Why Mercutio Died Essay

Why Mercutio Died

For many, the death of Mercutio came as a shock while reading Romeo and Juliet. As royalty, Mercutio is one of the only characters that can roam freely between the houses without wreaking havoc and offending either rivaling family. Mercutio’s role in the play is described as comedic relief. He has a way of distracting the audience from the impending tragedies. When he is killed, it signifies the transition of the play from comedy to tragedy. There are clear-cut reasons, however, why Mercutio was destined to perish. Not only can we blame his death on his immature nature, but also on the actions and choices of Romeo and Tybalt.

Concerning Mercutio’s demise, a few of his characteristics may have come into play. He was considered witty and irrational, but Mercutio was also immature, prideful and short-tempered. By Mercutio forcing Romeo to attend the masquerade, he was aiding his own death. If Mercutio had never prompted his friends to go to the gathering, Tybalt never would’ve spotted Romeo therefore he wouldn’t have sent the challenge letter for the duel that Mercutio fatally took upon himself to fight. More explicitly though, if Mercutio would’ve listened to Benvolio when he said,“I pray thee, good Mercutio, let’s retire./The day

When Romeo decides to stay with Juliet the night of the masquerade it leads to Mercutio and Benvolio searching for him which is when the Capulets find them. When Tybalt confronts Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio, Romeo does not inform anyone about his marriage, which could’ve affected the outcome of this scene. Romeo also attempted to break up the fight between Mercutio and Tybalt, which did the opposite of what he intended:Mercutio: Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm. Romeo: I thought all for the best.