03
Act 1, Scene 4 Romeo
Benvolio
Mercutio = Romeo’s best friend, related to the Prince Romeo & his friends, carrying masks and torches, prepare for their visit to Capulet’s party. Romeo tells Mercutio that he is unhappy so Mercutio tries to make him laugh.
Mercutio tells him a story about Queen Mab, the queen of the fairies who controls dreams. He tries to persuade Romeo that dreams are ‘vain fantasy.’ Romeo is eventually persuaded and agrees to go to the party.<br>
04
Meet Mercutio Romeo’s best friend, an ally of the Montagues, and a relative of Prince Escalus.
Mercutio's name could be derived from Mercury and is similar to the word mercurial, which means characterised by rapid and unpredictable changeableness of mood.
“He is volatile, moody, cynical, and has a sharp wit. His words are filled with puns, and his sharp tongue often stings, especially sweet Romeo. He mocks poor Romeo, and in turn, he mocks love. At times, he is the comic relief for a very tragic play.”<br>
05
Views on Love MERCUTIO Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance.
ROMEO Not I, believe me. You have dancing shoes
With nimble soles. I have a soul of lead
So stakes me to the ground I cannot move.
MERCUTIO You are a lover. Borrow Cupid’s wings
And soar with them above a common bound.
ROMEO I am too sore enpiercèd with his shaft
To soar with his light feathers, and so bound,
I cannot bound a pitch above dull woe.
Under love’s heavy burden do I sink.
MERCUTIO And to sink in it, should you burthen love—
Too great oppression for a tender thing.
ROMEO Is love a tender thing? It is too rough,
Too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn.
MERCUTIO If love be rough with you, be rough with love.
Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down. agile padding pins me down god of desire and attraction fly normal person pierced painfully his arrow kept down jump gloomy sadness weight drag down cruelty soft rowdy, over-the-top stabs<br>
06
Views on Love MERCUTIO Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance.
ROMEO Not I, believe me. You have dancing shoes
With nimble soles. I have a soul of lead
So stakes me to the ground I cannot move.
MERCUTIO You are a lover. Borrow Cupid’s wings
And soar with them above a common bound.
ROMEO I am too sore enpiercèd with his shaft
To soar with his light feathers, and so bound,
I cannot bound a pitch above dull woe.
Under love’s heavy burden do I sink.
MERCUTIO And to sink in it, should you burthen love—
Too great oppression for a tender thing.
ROMEO Is love a tender thing? It is too rough,
Too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn.
MERCUTIO If love be rough with you, be rough with love.
Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down. According to Romeo, what is the difference between him and Mercutio?
According to Mercutio, how can Cupid help Romeo? What is Romeo’s problem with Cupid?
What is Mercutio’s answer to Romeo’s problem?
What does Romeo compare love to? What is Mercutio’s solution?
What language techniques do Romeo and Mercutio use to convey their views on love?<br>
07
Order of Book ShakesPEELA handout + Mark Scheme
Tragic Plays
What’s Happening in Romeo & Juliet
Notes on tragedy + prologue
Prologue extract
Notes on Act 1, Scene 1 Act 1, Scene 1: Romeo’s Views on Love extract
Homework on extract
Notes on Act 1, Scenes 2+3
Women in Elizabethan Society handout
Notes on Act 1, Scene 4
Act 1, Scene 4: Views on Love extract
Queen Mab Translation Activity
Planning sheet for Act 1, Scene 4 essay<br>
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Views on Love How does Shakespeare present Romeo and Mercutio’s views on love in Act 1, Scene 4?
1 ShakesPEELAC for Romeo’s views
Shakespeare presents Romeo’s views on love as…
1 ShakesPEELAC for Mercutio’s views
Shakespeare presents Mercutio’s views on love as…<br>
10
Introducing Queen Mab ROMEO And we mean well in going to this mask,
But ’tis no wit to go.
MERCUTIO Why, may one ask?
ROMEO I dreamt a dream tonight.
MERCUTIO And so did I.
ROMEO Well, what was yours?
MERCUTIO That dreamers often lie.
ROMEO In bed asleep while they do dream things true.
MERCUTIO Oh, then, I see Queen Mab hath been with you.
BENVOLIO Queen Mab, what’s she? “Quean” is slang for whore, and Mab is a stereotypical prostitute’s name. This moment serves as foreshadowing, or a warning about what is to come. Romeo shares with his friends that he had a prophetic dream the night before, which warned him of going to this.<br>
11
Match the modern translation of Mercutio’s speech to its corresponding lines<br>
12
Queen Mab What is Mercutio’s point about dreams?
Why does he grow angry as his story goes on?
What might it reveal about his relationship with Romeo?
How could he be giving a warning to Romeo about that night’s future events?<br>
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Romeo claims that dreams can be real or true because they reflect reality, while Mercutio argues that they lie and claims that they reflect the individual's desires and passions; dreams do not imitate reality but the fantasies of human beings. He later claims that dreams 'are the children of an idle brain, begot of nothing but vain fantasy’ – he is trying to prove his point that dreams are nothing but the fantasies of fools, made of nothing.
A sweet, imaginative fairy tale quickly turns to murder, war, and sex. Mercutio even becomes upset during the monologue because Romeo must interrupt him. 'Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace.’
Perhaps Mercutio can see into the future. Perhaps his monologue is a bit of a warning. Maybe that is why Romeo interrupts his best friend. Maybe he cannot bear to face the truth about dreams, men's fantasies, and even love.
Like Mercutio's fanciful fairy tale, the tale of Romeo and Juliet also begins as an innocent love story - not to mention that Romeo and Juliet are practically children themselves.
But, like the Mab speech, the play also turns dark, and after several murders, feuds, and betrayal, we are left with the suicide of two young lovers. Mercutio's words remind the audience that love, like other desires, can be delusional and foolish, and like dreams, it can lie and eventually drag humanity down into the depths of despair.<br>
14
Adaptations of Mercutio In the 1996 film version, Mercutio is presented as a flamboyant cross-dresser
How does the scene present Mercutio differently? What does the adaptation suggest about his relationship with Romeo?
What is Queen Mab, according to the scene?<br>
15
Direct My Sail BENVOLIO This wind you talk of, blows us from ourselves.
Supper is done, and we shall come too late.
ROMEO I fear too early, for my mind misgives
Some consequence yet hanging in the stars
Shall bitterly begin his fearful date
With this night’s revels, and expire the term
Of a despisèd life closed in my breast
By some vile forfeit of untimely death.
But he that hath the steerage of my course,
Direct my sail. On, lusty gentlemen. Misgives = fills with doubt/fear
Consequence = reaction, punishment
Bitterly = terribly, angrily
Fearful date = event filled with fear
Revels = events
Expire the term = end the length
Despisèd = hated, loathed
My breast = my chest/heart
Vile forfeit = dreadful/evil punishment
Untimely = before its time
Steerage of my course = direction of my path What images/symbols does Romeo use to describe fate?<br>
