Mercutio’s speech about Queen Mab within the first act of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Julie, appears to be a random digression from the plot to an untrained eye. Romeo expresses doubt in attending the Capulet ball due to some negative situations that came to him in a dream the night before. In response, the clever and sharp Mercutio disregards Romeo’s worries and retorts that the mythical Queen Mab must have visited him in the night. Mercutio then goes into giving a seemingly random vivid and saturated detail of this Queen with an accelerating darker tone. However, with analysis, it is clear that his speech can inform readers of another understanding to the larger play itself. Queen Mab, the small fairy queen, comes from Irish folklore
…show more content…
After Mercutio’s extended description of her and her chariot, he tells of her abilities by describing how “she gallops night by night/ Through lovers’ brains, and then they dream of love” (1.4.70-71). It becomes clear that, through dreams, she instantly gives her targets what they want. Those who identify as lover’s receive love, their priority in life. But due to the fact that these dreams are false and only cause satiation at night, Queen Mab creates a certain dependency of dreamers. Within their nights, Queen Mab is under control of her dream junkies, essentially. In the nighttime together, Romeo thinks that Juliet is so bright she could outshine the stars when he says, "her eyes in heaven / Would through the airy region stream [shine] so bright / That birds would sing and think it were not night" (2.2.20-22). Juliet is often compared to the sun or stars, constantly bringing a light into these dark times, but these comparisons are often only made within the night time. It is only within Queen Mab’s hours that such love and passion for Juliet can seem entirely possible. In the night, Romeo is driven blind by his dreams and love and disillusioned into thinking Juliet is the only thing good in the world. Like substances, in the moment, one can only recognize their good, and it is not until afterwards, when the sun comes up, that one can fully access their downfalls of their addiction. Pushing along the idea that dreams are only temporal, Mercutio describes them as “Which are the children of an idle brain, Begot of nothing but vain fantasy” (1.4.97-98). These addicting dreams are “vain” in nature, something only satiating very materialistic and primal urges. These dreams, by Mercutio’s point, are produced by those without clear minds, idly using their wit, seeking quick gratification. It can be seen
After Mercutio’s extended description of her and her chariot, he tells of her abilities by describing how “she gallops night by night/ Through lovers’ brains, and then they dream of love” (1.4.70-71). It becomes clear that, through dreams, she instantly gives her targets what they want. Those who identify as lover’s receive love, their priority in life. But due to the fact that these dreams are false and only cause satiation at night, Queen Mab creates a certain dependency of dreamers. Within their nights, Queen Mab is under control of her dream junkies, essentially. In the nighttime together, Romeo thinks that Juliet is so bright she could outshine the stars when he says, "her eyes in heaven / Would through the airy region stream [shine] so bright / That birds would sing and think it were not night" (2.2.20-22). Juliet is often compared to the sun or stars, constantly bringing a light into these dark times, but these comparisons are often only made within the night time. It is only within Queen Mab’s hours that such love and passion for Juliet can seem entirely possible. In the night, Romeo is driven blind by his dreams and love and disillusioned into thinking Juliet is the only thing good in the world. Like substances, in the moment, one can only recognize their good, and it is not until afterwards, when the sun comes up, that one can fully access their downfalls of their addiction. Pushing along the idea that dreams are only temporal, Mercutio describes them as “Which are the children of an idle brain, Begot of nothing but vain fantasy” (1.4.97-98). These addicting dreams are “vain” in nature, something only satiating very materialistic and primal urges. These dreams, by Mercutio’s point, are produced by those without clear minds, idly using their wit, seeking quick gratification. It can be seen