Mercutio Act 1 Scene 1

Improved Essays
Mercutio provides a significant role to this masterpiece of a scene through his character. Indeed, his personality, the themes that he subliminally explores, the impact his death causes on the other characters and the way this makes the audience react all play a gargantuan part in the play. This essay will be exploring some of the ingenious language techniques, linguistic devices and themes that give Mercutio and the scene its signature wit, humour, savagery and character. In several ways Mercutio’s character contributes to the brawl, despite how nonchalant and dispassionate he seems when the Capulets arrive. For example, he blatantly exclaims: “By my heel I care not,” when Benvolio signals their arrival, showing Mercutio’s disregard for the …show more content…
In particular William Shakespeare uses him to showcase the theme of tragedy, specifically in the moments leading to his unfortunate death when a passing Mercutio says “A plague o’ both your houses!” This quote implies how this unruly murder was the inevitable result of useless conflict and how both families were responsible for it. Shakespeare further emphasises this by using repetition and having Mercutio reiterate the hateful phrase several times magnifying the tension. The themes of tragedy can also be seen elsewhere including the climactic ending to the scene where Romeo kills Tybalt, and in both scenes plays a vital role to the play, by using the character Mercutio to explore these …show more content…
For one his presence would have prevented Romeo from becoming obliged to kill Tybalt: “And Mercutio slain!” “And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now,” as one of the main motives for Romeo to chase the Capulet was simply to avenge his fellow comrade as the phrase “fire-eyed fury be my conduct now”, signals that Romeo was clearly letting delusion and vengeance cloud his thoughts; which would’ve been unnecessary if Mercutio was still alive. Equally he would’ve also prevented Romeo from getting banished and allowing the star cross’d lovers to potentially live together to make a difference between the endless family

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Mercutio and Benvolio both felt the raging sun as it threw its scorching, afternoon rays onto the town square in Verona. Benvolio pleaded that Mercutio should leave with him as he feared there would be a bad ending to the day if they should be confronted by a Capulet and an argument occurred. They could hear the sound of water as it trickled into the tub in front of the church. The sound of the water could be heard from the market stalls where Mercutio and Benvolio were standing. The white towel in Mercutio’s left hand was placed gently over his face as he wiped away the sweat while they walked from the stalls to the water tubs.…

    • 665 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Romeo does not want to fight Tybalt because he is a close relative and friend to the Capulet’s, and if they fight then there definitely will not be a way for Romeo to marry Juliet. Unfortunately, Mercutio takes this as Romeo just being weak and scared. He steps forward to fight Tybalt, resulting in Mercutio’s death. Mercutio's last words are “Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch.…

    • 883 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the 16th century tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses metaphor and diction, aimed at Tybalt and the 2 families, to reveal Mercutio’s own negative tone/attitude behind his outlook on those whom he had blamed for his death. For example, after Mercutio had been fatally struck from a sword blow by Tybalt in swords dual, Mercutio realizes he is going to die from being stabbed by Tybalt, and says “ I am peppered, I warrant, for this world. A plague o' both your houses! Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat to scratch a man to death! A braggart, a rogue, a villain that fights by the book of arithmetic!”…

    • 441 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    At a Capulet party, Tybalt recognizes the voice of his foe, Romeo, and becomes enraged, immediately ordering a servant, “Fetch me my rapier, boy” and storms off declaring “Now, by the stock and honor of my kin, / to strike him dead I hold it not a sin” exemplifying his violent tendencies (1. 5. 62, 66-67). After the gathering, “Tybalt, the kinsman to old Capulet, / … [sends] a letter to [Romeo’s] father’s house” requesting a duel but Mercutio and Benvolio intercept it and begin speaking of him saying, “[he is] more than a prince of cats … he is … a duelist… a very good blade [and] a very tall man” showing his societal reputation as a combatant (2. 4. 7-8, 20, 25, 31). Tybalt continuously testifies to his bellicose reputation in the strife of Verona. Shakespeare introduces character foils to highlight the characteristics of both characters involved.…

    • 407 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Mercutio And Juliet Blame

    • 876 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Mercutio is an interesting character. But, a major reason why Mercutio takes part of the blame for the tragedy is his tendency to take risks, or more specifically, the fact that Mercutio decided to partake in a feast held by the Montagues greatest enemy. Although many could argue that this was Benvolio’s idea, it must not be forgotten that Benvolio is the only character in the book that can reason maturely, therefore Benvolio would have eventually changed his mind once he realizes the consequences or risks. But, then there is Mercutio, he openly goes to disregard Romeo’s…

