During the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, there is not much character development or introduction. We make flash judgments of characters based on the key role that they play during the scene. We also pay close attention to their use of word play, in order to understand their personality and motivations. There is one fan favorite whose use of word play made him loved and grieved for by all.
Mercutio, the man behind the protagonist. Mercutio is an anti-romantic character who regards love as something physical and mocks Romeo for thinking of it as anything else. His rant during Act 1 Scene 4, speaks to his feelings on anything that is not in the physical or concrete. He says that dreams are “begot of nothing but vain fantasy, which is as thin of a substance as the air (1.4.105-106).” From this we can infer that he not only believes that dreams are a foolish thing to believe in but, that love is one and the same. While he is looking for Romeo, after he jumped over the walls into the Capulet’s Garden, …show more content…
Even though Romeo had no desire to fight Tybalt, Mercutio rushed in to protect Romeo. Mercutio yells, “O Calm, dishonorable, vile submission!” (3.1.74). This is due to his astonishment at his closest friend, that he thought he knew better than everyone else, acting differently due to a woman. I believe that Mercutio thought he was protecting Romeo’s Masculinity which Juliet was attacking. During these times, Masculinity resembles, in my opinion, what we believe today. Men are expected to be brave and never stand down from a fight. Men are also supposed to have sex with several women to prove their virility. Over the courtship of Juliet, Romeo has been losing the Masculine side of himself and Mercutio feels that it is a threat to their relationship and their lives together. Little did he know it would be his love for Romeo that kills
Mercutio, the man behind the protagonist. Mercutio is an anti-romantic character who regards love as something physical and mocks Romeo for thinking of it as anything else. His rant during Act 1 Scene 4, speaks to his feelings on anything that is not in the physical or concrete. He says that dreams are “begot of nothing but vain fantasy, which is as thin of a substance as the air (1.4.105-106).” From this we can infer that he not only believes that dreams are a foolish thing to believe in but, that love is one and the same. While he is looking for Romeo, after he jumped over the walls into the Capulet’s Garden, …show more content…
Even though Romeo had no desire to fight Tybalt, Mercutio rushed in to protect Romeo. Mercutio yells, “O Calm, dishonorable, vile submission!” (3.1.74). This is due to his astonishment at his closest friend, that he thought he knew better than everyone else, acting differently due to a woman. I believe that Mercutio thought he was protecting Romeo’s Masculinity which Juliet was attacking. During these times, Masculinity resembles, in my opinion, what we believe today. Men are expected to be brave and never stand down from a fight. Men are also supposed to have sex with several women to prove their virility. Over the courtship of Juliet, Romeo has been losing the Masculine side of himself and Mercutio feels that it is a threat to their relationship and their lives together. Little did he know it would be his love for Romeo that kills