What is the dramatic function of Mercutio's Queen Mab speech?

use 8 sentences

It is an episode. It is introduced by Shakespeare for the purpose of preventing too rapid progress of the action of the drama. During its recital the action, which has just begun by the journey of Romeo and his friends to the ball, ceases movement.

Explanation:

The whole speech is based on pagan Celtic mythology. Mercutio's speech is laced with s*x*al innuendo. The words "queen" and "mab" refer to wh*res in Elizabethan England. As his speech goes on we notice the subtext get increasingly s*x*al culminating with Mab teaching Maidens how to have s*x. Mercutio gets pretty hot and bothered by his own rhetoric. On the surface he means to poke fun at Romeo's romantic obsessions. Mercutio gets all sweaty and intense by the end of his speech. Romeo attempts to calm his friend down, "Peace Mercutio ... you talk of nothing." We get the sense that there is something way more personal here than simply a prostitute fairy who teaches maidens to have s*x. Mercutio clearly wants Romeo for more than hanging out by the tomato stall. There is pent up frustration on Mercutio's part both emotionally and s*xually.