mercutio Flashcards
Mercutio’s “Queen Mab” speech introduces us to an important aspect of his character. He is a cynical realist who finds dreams and fantasies ridiculous. Throughout the play Mercutio makes fun of Romeo’s fantasy of perfect romantic love, which invites the audience to question the seriousness and maturity of Romeo’s feelings for Juliet.
True, I talk of dreams,
Which are the children of an idle brain,
Begot of nothing but vain fantasy.
Mercutio makes fun of Romeo for using language drawn from the love poetry that was popular in Shakespeare’s day. He draws attention to the fact that Romeo’s romantic language is clichéd, suggesting that Romeo’s feelings might be inauthentic or immature.
Appear thou in likeness of a sigh,
Speak but one rhyme and I am satisfied,
Cry but “Ay me,” pronounce but “love” and “dove.”
When Mercutio is fatally injured, he turns his cynical and realist eye on his own situation. He points out that the feud that has caused his death is pointless. While Romeo and Benvolio talk about Mercutio’s “soul” and “gallant spirit,” Mercutio himself describes his death in strictly physical and unromantic terms: he will be “worms’ meat.”
A plague o’ both your houses.
They have made worms’ meat of me.
