Benvolio and Mercutio

In the text (act 3 scene 1) Benvolio and Mercutio are walking together in a public place. Benvolio is trying to get Mercutio to leave as the Capulets are about and if they met they would not escape an argument; ''I pray thee, good Mercutio, let's retire; The day is hot, the Capulets are abroad: And if we meet we shall not scape a brawl, For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.'' Mercutio insists that there is no need to leave. Then the Capulets arrive. Mercutio acts as if he doesn't care even when Tybalt confronts him and says; ''good-den: a word with one of you''. They speak in this manor to each other for a while until Romeo arrives. As he does Tybalt says to Mercutio; ''Well, peace be with you, sir; here comes my man''. He tries to start a fight with Romeo ordering him to 'turn and draw' but he refuses to apologising to him and trying to avoid a fight. As he walks away Tybalt goes after him but Mercutio protecting him stands in the way. Mercutio and Tybalt have a sword fight, although it is not made out to be very serious. After a long while fighting Tybalt accidentally stabs Mercutio. He had not meant to do this. Mercutio does not let others know how serious his injuries actually are even though he knows himself that he is going to die. He is still joking around and describes his injuries as being only a scratch. Though he does say; ''ask for me tomorrow and

  • Word count: 1895
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Mercutio & the Nurse

Mercutio & the Nurse Through out the whole of Romeo & Juliet there is a strong comparison between Mercutio & the nurse. Neither are a part of either family, but they get drawn into this family brawl. They are two parallel characters. The play has many characters, each with their own role in keeping the plot line. Some characters have very little to do with the plot but some have the plot revolving around them. Mercutio is one of the most unique characters in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. His language is always powerful and imaginative. The Nurse is a very important character in the play because as her title suggests, she is a Nurse for the Capulet family. She is also a surrogate mother to Juliet. She acts as a go between for Romeo and Juliet and facilitates the tragedy, which means she informs people of the news and keeps the story going. She provides entertainment by making jokes and bawdy comments. She also relieves the tragedy with her humour. The first comparison between Mercutio & the Nurse is that neither a part of either family. Mercutio is not a Montague, the Nurse not a Capulet. They are just two characters whom are close to either Romeo or Juliet. When Romeo is down, Mercutio is there for him, much like the nurse is who Juliet turns to, when she needs to talk. She chooses to talk to the nurse rather than her own mother. Mercutio is the one who gets Romeo over

  • Word count: 928
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Character analysis of Mercutio

Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet was set in London written between 1594 and 1596 the style links it to other plays such as "Midsummer's Night Dream". It was first published in 1597, and two years later, in 1599 another version of the play was published, with Shakespeare's manuscript with it. In my opinion Romeo and Juliet is the best and most heard of play that Shakespeare wrote. It is also the most interesting and complex. It is a story set in Verona, of two lovers who fall in love and get married. Then get split up because of the rivalry between their houses, Romeo of the Montagues and Juliet of the Capulets. This occurs when Romeo is banished from Verona and is given wrong news that Juliet is dead and so Romeo goes to Verona to Capulets Tomb to find Juliet dead (but is actually sleeping). Then just as Romeo drinks a bottle of poison she wakes up and Romeo has just got the poison in his mouth as she wakes up and then Romeo dies and Juliet decides that she cannot live without her love and so she kisses Romeo and doesn't get any poison and so she takes Romeo's dagger and stabs herself. Then after the deaths of Romeo and Juliet the two houses agree to stop fighting and to be at peace at last. The character I am analysing is Mercutio. Mercutio is the best friend of Romeo and is very loyal to him. Mercutio is a very strange name for a character but actually fits his

  • Word count: 1500
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Character analysis of Mercutio

