These are the reasons Mercutio is important to the overall plot of the play:
- Due to him being Romeo's closest friend, Mercutio has the ability to influence him one way or another.
- Mercutio is so dead-on in his foreshadowing it's almost as if he can see the future- he predicts most of the major plot points.
- During the Capulet party he encourages the three of them ( Benvolio, Romeo and Mercutio) to continue to party- which ultimately enrages Tybalt.`
- Not only do the boys enrage Tybalt at the party, but this is where Romeo meets Juliet, which really sets the play in to motion.
- After Mercutio dies, Romeo seeks revenge by killing Tybalt- which gets him banned from the story, adding even more complications.
- He is a friend of both families so he has the ability to influence and affect both of them.
Shakespeare most likely wrote Mercutio into his play to add a direct sense of dark humor (as opposed to alluding to it) and also so he can set many major events into motion. Although Mercutio doesn't directly kill the star-crossed lovers, he definitely contributes. One can argue that Mercutio very accurately represents the people of that time period- witty, smart, aggressive, confrontational, and old-school, He can arguably represent all of mankind with these same traits- regardless of their time period.
- Due to him being Romeo's closest friend, Mercutio has the ability to influence him one way or another.
- Mercutio is so dead-on in his foreshadowing it's almost as if he can see the future- he predicts most of the major plot points.
- During the Capulet party he encourages the three of them ( Benvolio, Romeo and Mercutio) to continue to party- which ultimately enrages Tybalt.`
- Not only do the boys enrage Tybalt at the party, but this is where Romeo meets Juliet, which really sets the play in to motion.
- After Mercutio dies, Romeo seeks revenge by killing Tybalt- which gets him banned from the story, adding even more complications.
- He is a friend of both families so he has the ability to influence and affect both of them.
Shakespeare most likely wrote Mercutio into his play to add a direct sense of dark humor (as opposed to alluding to it) and also so he can set many major events into motion. Although Mercutio doesn't directly kill the star-crossed lovers, he definitely contributes. One can argue that Mercutio very accurately represents the people of that time period- witty, smart, aggressive, confrontational, and old-school, He can arguably represent all of mankind with these same traits- regardless of their time period.