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Mercutio

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Mercutio is a character in William Shakespeare's famous tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. He is a relative of the Prince and Paris, and is a close friend of Romeo, and Romeo's cousin Benvolio. The invitation to the Capulet's party states that he has a brother named Valentine. Mercutio is apt to make long, drawn out speeches (the most famous of which is the Queen Mab speech), and is generally thought to be reckless, a jokester, and a free spirit. Due to his quick wit and flamboyant, affable personality, Mercutio is one of Shakespeare's most popular characters.

Though one of Romeo's best friends, Mercutio's facetious attitude tends to try Romeo's patience on occasion; conversely, Mercutio is frustrated with Romeo's depression that comes from Rosaline's denial of Romeo's love. After Romeo has fallen for Juliet, Mercutio is pleased to see Romeo back to his normal, congenial state, though he is unaware of Romeo's relationship with Juliet.

After Romeo receives a death threat from Tybalt, Mercutio expects Romeo to engage Tybalt in a duel. However, Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt, as Tybalt is Juliet's cousin and therefore his kinsman. Not knowing this, Mercutio is incensed, and decides to fight Tybalt himself. Romeo, not wanting his best friend or his relative to get hurt, intervenes, causing Mercutio to be killed by Tybalt stabbing "under [Romeo's] arm."

Before he dies, Mercutio thrice casts "a plague o' both your [that is, Romeo and Tybalt's] houses!" He makes one final pun before he dies: "Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man...." In revenge for the murder of his best friend, Romeo slays Tybalt, thus leading to Romeo's banishment from Verona and the increasingly tragic turn of events that follows due to a misunderstanding made by Romeo.

Name origins

The name Mercutio was present in Shakespeare's sources for Romeo and Juliet, however his character was not well-established, and he was even presented as a romantic rival for Juliet.[1] Mercutio's name is related to the word "mercurial," meaning, "having an unpredictable and fast changing mood," an accurate description of Mercutio's personality. The word "mercurial" itself derives from the ancient Roman messenger god Mercury (Greek: Hermes).

Appearance in The Tragic History of Romeo and Juliet

In Shakespeare's source, Arthur Brooke's 1562 The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet, Mercutio is briefly mentioned as a suitor of Juliet.

At th' one side of her chair her lover Romeo, And on the other side there sat one called Mercutio; A courtier that each where was highly had in price, For he was courteous of his speech, and pleasant of device. Even as a lion would among the lambs be bold, Such was among the bashful maids Mercutio to behold. With friendly gripe he seized fair Juliet's snowish hand: A gift he had that Nature gave him in his swathing band, That frozen mountain ice was never half so cold, As were his hands, though ne'er so near the fire he did them hold. As soon as had the knight the virgin's right hand raught,

Within his trembling hand her right hath loving Romeus caught.

-Brooke, 253-264

The death of Mercutio

Earlier versions of the story painted a different picture of the chain of events leading to Tybalt's death, leaving Mercutio out of the picture completely. Arthur Brooke's The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet, as well as William Painter's 1567 version of the story both left the entire episode solely to Romeo and Tybalt. In both stories, Tybalt attacks the peace-pleading Romeo with such force that he is forced to take up the sword for the sake of his own life. He is then banished rather than executed because the killing was done in self-defense. In 1672, English poet John Dryden wrote, "Shakespeare show'd the best of his skill in his Mercutio, and he said himself, that he was forc'd to kill him in the third Act, to prevent being killed by him."[2]

The addition of Mercutio into the fray increases the tension, and Tybalt is seen as a slightly more peaceful character than in previous versions, as Mercutio is disgusted by the fact that Tybalt continues to search for a quarrel with Romeo, when Romeo is trying to bring peace between them. Because of his rashness, Mercutio hurls insults and taunts at Tybalt, and draws the sword first, in reaction to Tybalt's insults, which are directed to Romeo. Mercutio is, at this point, seen as though he wants to fight, even though he is neither Montague nor Capulet. His curse "a plague on both your houses", is foreboding, but the blame for his death lies largely on his own impulsiveness, not the feud, though in fairness had Romeo not had tried to interfere in the duel Tybalt would not have been able to slay Mercutio.[3]

Like Patroclus in The Iliad, Mercutio's death in Act III, scene I is the pivotal turning point of the play.[4] Before his death, Romeo and Juliet is essentially a comedy, revolving around references to doom and fate that seem far away. Mercutio's death is sudden, and makes death a dark reality for several characters causing a domino effect of tragic fate that ultimately takes the lives of Tybalt, Paris, Romeo, Juliet, and Lady Montague.

Performers

A number of famous actors have played the role of Mercutio. A small sampling follows.

See also

References

  1. ^ Draper, John. W. 1939. "Shakespeare's 'Star-Crossed Lovers' ". The Review of English Studies 15 (57).
  2. ^ Scott, Mark W.; Schoenbaum, S. (1987). Shakespearean Criticism. Vol. 5. Detroit: Gale Research Inc. p. 415. ISBN 0810361299.
  3. ^ Utterback, Raymond V. "The Death of Mercutio." Shakespeare Quarterly. (April 1973) 24.2 pgs. 105-116
  4. ^ Maxwell, Jennifer. The Catalytic Function of Mercutio. (doc)
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