Mercutio's Death In The Tragedy Of Romeo And Juliet

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is a playwright by William Shakespeare. It is a story about two teens who fall in love, though their families are nemeses. They marry secretly and no one but the Friar and Juliet’s nurse knows. The play follows the tragedy that befalls the couple and their families. Death is a constant theme in the story, taking lives on both sides. One important death was that of Mercutio, a headstrong companion of Romeo who was slain by by a Capulet. His death was avenged by Romeo, who was banished for the act. Mercutio’s death serves as a turning point into the tragedy of the play and revealing the theme of intermixing love and hate.
After the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt hate and uncertainty sprouts in Romeo and Juliet. Romeo first proclaims his love for the Capulet name, but once his friend Mercutio is slain by Tybalt, he threatens to “take the villain back again” and he leaves his love for bitter hate. Romeo’s sudden vacillation between love and hate shows the fragility of these feelings, thus making Mercutio’s death an exceptional plot device. Mercutio’s death temporarily blinds Romeo with fury and makes him question his love for Juliet. Additionally, in Juliet’s grief of discovering that her …show more content…
Romeo and Juliet are happily in love with an “exchange of thy love’s faithful vows” and face no tragedy or complications. His death was used as the start of a slope into tragedy. He complicated their situation and brought about many new obstacles. The incident brings about many tragedies such as Romeo “immediately do we exile him hence” and forcing Juliet’s hand to “marry… early next Thursday morn.” The play from this moment loses its romantic tone and spins right into calamity. His character was just a waypoint into tragedy. Mercutio’s death is important because it establishes the genre and shows the frailty of love and