Could someone please help me with this quote I read the rest of act 2 today and I was wondering what this quote means:
Mercutio: " Alas poor Romeo, he is already dead: stabbed with a white wench's black eye; run through the ear with a love song; the very pin of his heart cleft with the blind bowboy's butt shaft; and is he a man to encounter Tybalt?
Let this become your best friend whenever you are reading Shakespeare's plays:
http://nfs.sparknotes.com/
Go to the play you want and then to the act and scene you need. You'll find original Shakespeare on the left and modern-day English on the right.
Thank You now I know what it means! I will start using that site from now on thanks Write Teacher
J-J:)
You're very welcome!!
The quote you mentioned is from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," Act 2, Scene 4. In this scene, Mercutio is speaking about Romeo, who is lovesick for Rosaline. Let's break down the quote to understand its meaning:
"Alas poor Romeo, he is already dead": Mercutio is using figurative language here to express that Romeo is emotionally devastated and not himself due to his unrequited love for Rosaline.
"Stabbed with a white wench's black eye": Mercutio suggests that Romeo has been pierced by the imaginary weapon of infatuation from a woman who is like a "white wench" (meaning a fair lady) with a "black eye" (referring to her unfaithfulness or misleading appearance).
"Run through the ear with a love song": Mercutio implies that Romeo has been wounded by the seductive words and promises of love in romantic songs, which have influenced his actions and clouded his judgment.
"The very pin of his heart cleft with the blind bowboy's butt shaft": This line is more metaphorical. It means that Cupid's (the blind bowboy) arrow, which represents love, has pierced Romeo's heart so deeply that it has split or broken "the very pin" that holds his emotions together.
"And is he a man to encounter Tybalt?": Mercutio questions if Romeo, who is incapacitated by his lovesickness, can be a match for Tybalt, who is a skilled swordsman and Romeo's rival.
Overall, Mercutio is mocking Romeo's infatuation with Rosaline and suggesting that Romeo is too emotionally distraught to handle any challenges, including a confrontation with Tybalt.