Mercutio

  Mercutio is the most memorable character in the play of Romeo and Juliet. Mercutio's involvement in scenes always contains a cunning, edgy presence to the play. Even though he was killed early on in the play he did many memorable things compared to other characters, his clever sense and wit gave him the ability to distract characters and steal attention in the scenes. Mercutio is a realest and his constant jokes, and jabs at both Romeo's Love and Tybalt's Confidence show both a humorous side but a shadowed opinion of true love and the power of fate being almost nonexistent. Mercutio's most memorable moments was Act 3 Scene 1; the Challenge against Tybalt Prince of the Cats that lead up to the pivotal moment of Mercutio's death. Also Act 1 Scene 4; The Queen Mab Speech.


   The challenge between Mercutio and Tybalt is a memorable part in the play due to the fact that he makes a mockery out of Tybalt in front of his kinsman. In Act 3 Scene 1; Mercutio ridicules Tybalt both directly to him but also indirectly in scene 2 when speaking to Benvolio. The humorous taunts and sarcastic smack talk were sure to be remembered in the play. In this part of the scene Mercutio makes an impression on the crowd that he is a very bold and likable character, using his advantage of not being apart of the Montague or Capulet house.  Act 3 Scene 1 is a memorable part the Mercutio because this is also the scene where his character comes to an end. Mercutio's clever replies, and thirst for violence distracts the audience from the challenge that Tybalt gives Romeo, this scene leads up to the pivotal moment of his death. This is a memorable scene in the play not only because of the at first friendly harrassment but because Mercutio's personality shines through the lines and actions of the play; His actions of fighting for Romeo show a fraternal love yet a disappointment for Romeo. As seen in Act 3 Scene 1: 
Mercutio:
 "Or I shall faint. A plague o' both your houses! 
They have made worms' meat of me: I have it, 
And soundly too. Your houses! "
This is hinting at the fact that he blames particular people for his death and not a bigger power like Fate.
Some other  examples of his most memorable lines are:
Mercutio :
"And but one word with one of us? couple it withsomething; make it a word and a blow. "
shall use me hereafter, drybeat the rest of the
eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher
by the ears? make haste, lest mine be about your
ears ere it be out."

Mercutio:
"Good King of Cats, nothing but one of your nine 
lives; that I mean to make bold withal, and as you"

  Although some people may argue and say that Mercutio is not the most memorable character in the play, and that he is not memorable because he is not a main character or involved in memorable scenes like The Balcony Scene in Act 2 Scene 2.  Which makes more profit than the Queen Mab speech, turning the lines of the play into household decor, where as it is less likely to have Queen Mab Quotes in a house.The so called famous scene is the most memorable part of the Play and that Mercutio has no involvement due to the fact that Romeo and Juliet are talking to each other indirectly and directly. Using lines from the play
Romeo:
"But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east and Juliet is the sun! 
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief"
Juliet:
"O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? "
Juliet:
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose 
By any other name would smell as sweet;"

  Despite the fact that some may argue that Mercutio is not the most memorable character, the Queen Mab speech in Act 1 Scene 4 portrays a different opinion. The famous Queen Mab speech in Romeo and Juliet both shows a realistic and interesting side to Mercutio, a combination for a memorable scene involving a rather memorable character. The Queen Mab speech  truly shows Mercutio's belief and an interesting point of view; although Mercutio is Romeo's friend he mocks the idea of Romeo's love and tells Romeo it is not fate, or a higher power but "Queen Mab". In the 1996 movie of Romeo and Juliet, the Queen Mab is portrayed as ecstasy, a drug that makes you hallucinate and feel sort of bubbly and very affectionate. This is also a representation of what Mercutio is actually trying to say in the speech, he is telling Romeo that Dreams are actually our own selves as human beings tricking us into what we want, that there is no such thing as signs of fate, and that a Dream is simply a figment of our highest desires and imagination.  The hallucinations in the drugs represents the things Romeo see's in dreams and the dreams itself, and all the things he sees is a reflection of what he really wants. The affection you feel from the ecstasy are actually just teenage hormones, like it is when a person dreams of something they are sexually attracted to. There are some examples in the following lines of the Queen Mab speech:
Mercutio:

Through lovers' brains, and then they dream of love;
O'er courtiers' knees, that dream on court'sies straight,
O'er lawyers' fingers, who straight dream on fees,
O'er ladies o' lips, who straight on kisses dream,
Which oft the angry Mab with blisters plagues,
Because their breaths with sweetmeats tainted are: (80)
Sometime she gallops o'er a courtier's nose,
And then dreams he of smelling out a suit;
And sometime comes she with a tithe-pig's tail
Tickling a parson's nose as a' lies asleep,
Then dreams, he of another benefice:

"This is that very Mab
That plats the manes of horses in the night,
And bakes the elflocks in foul sluttish hairs,
Which once untangled, much misfortune bodes:
This is the hag, when maids lie on their backs,
That presses them and learns them first to bear,
Making them women of good carriage:
This is she--"

   Mercutio is a wild character who often has multiple mood changes; a character with a sharp wit, and humorous tone. Mercutio is a realest in many aspects and the his cunning words sting the people around him, especially young Romeo. These are the factors that make Mercutio the most memorable character in the play, he is not just a joker in the play used for humor relief but has a serious side to himself. Mercutio was the opposing force of fate, the rebelious character who chose not to believe in any of it. Mercutio may not be a main character and have died early on in the play, but he is the most memorable character in Romeo and Juliet.

p.s someone help me with my citing!!!