A plague o' both your houses!

While reading Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, in class, the character Mercutio stands out to me. To me, Mercutio can sometimes act like the character's sub-conscience, and at others, can be playful and funny. Mercutio is also very loyal to his friends, namely Romeo. Mercutio gives good advice, and supports Romeo whenever he is being rash or doing things blindly. I also like Mercutio because he is a character that isn't from one of the houses, but is involved.

Mercutio is a good friend to Romeo, and he shows it in many different ways. On 1.4.58-110, Mercutio is good-naturedly teasing Romeo about an ominous dream he had. Mercutio stays upbeat and energetic, while telling Romeo not to worry. Mercutio is trying to calm Romeo down. On 2.4 Mercutio also shows his friendship with Romeo by looking for him while he is with Juliet, and by distracting Romeo when they find him. Another time and the last time Mercutio shows his loyalty and friendship is on 3.1, when Romeo takes up the battle meant for Romeo. Mercutio gets killed in the process, but he is trying to save Romeo from a impending battle between him and Tybalt.

Mercutio also gives very good advice to Romeo and others. He also can afford to give insight on the two house's quarrels because he is involved but not related. "Thy head is full of quarrels as an egg is full of meat, and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for quarreling." Mercutio said this on 3.1.23-25. He is talking to Benvolio, and I think he is saying their heads were wired to fight, but after so much fighting, they have become helpless, and dependent on fighting. I say they have become dependent on fighting meaning that is all they know at this point. Mercutio also says on 1.4.17-18 "You are a lover. Borrow Cupid's wings and soar with them above a common bound." Mercutio is telling Romeo that he should follow his heart, and fly.

Loving Hate

In Romeo and Juliet there are many reoccurring themes. But the one that I noticed, especially in class when we were discussing oxymorons, was love and what each character in Shakespeare thought of it. Romeo has powerful thoughts on love along with Juliet, Capulet, Lady Capulet, Benvolio, and Paris. I think through these characters Shakespeare is trying to say that love is for the strong-willed and for people who are willing to commit themselves to love. Each character has their own opinion but together they show how confusing and powerful love can be. 

In 1.1.176-197 Romeo talks about his love for Rosaline. Romeo uses oxymorons like "feather of lead, cold fire, and loving hate" to describe love. Reading these makes me think that Romeo is kind of a helpless romantic. Romeo is expressing his love and his thoughts on love saying that love is very difficult but worth it. When I hear "cold fire" I think of something seemingly warm and friendly that turns out to be nothing like you expected. "Feather of lead" can mean that love is light like a feather, but can turn into a feeling of burden. Or,  in the term "loving hate", loving can be a verb or a noun. You can either love that you hate something, or lovingly hate something or someone. What I mean by lovingly hate someone is that you respect them enough to not blindly hold a grudge. Romeo is feeling all these things about love, and Shakespeare is expressing his perspective through him.

Juliet also believes that love is not a thing to be played with. In 1.4.103-105, her parents ask her to marry someone she does not know. She does not disagree right away. Instead she decides that she will meet him and see if she likes him enough to marry him. I think that Juliet is being mature in not jumping to conclusions. If she were to immediately turn down her suitor, then find out that they could have loved each other, she would forever regret that. Juliet is also catering to her parents' wants because she did not turn down the offer. She is adhering to her belief in love by waiting to see if she truly loves this man before marrying him.