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Why is Mercutio mad at Romeo? Why does he curse his house? A. Romeo got between them in the middle of the fight, and Mercutio was stabbed while Romeo was holding him back. B. Mercutio has a secret crush on Juliet and wishes she had chosen him instead of Romeo. C. Mercutio is secretly a Capulet and has always hated Romeo. D. Romeo took Tybalt's side in the altercation when he and Mercutio had been friends for years.
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This is a question about Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, specifically focusing on the pivotal scene where Mercutio is fatally wounded.

The correct answer is A. Romeo got between them in the middle of the fight, and Mercutio was stabbed while Romeo was holding him back. In Act 3, Scene 1 of the play, Mercutio is fighting Tybalt when Romeo tries to stop the fight by getting between them. This interference inadvertently allows Tybalt to wound Mercutio fatally under Romeo's arm. When Mercutio is dying, he famously curses both the Montague and Capulet houses with the line, "A plague o' both your houses!" Mercutio is furious because Romeo's well-intentioned intervention actually prevents him from fully defending himself against Tybalt. By trying to make peace, Romeo instead creates an opportunity for Tybalt to strike a fatal blow. This moment is crucial in the play, as Mercutio's death leads Romeo to seek revenge by killing Tybalt, which then results in Romeo's banishment. The other options are incorrect: - B is false; Mercutio is Romeo's friend and not romantically interested in Juliet - C is false; Mercutio is a friend of Romeo, not a Capulet - D misrepresents the actual events of the scene

Final Answer

The correct answer is A. Romeo got between them in the middle of the fight, and Mercutio was stabbed while Romeo was holding him back. In Act 3, Scene 1 of the play, Mercutio is fighting Tybalt when Romeo tries to stop the fight by getting between them. This interference inadvertently allows Tybalt to wound Mercutio fatally under Romeo's arm. When Mercutio is dying, he famously curses both the Montague and Capulet houses with the line, "A plague o' both your houses!" Mercutio is furious because Romeo's well-intentioned intervention actually prevents him from fully defending himself against Tybalt. By trying to make peace, Romeo instead creates an opportunity for Tybalt to strike a fatal blow. This moment is crucial in the play, as Mercutio's death leads Romeo to seek revenge by killing Tybalt, which then results in Romeo's banishment. The other options are incorrect: - B is false; Mercutio is Romeo's friend and not romantically interested in Juliet - C is false; Mercutio is a friend of Romeo, not a Capulet - D misrepresents the actual events of the scene