Character analysis of Mercutio Mercutio is one of the most unique characters in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. His language is powerful and imaginative. He represents many different things in the play and holds an important role. Mercutio is Romeo's friend. He is not a Montague or a Capulet. Therefore, he has not been born into a feud and really has no side; however, his friendship with Romeo associates him with the Montagues. Mercutio's character stands out from the rest because of his energy in everything he does and says. He is always living his life on the edge and always looking for something new and exciting to do. He is constantly playing on words. Romeo once describes him as: "A gentleman ...who loves to hear himself talk." His Queen Mab speech in Act 1 Scene 4, shows that he is very imaginative. He describes in vivid detail everything about a little world he has imagined. He creates this little story which he uses to explain how we get our dreams. In that scene, Mercutio shows how he believes you should chase after what you desire. He tells Romeo to not be afraid to take charge saying: "If love be rough with you, then be rough with love." Mercutio teases Romeo, in Act 1 Scene 4: "Romeo! Humours! Madman! Passion! Lover! Appear though in the likeness of a sigh." This shows how Mercutio cannot understand Romeo's love for Juliet, and that he sees his love as a

  • Word count: 739
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Character Study On Mercutio

Character Study On Mercutio Romeo and Juliet is a tragic play written by William Shakespeare. It is about two lovers who commit suicide when their feuding families prevent them from being together. The play has many characters, each with their own role in keeping the plot line. Some characters have very little to do with the plot but some have the plot revolving around them. Mercutio is one of the most unique characters in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. His language is always powerful and imaginative. He represents many different things in the play and holds an important role. Mercutio is Romeo's friend. He is neither Montague, nor Capulet. Therefore, he has not been born into a feud and really has no side. However, his friendship with Romeo associates him with the Montagues. Mercutio's character stands out from the rest because of his energy in everything he does and says. He is always living his life on the edge and always looking for something new and exciting to do. He is constantly playing on words, using two or more meanings. Romeo once describes him as, "A gentlemen...who loves to hear himself talk." As displayed in his Queen Mab speech in Act I Scene IV, he is very imaginative. He describes in intimate detail everything about a little world he has imagined. He creates this miniature society, which he uses to explain how we get our dreams. In that same scene,

  • Word count: 807
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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What does Mercutio bring to the play? Why does Shakespeare kill Mercutio off?

Emmily Nonas 10W 25th January 2005 Coursework: Mercutio What does Mercutio bring to the play? Why does Shakespeare kill Mercutio off? Mercutio is an almost unique character in Romeo and Juliet, being full of imagination and wit that is shown greatly in the Queen Mab's speech. His name reflects his nature Mercutio coming from the word Mercurial meaning quick and unpredictable. He is a close relative of the Prince but not a member of either of the rival families. In Act One, Scene Four when Mercutio first enters the play, his upbeat personality contrasts sharply with the melancholy Romeo - 'Nay gentle Romeo, we must have you dance'. Mercutio shows concern for Romeo and is anxious for Romeo to be merry. Mercutio does not understand how Romeo is feeling. He regards love as a physical pursuit and mocks Romeo's view on love as a poetic and emotional pursuit. He tries to laugh him out of his misery by using clever punning - 'If love be rough with you, be rough with love' and ' Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down'. Mercutio is one of the few characters able to ridicule Romeo and still remain his friend. When he is with Romeo he is at his happiest. When Romeo protests, 'I dreamt a dream tonight' as a gloomy reason for his not attending the party of his enemy, Mercutio launches into his famous 'Queen Mab' speech, criticising the honesty of any dream and the good

  • Word count: 793
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How is Mercutio portrayed by Shakespeare?

How is Mercutio portrayed by Shakespeare? Mercutio is Romeo's friend. He is neither Montague, nor Capulet. Therefore, he has not been born into a feud and really has no side. However, his friendship with Romeo associates him with the Montague's. Mercutio's character stands out from the rest because of his energy in everything he does and says an example of this is when he interacts with the nurse. He is always living his life on the edge and always looking for something new and exciting to do this is shown in the way Shakespeare shows Mercutio excitement about the Capulet party. He is constantly playing on words, using two or more meanings for example the short phrase in which he addresses Romeo about the nurse. Romeo once describes him as, "A gentlemen...who loves to hear himself talk." As displayed in his Queen Mab speech in Act I Scene IV, this shows he's very imaginative. He describes in intimate detail everything about a little world he has imagined. He creates this miniature society which he uses to explain how we get our dreams. In that same scene, Mercutio states how he believes you should chase after what is desired this shows that Shakespeare although wanted Mercutio to have a comedy side he also wanted to have a serious side. He tells Romeo to not be afraid to take charge saying, "If love be rough with you, then be rough with love." Mercutio teases Romeo, in Act I

