Essay On Mercutio In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

Everyone in the literary world (and countless others) is familiar with the tragedy of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet: a tale of two star-crossed lovers whose love is doomed by fate. Shakespeare's story is one of love, honour and romance, but he adds a more dramatic element to the play through specific characters, such as the nurse and Mercutio. The play is set in Verona, Italy with the story built around the feud between two of the great families, the Montagues and the Capulets. The cause of this enmity between these two powerful families is not explained in the play, but it is made clear that this rift runs deep and cannot and will not be fixed. Feuds between important families was normal in Renaissance Italy but the fighting get so bad that the Prince of Verona threatens the heads of both the families with death, if the problems do not stop.

Mercutio is only hinted at as a courtier

I believe that Shakespeare choose to develop his character, to add a light comedic, contrast the more serious Romeo. He is constantly joking and making puns which adds pace to the play and entertains the audience. Shakespeare has many symbols of light and dark through the play and Mercutio’s role is key to this theme. His light hearted attitude to life and his Queen Mab speech which starts light but becomes very dark and finally his death which which is both light and dark. Mercutio is neither a Montague nor a Capulet, but because he is Romeo's friend, stands with the Montagues. We