VineethYeevani Mrs.

Allen English9H 12/17/2013 TheTruthAboutMinorCharacters

RomeoandJuliet,bythegreatenglishplaywrightWilliamShakespeare,hasbecome synonymouswithtragicfatallove.Theplaysmaincharacters,RomeoandJuliethavebecomethe worldsmostfamousstarcrossedlovers.However,thetragedywouldnthavehappenedifnotforthe minorcharacters.

Mercutio,kinsmentoPrinceofVeronaandCountyParis,isoneofthecrucialcharactersinthe play.Hisdeathessentiallycreatesthetragedyinthewayitunfolds.However,Mercutioisnotas humorousasheseems.O,thenIseeQueenMabhasbeenwithyou...(1.4.58)Thesefeelingsmaybe causedbyhimgettingrejectedinloveoraconfusionabouthissexuality.Towardstheendofhisspeech, hebecomesreallydarksayingthatQueenMabenjoysgivingoutpunishmentstopeoplewhilethey dream.WhichofttheangryMabwithblistersplagues(1.4.80)Whenheisfullyenthralledinhis imagination,asheistowardstheendofhisspeech,hedropshishumorousdemeanorandtakesona darkturn.Foulsluttishhairs(1.4.95)Healsobecomesprogressivelymoreantifeministshowinghis possiblepreviouslovefailureorhisconfusionabouthissexuality.

Mercutiosdeathsinglehandedlysetthereminderoftheplayinmotion.Forexample,Romeo

wouldntnothavekilledTybaltifhehadntkilledMercutioandthenRomeowouldnthavegotten banishedfromVeronaandLordCapuletwouldnthavedecidedtomarryJuliet.

Aplagueobothhouses,Iamsped.(3.1.94)Mercutiomakesanimportantpointhereheisnotof eitherhouse,hehasnopartinthisfeud.TheonlyreasonhedefendsRomeoisthathethinksRomeois toomuchoflovertoactuallyengageincombat.O,calmvilesubmission(3.1.74).Mercutioalsodoes thistodefendhisfriendshonorandthatshowsthatMercutioisacharacterthatstronglybelievesin honor. WheneverRomeospeaksofRosaline,Mercutioalwaysmakesasexualpunandheadsofthe conversation.ThisactionsuggeststhatMercutiodoesntbelieveinreallovebutonlyaphysicaland quickview.ThisputsMercutiooutsideofthetwobiggestcirclesinVerona,loveandthe MontagueCapuletfeud.Perhaps,someofhisdiscomfortcomesfromonlyviewingsexaphysicalneed, notaspiritualfulfillmentthatstrengthenslovebetweenpeople.Or,morelikely,hisappearancecouldbe hisinsecurity.Avisorforavisor.(1.4.30)

Mercutiomakesmanyjokes,howevermanyofhisjokesaredirectedathimself.Infact,many peoplewhokidabouteverythingandevenmoreaboutthemselves,areveryinsecureabouttheirown personality.Thesepeople,likeMercutio,mayfeelthatjokesmaybeabletoalleviatesomeoftheir discomfortandfears.Mercutioistrulythequintessentialjoker,withallofhisinsecurities,hecomes acrossasthetypeofpersonthateveryonelikesbutnobodyreallyloves.Forexample,Mercutionever findsoutaboutJulietshowingthatRomeodoesnttrusthimenoughtoconfideinhim.

JulietsNurseplaysanimportantroleasamessengerandJulietsadvisor.Shakespeareusesher todisplaythepoorerclass.Sheisalsotheforemostcomedianintheplay,interjectingalmostanyone includingheremployer,LadyCapulet.Hercrudelanguageandfrequentpunsendearhertotheaudience asnoothercharactercan.

Enoughofthis.Ipraythee,holdthypeace(1.3.54)ThenurselikeMercutio,cant contemplatethelovetheRomeoandJuliethaveforeachother.She,likeMercutio,alsomakesjokes aboutloveandsex.Forexample,shesaysThouwilthfallbackward...(1.3.62)todescribewhatJuliet willdowhensheisolder.

Amidstthedarknessthathangsovermuchofthetragedy,thenursebringslightbanter. However,whensheperceivesathreattoJulietsheimmediatelytriestoremoveit.Forexample,shetells RomeothatitwouldbeveryunmanlytoabandonJulietwithfalsevisionsoflove.

WhenthenursetellsJuliettoforgetRomeoandmarrytheCount,inotherwordsbreaktheholy sacramentofmatrimony,Julietcastsheroffcompletely,Thouandmybosomshallhencebe twain.(3.5.223)ThenurseisstillintheplaybringingsomehumourtothehappinessthatensuesJuliet acceptingthemarriage.But,forallpurposes,thenurseisnolongeracharacter,signallingashiftfrom thelightsexualbanterofthefirst3actstothetragiclast2acts.

FriarLawrenceisthehighclassfranciscanpriestthatinventedthemeansofdeathforRomeo andJuliet.FriarLawrenceisaholymanbutthereadercanthelpbutnoticingthatcalculationsthathe

makes.Suchas,ifRomeoandJulietaremarriedthenthefeudwillbeoverandthatmeanspeacefor Verona.

Howeverhiscalculationsare,theFriarstillhasadeepconnectiontoRomeoandJuliet.Heis thefatherlyfigurethatadvisesthemandscoldsthem.Forexample,hecalmsRomeodownandforces himtoacceptthatheisbanished.WhenheseesthatJulietisintroubleheadvisesherandhelpsherplan herescape.Peace,Hoforshame(4.5.71)

FriarLawrencealsoiswillinglyuseGodsnametogethisworkdone.Forinstance,hetellsthe CapuletsthatitisgodswillthatJulietbeburiedonherweddingdaywithallpossiblehaste.Intheend oftheplay,FriarLawrencedisappointsusbyrunningawayfromtheguardandabandoningJuliet.We seethatheisterriblyflustered,yetheshouldhave,asaholyman,takentheresponsibilityforhisactions. IhearsomenoiseLadycomefromthatnest(5.3.155)Inthefinalconversationwiththeprince,he doestakefullresponsibilityandsaysthattheentireschemewashisfault.Letmyoldlifebesacrificed beforeitstime(5.3.276277)

Intotal,theminorcharactersofRomeoandJuliet,helpdefinemuchoftheplay.Forcertain, withouttheminorcharacters,thetruetragedyofRomeoandJulietcouldnthaveoccurred.