To Foil Or Not To Foil, That Is The Question
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To Foil or not to Foil, That is the Question
Characterization of the main characters is essential to the book. Therefore, the foils use to characterize are also very important. In the play Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare develops Romeo as a character by making many supporting whole entire existences purpose is to create contrast and be a foil. He uses these foils by focusing on Romeos weakness and irrational nature.
The most of obvious example of this is Mercutio. Mercutio is made out to be an opposite, when it comes to love, of Romeo. Romeo is in love with being in love. So, Mercutio is hates the whole entire idea of love. In the Queen Mab speech (Act I Scene V), Mercutio shows his hate.He says “then he dreams of another benefice This is the very Mab that plats the manes of horses at night” this shows he knows the nature of love, as it parallels how some dream of love, but “Queen Mab plats them” rather than getting what they want. He is cynical about lovein his nature, and this shows this.
Another example of a foil is Tibalt. Tibalt serve early on as the antagonists in the play, so in their nature they are opposing forces. They act to oppose him, and in doing so, serve as a contrast to a person that is not focuced on love. In Act III Scene III Tybalt says “Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford no better term than this” He shows he is aware of his manner in love and opposes. He even goes so far as to call him a “villain”. Tibalt as an antagonist gives purpose and characterization.
Juliet, though supposedly a main character, is also serves as a foil because her childish take on love is akin to Romeos irrational nature. She is naпve and too immature to fully grasp love, for she has never experienced it before, so she does not fully comprehend its nature. In her speech in Act II Scene II she shows how she does not fully understand. She says