Act 2 Scene 1 Flashcards
‘And on my life hath stol’n him home to bed.’
• Unlike Benvolio, who appears genuinely worried about Romeo, Mercutio seems to disregard Benvolio’s concerns by implying that Romeo has simply returned home.
‘King Cophetua lov’d the beggar-maid’
• Mercutio’s comparison of Romeo to King Cophetua shows how little he respects the relationship between his friend and Rosaline.
• King Cophetua was known to have instantly fallen in love with a lowly beggar maid. Mercutio regards Rosaline as significantly less than Romeo which seeks to further underscore his general perception of women as inferior to men.
‘I conjure thee by Rosaline’s bright eyes, by her high forehead and her scarlet lip…’
Mercutio believes that Romeo will now only appear if Rosaline is present given how enamoured he has become and therefore mocks his friend for having such strong feelings.
• Strong emphasis is placed on Rosaline’s physical features which brings attention to Mercutio’s perception of women as merely vessels for a man’s pleasure.
‘O, that she were an open arse, thou a pop’rin pear!
Mercutio uses bawdy language to make sexually suggestive comments about Rosaline. He uses slang terms for genitalia such as ‘pop’rin pear’ to demean Rosaline’s purpose as a character and trivialise what he believes is Romeo’s strong feelings for her.
