Was mercutio gay

Since the plays publication in , Mercutio has been reimagined countless times, from traditional portrayals to gender-flipped versions. So, is there a definitive answer to who Mercutio truly is? Not really — but one thing is certain: he’s pivotal to both the plot and to Romeo. Since the opposite of love is not hate but indifference, Mercutio’s sensitive and defensive reaction to the accusation of homosexuality may indicate that he is gay.

One of Romeo's closest friends, Mercutio entreats Romeo to forget about his unrequited love for a girl named Rosaline and come with him to a masquerade ball at Lord Capulet 's estate, through use of his Queen Mab speech. There, Mercutio and his friends become the life of the party, but Romeo is drawn to Capulet's daughter, Juliet. It could be that mercutio is in fact a homosexual but is so afraid to admit it that he plays the macho man to hide it.

is mercutio gay for romeo

After tybalt makes the "thou consortst with Romeo" accusation, mercutio becomes enraged, as he is worried that tybalt (who wants nothing to do with him) is going to out him. One of Luhrmann’s most interesting choices in the presentation of characters for his film is portraying Mercutio as homosexual. 1 Harold Perrineau, Jr., plays the role of Romeo’s best friend wonderfully, and he really sells the idea of a homosexual Mercutio.

Using this theory, Mercutio is simply participating in a sort of game, and Luhrmann is making a sort of statement. He writes,.

In carnivalesque fashion, Juliet has temporarily been elevated to an angel, whereas in her daily life she enjoys no such freedom and is shut away with her nurse under the authoritarian rule of her father. Just as Mercutio turns into a woman for the night, Romeo and Juliet become what they are not as well: a knight with the best of intentions, and an angel with freedom. Furthermore, Johae also cites the behavior of Lady Capulet and Tybalt, writing,.

At the party she puts aside decorum as is fitting at carnival and behaves as though she is having an affair with her nephew, the much-younger Tybalt she kisses him openly. It could be that he is gender-fluid, or a person who can identify as both genders. On the assumption that Mercutio is gay, the insinuation of a homoerotic relationship between he and Romeo seems plausible, as Mercutio appears to be jealous when Romeo does not pay attention to him, always sarcastically bringing up Rosaline, the girl he thinks Romeo is still enamored with.

Johae, Anthony. Academic Search Complete. Home About New Page. Search for:. Furthermore, Johae also cites the behavior of Lady Capulet and Tybalt, writing, At the party she puts aside decorum as is fitting at carnival and behaves as though she is having an affair with her nephew, the much-younger Tybalt she kisses him openly. Works Cited Johae, Anthony. Like Loading Leave a comment Cancel reply.

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