Read the excerpt from Act II, scene iv of Romeo and Juliet . Benvolio : Here comes Romeo, here comes Romeo. (20) Mercutio : Without his roe, like a dried herring. O flesh, flesh, how art thou fishified! Now is he for the numbers that Petrarch flowed in: Laura to his lady was but a kitchen-wench; marry, she had a better love to be-rime her; Dido a dowdy; Cleopatra a gipsy; Helen and Hero hildings and harlots; Thisbe, a grey eye or so, but not to the purpose. Signior Romeo, bon jour! there’s a French salutation to your French slop. You gave us the counterfeit fairly last night. Romeo : Good morrow to you both. What counterfeit did I give you? Mercutio : The slip, sir, the slip; can you not conceive? How does Mercutio offer comic relief in this excerpt?
Answer
A
by complaining about his own love interest
B
by refusing to treat Romeo’s romance seriously
C
by explaining romantic figures from history
D
by speaking in different languages
Explanation
Mercutio mocks Romeo’s love-struck mood by joking that Romeo is “fishified” and making fun of famous lovers such as Laura, Dido, and Cleopatra. He also teases Romeo for having slipped away from his friends, rather than taking Romeo’s romance seriously. This teasing provides comic relief, so the correct choice is refusing to treat Romeo’s romance seriously.
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