Holly Huff Ms.

Hodge, Period 2 November 3, 2009 The character I am going to introduce is Mercutio Montague, from the play Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare. He is the cousin of Romeo Montague, Lord Montagues son. He is neither the protagonist, nor the antagonist. He is a friend of the protagonist, Romeo. In this paper, I will discuss this characters purpose in the story, and their characteristics, and why they were important in the story. Mercutio was a close friend of Romeo, and gave us the point of view of Romeos friends, and how they acted. In this play, he was the first one to die, and that is when the play turned in a more serious direction. Up until that point, he had given some of the comical relief to the play. As they say to him, Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace! Thou talkst of nothing! in Act I Scene V. Which is Romeo basically telling Mercutio that he is long of breath, and can talk about nothing for a long time. Mercutio is unique because he is a very complex character. During most of his life, he is cursing the Capulet name, and forever trying to pick a fight with them. But we hear in his dying breaths, that he curses both sides of the feud. As seen in Act III Scene I, A plague o both your houses! I am sped! Which leads the audience to wonder if he had known the misled ways of the feud. I think that Mercutio acted the way he did for most of the play because of a reputation he had to live up to. You noticed in early texts that he waits till the end of his life to say that he thought the feud was useless, but then why is he one of the main troublemakers? I think that it is completely internal. I imagine that he does not realize the

complete reality of the feud until lives are on the line, which is a little too late. His birthright is what keeps him on the Montague side, but for him to suddenly turn, leads me to believe that he has had some internal conflict about it, although he is a wonderful storyteller and actor. He says to them all when he is notified about Tybalts intrusion, By my heel, I care not. In Act III Scene I. But in fact he does care. Or why would he fight with him if it mattered not either way? All in all, I would just like to say that Mercutio is one of the most interesting and complex characters in the play. Many sides, influences, and contexts intrigue me to know what is going on inside his head. Without his role, I feel that we would not realize how such a loveable and stable character in the play could be taken away so cruelly, unless in a civil war, between families. Mercutios life, was indeed, a loss. But I think was entirely essential, for the resolution of the play to end in a lesson learned.