Question

What is Mercutio saying? More than prince of cats, I can tell you. O! he is the courageous captain of compliments. He fights as you sing pr*ck-song, keeps time, distance, and proportion; rests me his minim rest, one, two, and the third in your bosom; the very butcher of a silk button, a duellist, a duellist; a gentleman of the very first house, of the first and second cause. Ah! the immortal passado! the punto reverso! the hay! He is calling Romeo unmanly. He showing his deep respect for Tybalt's fighting ability. He is teaching Benvolio how to sword-fight. He is criticizing Tybalt's lack of authenticity, despite his knowledge of custom.

Answer 1

Mercutio is sarcastically criticizing Tybalt for his pretentiousness and focus on the superficial aspects of sword-fighting, rather than displaying genuine substance. This is in line with Shakespeare's recurring theme of authenticity versus imitation.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the passage you've quoted from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio is not directly calling Romeo unmanly, teaching Benvolio to sword-fight, or showing deep respect for Tybalt's skills. Instead, he is criticizing Tybalt's lack of authenticity, mocking his pretentiousness and over-the-top adherence to the formalities of sword-fighting without genuine substance. Mercutio uses a sarcastic tone to describe Tybalt as the 'very butcher of a silk button,' implying that Tybalt is more concerned with style and flashy maneuvering ('the immortal passado! the punto reverso! the hay!') than with the real spirit of fighting. This criticism of Tybalt's behavior reflects a common theme in Shakespeare's plays: the disdain for those who imitate humanity without authenticity, as seen in passages from both Macbeth and Hamlet.