Act 2, Scene 1: Romeo, the Lovestruck Fool

Prompt C:

• Mercutio states, "If love be blind, love cannot hit the mark.  Now will he sit under a medlar tree and wish his mistress were that kind of fruits maids call medlars when they laugh alone.  Oh Romeo, that she were, oh that she were an open-arse, thou a pop'rin' pear".  This line shows what Mercutio thinks of Romeo's antics.  He believes that Romeo is foolish for running after every girl he falls in love with, causing him to be lovesick for those women who do not love him back.  From his sarcastic tone, he shows how he believes Romeo is idiotic for chasing his loves and that love is hard to obtain, for girls are rarely low-hanging fruit.  This dialogue shows Romeo's actions in an objective viewpoint, which is refreshing.  Rather than seeing his jumping over the orchard wall as a sign of true love, from Mercutio's point of view, we can observe it as a impulsive, rash action.