  • Word count: 1372
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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GCSE English Coursework (Exploring Mercutio)

Mercutio is a popular character to follow due to his quick wit and flamboyant, affable personality, an example of his mood is shown when he says his Queen Mab Speech, he says she is the "Fairies midwife" and she is no bigger then an "Agate stone" this shows us that he is very well educated because not many people could come out with something like this. He starts to describe her carriage as being something very small, but he mentions every single little detail such as the spokes of the wheels being made out of "Long spinners' legs" In saying this it shows us how much of a free spirit Mercutio is, and that he can say what he likes. He describes Queen Mab at first as being a very lovely person that helps people dream, but then his attitude changes towards her and says things like; "This is that very Mab that plats the manes of horses in the night" This shows us that Mab can be a very cruel person, because when everyone is asleep she will tangle the manes of horses. Mercutio's major function in the play is to be a catalyst for the plot. Mercutio's purpose as a character is most significantly revealed in his relationship with Romeo, his baiting of Tybalt, and his death. More importantly, Mercutio functions as the catalyst for the pattern of disasters in the play that follows his own tragic death. He is a very good friend of Romeo's, for example, Mercutio tells Romeo "Nay,

  • Word count: 640
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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'Romeo and Juliet' - Characterisation of Mercutio

English Controlled Assessment The character of Mercutio is central to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (1597). Liminal, volatile and manipulative, he is presented through his language in the play and in Baz Luhrmann's adaptation "Romeo+Juliet"(1996), played by Harold Perrinea, through his costume, appearance and similarity through language. This essay will compare how these presentations are constructed, referring to both the play and the adaptation. Mercutio, whose name derives from Mercury, messenger of Gods in Roman mythology, can be depicted as a liminal character in both the play and the film adaptation. Mercutio does not belong to the Montagues or the Capulets and lies in between the rival families. In the play, his liminality is evident in the scene of his death. Tybalt challenges Romeo to a fight, but doe to the pacifist nature of Romeo, he refuses to fight and Mercutio fights instead to prevent Romeo from getting injured, but ends up getting wounded by Tybalt. On the verge of his death, in Act 1 Scene 3, he curses the two families by repeating "a plague on both your houses!", which emphasises the hatred he now feels towards them. He is lying in between Romeo and Tybalt and was friends with both; he protected Romeo and had no mischief with Tybalt. Despite this, now they are worthless to him as he says "they have made worm's meat of me"; this powerful metaphor

  • Word count: 1048
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Romeo and Juliet Coursework - Mercutio

Romeo and Juliet Coursework Oliver Acland Mercutio Mercutio adds energy to the play yet ironically also hastens the tragedy with his impetuous actions. He has a vivid imagination and frolicsome personality with his name derived from the adjective 'mercurial'. This gives an excellent description of the young man's vibrant, quick-witted, volatile nature. His strong sense of humour often turns into bawdy innuendos; "open arse and thou a poperin pear," as he teases Romeo the romantic. Indeed Mercutio is used as a dramatic foil to Romeo's love loin "soul of lead." The death of this vivacious character suddenly creates a tragic, disconcerting impact on the story. His colourful imagination is seen from the powerful portrayal of Queen Mab, "the fairies' midwife." During his description of the "angry" "hag", the subject of dreams changes to match his own cynical view on life. His focus on soldiers dreaming of "cutting foreign necks" gives us a small insight into his own inner thoughts and ironically it is in a sword fight that Mercutio is to die. The death of this exuberant man appears as unnecessary waste. Upon Tybalt's fatal blow, Mercutio, the wounded man, curses the two families three times, " a plague a'both houses." This shows that people outside the feuding families are involved in the "ancient grudge" whether they wish to be or not. It also

  • Word count: 793
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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