best friend ofRomeo, with an arrogant, witty, cynical personality. Not only is Mercutio one of Shakespeare’s one
original character which is not derived from the famous poem ‘Romeus and Juliet’. Mercutio’s name
is derived from Mercury, the messenger of God in Roman Mythology. This allows Shakespeare to
skilfully express the significance of Mercutio in helping move the play forward. Mercutio is
immediately established as neither Montague nor Capulet which allows him to be seen as a liminal
character which is reinforced in his death scene. Mercutio is used as a construct by Shakespeare to
criticise the feud between Montagues and Capulets. Though it is evident that Mercutio is close to
Romeo and Montague it clear that Mercutio neither ides to Montagues nor Capulets through his
death seen where he uses his dying breath to curse both Montagues and Capulets ‘A plague o’both
your houses!’. Furthermore, Mercutio is used as a warning to Romeo about love instantly meeting
Mercutio for the first time, we instantly get a feeling that he is not so keen on love which he clearly
expresses to Romeo rightly so through the famous ‘Queen Mab Speech’. Finally, Mercutio death is
used as the peripeteia of the play, it is through Mercutio’s death scene the play turns from comedy
to a tragedy. Mercutio dies through protecting the honour of Romeo which makes him appear as a
tragic hero which is the key turning point of the play. Shakespeare has constructed Mercutio is such
was to allow the play to move forward and provide the tragic ending that is already known to the
audience.
Firstly, Mercutio is used as a construct to warn Romeo about the danger of love. When we first meet
Mercutio, he is presented as Romeo’s closest friend, and he delivers his Queen Mab speech to
Romeo about loves and dreams which the audience can clearly tell he is using to mock Romeo.
Mercutio refers to ‘Queen Mab’ a fictional character which can be used to suggest Romeo’s idea of
love is somewhat fictional. Mercutio begins his speech with ‘O then I see Queen Mab hath been with
you’ Immediately this suggests that Mercutio view Romeo’s views on love to be delusional. The pace
at which Mercutio delivers his speech begins to quicken and he takes fewer breaths. Soon we see
Mercutio funny joking tone suddenly changes to a more serious tone which allows us to question
why this happens. It is clear Mercutio has a strong opinion on dreams and love due to the
abruptness of the change in his tone. Mercutio’s speech begins with fanciful imagery however this
quickly changes as his speech develops. He is heard describing ‘Queen Mab’s chariot formed with
the wing of grasshoppers’ which foreshadows the effect Romeo’s love has on the structure of the
play as a whole. The audience gets the sense that Romeo’s love for Juliet will change from something
that appears harmless and fanciful experience however it would suddenly progress to the something
that has dire consequences, that becomes more serious. This inference we get from Mercutio’s
speech suggest to the audience that Mercutio is a catalyst for the play. Shakespeare has constructed
Mercutio in such way to express his ridiculous thoughts on love and dream. Dreams were seen as
guilt for something someone had done during the Elizabethan time which could suggest that
Mercutio is guilty of something which is unknown to the audience. Shakespeare using Mercutio, his
one original character to express the stupidity of dreams and loves could suggest his own views on
love and how Mercutio was a voice for Shakespeare’s thoughts.
Moreover, Mercutio is used as a construct for the feud between the Capulets and Montagues.
Though Mercutio is neither Capulet nor Montague he is not hesitant to defend the honour of his
friend, presenting him as a loyal stubborn person. Though desperate warnings from Benvolio
Mercutio stubbornly refuses to back down and accept defeat from Tybalt. ‘I will not budge for no
man’s pleasure’. This evidently expresses Mercutio’s stubborn attitude which leads us to question
where Mercutio’s position really lies. Mercutio defends his friend to his dying breath though it
results in die consequences he remains brave describing his fatal wounds as a ‘scratch’. This allows
the audience share feelings of like towards Mercutio. Confusingly Mercutio curse both Montague
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