Romeo and Juliet

Throughout the play Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses pride to develop his characters

and give us a better feel as to how these characters act. What is pride though? Pride is self-

respect or being pleased with one's self for an accomplishment. But, it can also be extreme

arrogance. One such character who exhibits this negative pride is Mercutio, one of Romeo's

dearest friends. Mercutio is a cruel spiteful person who picks on other people. He is especially

cruel to Juliet's nurse, "Good Peter, to hide her face; for her fans the fairer face." ( act 2, scene 4)
Mercutio in saying this is not only maliciously insulting a poor old woman, but he is showing

arrogant pride in his general appearance. Another character that shows this type of arrogance is

Paris. Paris, who is convinced he is some sort of suave debonair ladies man, believes that he not

only can, but will woo Juliet, a young woman that he has talked to merely twice. Paris, at one

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