Mercutio was played a key role in the tragedy; the boy was a distant relative of the royal family and Romeo’s best friend. The young man was fiery and joyful simultaneously; he spent all his free time with his friends. He was ready to sacrifice everything for his close companions, especially for Romeo’s benefit. At the beginning of the play, the author describes the boy as a tamer of women’s hearts, a characteristic he displays at Montague’s ball (Shakespeare 3.1. 15-20). Mercutio, in addition to all this, is also characterized by boldness, bordering on recklessness. At the same time, Mercutio is distinguished by refined taste, intelligence and nobility; Mercutio tries to help his lover friend. He is the one who persuades his friends, particularly Romeo, to go and have fun at the ball. Mercutio used pun, in other words, when a word can have several meanings for humorous purposes in order to encourage Romeo. In the beginning, “Romeo and Juliet” has a carnivalesque atmosphere, characterized in the play by the freedom, laughter, and uncensored humor typical of comedy.
The tragedy is defined by the fact that it has a sad ending, usually culminates in the death of the main characters, and the death of many personages characterizes Shakespeare. Although Mercutio is a jovial character at the start of the play, his first death changes the atmosphere to the sad one typical of tragedy. After Mercutio’s death, events turn badly; the end of the tragedy is the death of two lovers. Before his murder, Mercutio pronounces the curse “A plague a both your houses! They have made worms’ meat of me” (Shakespeare 3.1. 95-100), which predicts a tragic end like so many other moments. It is significant to note that Mercutio’s death is considered a warning of aggression and danger.
Work Cited
Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Dover Publications, 1993.