“Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance.” (Act 1, Scene 4, Line 10.)
This shows us that Mercutio is being selfish here because he him to be in a good mood in order to joke with him.
In Act 2, Scene 1 Mercutio makes fun of Romeo’s love for Rosaline. He says in Act 2, Scene 1, line 19 that Romeo loves her because of
“Rosaline’s bright eyes, by her forehead and her scarlet lip, by her fine foot, straight leg and quivering thigh.”
He thinks that Rosaline had a quivering thigh because of being physical exhausted. He thinks that this is because she has slept with Romeo. This portrays us that in his vision women’s role is just as physical not as a good friend or a life partner. He also comment’s in Act 2, Scene 1, line 34: -
“He sits under a medlar tree. And wish his mistress were that kind of fruit."
This shows us that he is trying to push up Romeo to get some meaning out of Rosaline, like he thinks love is. He also this to get a laugh in the audience and this tells us that he is also using his humour.
In Act 2, Scene 4, the impression we have of Mercutio is that he enjoys fighting. He says in Act 2, Scene 4, line 24: -
“He fights as you sing prick – song, keep time, distance and promotion.”
Here he says that Romeo is like a dancer when he fights. He does this to provoke Romeo to get angry and fight.
He also says that after the injection of his first love from Rosaline, he is suffering from love sickness.
Alas poor Romeo is already dead, stabbed with a white wench’s black eye.” (Act 2, Scene 4, line 13.)
By this we learn that Mercutio thinks that Romeo can’t live without his love. So, Mercutio’s view on love is only physical not romantic. Later on in the play when Mercutio saw the nurse with her fan Peter he said: -
“…. hide her face, for her fan’s the fairer face.” (Act 2, Scene 4, line106.)
We as readers get the impression that Shakespeare has brought this character nurse in the conversation to bring humour in the play so we don’t get bored.
In Act 3, Scene 1, Mercutio responds to Benvolio’s comment about the day being hot a s follows: -
“Thou wilt quarrel with a mean of cracking nuts …. Thou host quarreled with a man for coughing in the streets.” (Act 3, Scene 1, line 21.)
This shows us that Mercutio likes fights and wants Romeo to fight with Tybalt.
When Tybalt entered and said that I wanna have a word with you. Mercutio responded that:
“But one word with one of us? Couple it with something, make it a word and a blow.” (Act 3, Scene 1, line 40.)
By this we notice that Mercutio is encouraging Tybalt to fight with Romeo. When Mercutio hears that Romeo doesn’t want to fight Tybalt he starts to fight with him. As Mercutio dies he says that help me I don’t wanna die. It was you who had to die but I am going to the grave now.
Mercutio’s purpose in the play is to enlighten the mood of the audience. Shakespeare created him to bring humour in the play. The audience in Shakespeare’s time would have laughed because Mercutio was witty and comical. Some of them might not have understood because of the new words. Mercutio is still a humorous character in the play.
