Understanding Romeo and Juliet

[RogueNinja]

I had just recently started to get a more in depth knowledge of Romeo and Juliet. however, there's one piece of act 1; scene 4 that i just cant seem to place in proper context. it is the extract that comes after Mercutio's "Queen Mab Speech"

ROMEO:Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace!
Thou talk’st of nothing.

MERCUTIO:True, I talk of dreams,
Which are the children of an idle brain,
Begot of nothing but vain fantasy,
Which is as thin of substance as the air
And more inconstant than the wind, who woos
Even now the frozen bosom of the north,
And, being angered, puffs away from thence,
Turning his face to the dew-dropping south.

BENVOLIO:This wind you talk of, blows us from ourselves.
Supper is done, and we shall come too late.

ROMEO:I fear too early, for my mind misgives
Some consequence yet hanging in the stars
Shall bitterly begin his fearful date
With this night’s revels, and expire the term
Of a despisèd life closed in my breast
By some vile forfeit of untimely death.
But he that hath the steerage of my course,
Direct my sail. On, lusty gentlemen.

BENVOLIO:Strike, drum.

could someone please put this into context and explain the purpose please!
thanks in advance :)

[Whosis]

Well, there's definitely some developed imagery on how people navigated during this time, which I suspected at "Turning... south" and really believe with "Direct my sail." The "Strike, drum" comment might be referring to how a drum was struck to keep people in pace at the oars. I've seen videos of this. The north star was used for navigation, and of course it was in the north, so south is a sure turn against that. Romeo's lines must surely be foreshadowing his meet and eventual demise with Juliet. He speaks of a "fearful date" and "untimely death." As for Mercutio, if you've read the play, you know he dies. He must be idealizing life, which flees from him eventually. And dreams are sometimes distant from what life and living ultimately are. Then there's the issue of early and late. Maybe you can grasp that they are trying to make it to the event (probably the "night's revels) in time, which Romeo may fear to be extended into something unruly as his death eventually is.

That's about as far as I can place it with what is there and what is generally known about the play. The purpose seems to me chiefly foreshadowing but also adding imagery to what they are doing--props were scarce during this age, and Shakespeare had to paint the scene mostly with his words. It would be helpful if you could add more context yourself into what might be near it that makes sense and seems relative to what is here and doesn't make sense. I am not sure what the "Queen Mab Speech" is. I would have to open my comprehensive Shakespeare text to find out. Anyway, let me know if that helps at all.