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Last week I chatted \u00a0about \u00a0why I think \u00a0Juliet Capulet is a total badass<\/a>. In this week’s installment of Emily’s Overbearing \u00a0Opinions About Shakespeare Characters, I bring you some thoughts \u00a0about my favorite low-key genius in sixteenth-century literature: \u00a0Mercutio<\/strong>.<\/p>\n What we know:<\/p>\n Yet he’s \u00a0objectively one of \u00a0the \u00a0most memorable characters in all of Shakespeare. WHY IS HE SO LOVABLE? Or is it just me? Anyone?<\/a><\/p>\n He’s what makes us able to like \u00a0Romeo. \u00a0<\/strong>I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Romeo Montague \u00a0is not my cup of tea. He’s been steeped far too long. I try<\/em> to appreciate his valiant efforts to look past the \u00a0family feud and pursue his heart, I really do, but his mope charade \u00a0is a real \u00a0bummer.<\/p>\n But \u00a0Mercutio hangs out with him anyway, and \u00a0by choice<\/em>, no less. And tbh \u00a0they do seem to bring out the best in each other (see Act 2, Scene 4<\/a>). By \u00a0the transitive property, I like \u00a0Mercutio, Mercutio likes Romeo, therefore I sort of like Romeo a little bit. Is that how that works? I haven’t \u00a0done a math equation in five \u00a0years.<\/p>\n So hat tip to you, Mercutio, for helping me actually give a crap \u00a0about what happens to the main character of this play.<\/p>\n His banter kills me. \u00a0<\/strong>Romeo’s not so bad at it either, but Mercutio is usually the \u00a0one spitting the \u00a0vulgar puns and witty backtalk for Romeo to catch and spit \u00a0back. Take \u00a0this exchange the day after Romeo ditches him for the balcony scene (No Fear Shakespeare version):<\/p>\n Mercutio: \u00a0You faked us out pretty well last night.<\/span> I CAN’T.<\/p>\n He lives for the DAY. <\/strong>Remember when he \u00a0insists on crashing the Capulets’ party even though he’s on the guest list, just to spice up their lives? He’s the resident hype man of Verona and no one seems to be mad about it. Besides Tybalt, who’s actually really mad about it.<\/p>\n He gives the Queen Mab speech<\/a>.<\/strong> \u00a0It’s meant to be a breather \u00a0from the action, a scathing criticism of society, a foreshadowing of doom, and the point at which you develop an irrevocable crush on a fictional character.<\/p>\n I’m not even worried about how confusing the speech \u00a0is or how many minuscule Elizabethan references I’m missing; \u00a0tell me anyone \u00a0describing \u00a0tiny squirrels and hazelnut chariots<\/a> \u00a0in detail isn’t \u00a0endearing and I’ll eat my hat.<\/p>\n He defends Romeo’s honor \u00a0in the name of their bromance. \u00a0<\/strong>By calling Tybalt a cat and telling him he’s THIIIIS CLOSE to taking one \u00a0of his nine lives if he doesn’t simmer down.<\/p>\n He’s \u00a0hilarious. <\/strong>Arguably the only character who’s a perfect combination of \u00a0clever\/cutting\/suave\/ridiculous. Qualitative evidence is found in his \u00a0joke:line ratio of, like, 3:1. Two seconds \u00a0after he’s stabbed \u00a0in the vitals he manages one final, morbid pun: “Ask me for tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man” (3.1.66<\/a>). (!!!)<\/p>\n He tells it like it is<\/strong>. (As he dies) \u00a0“A plague o’ both your houses!” = \u00a0“This wasn’t \u00a0fate. It’s you and your families being numbnuts” (3.1.68<\/a>).<\/p>\n How do you feel about Mercutio?<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Last week I chatted \u00a0about \u00a0why I think \u00a0Juliet Capulet is a total badass. In this week’s installment of Emily’s Overbearing \u00a0Opinions About Shakespeare Characters, I bring you some thoughts \u00a0about my favorite low-key genius continue reading<\/span>\n
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\n Romeo: Excuse me, good Mercutio. I had very important business to take care of. It was so important that I had to forget about my courtesy and good manners.<\/span>
\n Mercutio: In other words “important business” made you flex your buttocks. \u00a0(2.4.17-24<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/img.sparknotes.com\/content\/sparklife\/sparktalk\/mercutiopost_2.jpg\")
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