    • 876 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, the cause of Mercutio's death can be attributed to the circumstances that surrounded the two families. The friction between the Capulets and Montague's family environments was quite a hostile one which supported multiple violent acts. Before Mercutio died, his last few words were, “A plague a’ both your houses!”(A3.S1.L108). Rather than blaming Tybalt for his death, Mercutio put a curse on both the Capulet and Montague houses. The emotional conflict between the families certainly played a dominant role in the death of Mercutio.…

    • 983 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Romeo and Mercutio are is my favorite foil in Romeo and Juliet. Throughout the play while Romeo is sappy and feeble, Mercutio is making jokes and ridiculous speeches(Act 1 S 4 line: 53 Queen Mab speech and Act 1 S4 line 25-29 “Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, Too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like a thorn. If love be rough with you, be rough with love; Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down.”) This example demonstrates that Mercutio is a rambling joker that can’t take stuff like “true love” seriously.…

    • 681 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Mercutio Foils

    • 613 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Foils Essay Romeo’s character in Romeo and Juliet is the teenage son of Lord and Lady Montague. In the events of the play, he falls in love with Juliet, a member of the enemy household, Capulet. Over the span of three days, the two “star-crossed” lovers kiss, marry, and commit suicide for the sake of love. Mercutio is neither of Montague nor Capulet, but he is Romeo’s best friend. He serves as a comic relief throughout most of the production, though his death is a turning point in the events of this play.…

    • 613 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Mercutio was the Prince’s kinsman, but more importantly Romeo’s best friend and confidant. Mercutio demonstrated loyalty towards his best friend, Romeo. He demonstrates courage and loyalty, accepting the challenge from Tybalt in order to defend his friend’s name. This ends very badly for Mercutio because of the fact that Tybalt managed to stab Mercutio with his sword. In regards to Mercutio’s death, his loyalty ended with two tragic deaths, his own life and Tybalt.…

    • 452 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Romeo; “This day’s black fate on moe days doth depend; This but begins the woe, others must end.” (Tybalt is killed in Act 3, Scene 1.) Romeo should not have been holding back Mercutio for it was the wrong place at the wrong time. Romeo and Juliet were moving into things way too fast. They should have took things slower and maybe tried to talk to their families about trying to be together and maybe try and resolve the family situation.…

    • 418 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    William Shakespeare wrote a total of 37 plays and 154 sonnets in his life; main themes in many of these plays and sonnets were love and tragedy. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet combines the two, having tragedy be a result of love. In the play a central theme is love and its effect on those involved. Ironically, the main source of strife in the play is love, instead of being a solution, love is the cause of brawls and deaths. Throughout the play, Shakespeare explores love as a source of conflict whether, brotherly, familial, or romantic.…

    • 1140 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Mercutio knows if Tybalt duels with Romeo, Romeo will most likely lose. So Mercutio protects him by insulting Tybalt by saying “O calm, dishonourable, vile submission” then goes on to say, with a now drawn sword “Tybalt you rat catcher, will you walk” which is a question of a duel. Mercutio doing this is a great act of loyalty toward Romeo. Mercutio’s death by Tybalt adds to his heroic services to Romeo. Romeo shows his act of loyalty back to Mercutio by getting revenge on his soul, he does this by beating Tybalt and overall killing him.…

    • 876 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The day is hot, two bodies lay bloody on the streets of Verona. One is Mercutio, best friend of Romeo, cousin to the prince. The other is Tybalt, part of the Capulet household. Who is to blame for this, this bloody fight. Who is to blame for Tybalt’s death.…

    • 760 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Zayd Siddiqui Mr. Devine ENG 1D1 Jan/8/16 Causes For Romeo And Juliet’s Death “From Forth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of star-crossed lovers take their lives”. Romeo and Juliet is an 16th Century play written by William Shakespeare. The Play Portraits the life of two star-crossed lovers as they live hiding their love in fear and secret from their feuding families, the Capulets and the Montagues. This Path ultimately leads to the two lover’s horrible death, but what were the factors and events leading up to this ending?…

    • 1959 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    When Romeo tries to show love for Tybalt and refuses to fight, Mercutio’s fatal flaw, his hot-headedness, emerges. Therefore, Romeo’s defiance against his initial identity as a Montague, and the appearance of his new peaceful one, leads to an extreme conflict between Mercutio and Tybalt. Lastly, due to their rebellion against their identities, conflict arises between Capulet and his wife, and Juliet, because of their suddenly changed views on love. There…

    • 1481 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays