Mercutio

• Mercutio


  Encapsulates the comedic relief in Romeo and Juliet, contrasts the views of many other characters
• Stephen Greenblatt: 'Mercutio is a "force within the play that functions to deflate the possibility of romantic love and the power of tragic fate"'
• Mercutio's views


  Juxtapose the potent, tender love that Romeo and Juliet share
• Mercutio


  • Provides a realistic yet harsh view of love, his opinions do not completely dampen the potent theme of love within the play
• Family honour


  Extremely important to many individuals in the Elizabethan era, portrayed through the Montague versus Capulet feud
• Mercutio's death and final words


  Reveal the possible dangers of allowing family honour to consume an individual
• Courtly love


  Meant to be true, pure and full of restraint, Mercutio contradicts this with his explicit speeches about sexual desire and emotionless views of love
• Religion


  Central to Elizabethan life, Mercutio's crude and sexual views on love contradict Catholic and Protestant religious teachings
• Mercutio


  • Violent, cynical, unconventional
• Mercutio and the Nurse


  Similarities in their views on love
• Romeo and Mercutio


  Share a strong bond, Mercutio's death acts as a catalyst for Romeo's violent behaviour
• Mercutio and Tybalt


  Their dislike stems from the fact that Mercutio is associated with Romeo, a Montague, whilst Tybalt is a Capulet
• Mercutio: '"A plague o' both your houses. They have made worms' meat of me."'
• Mercutio: '"If love be rough with you, be rough with love. Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down"'
• Mercutio: '"I conjure thee by Rosaline's bright eyes, By her high forehead and her scarlet lip, By her fine foot, straight leg, and quivering thigh"'
• Mercutio: '"O Romeo, that she were, O, that she were An open-arse, thou a poperin pear!"'
• Mercutio: '"O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!"'
• Mercutio


  A character in Romeo and Juliet who dies halfway through the action, whose death changes the mood from comic to tragic
• Verona


  • Divided by an ancient feud between the Montagues and the Capulets
  • Members of the families avoid each other and move in completely different social circles
  • There is always the danger that a fight may break out among the young men
• Mercutio


  Romeo's best friend, related to the Prince, not a member of either feuding family, hangs out with the Montagues
• Mercutio


  • Highly intelligent, witty, sophisticated, well educated, playful and very funny
  • Admired by all the young men who gravitate towards Romeo and his cousin Benvolio
  • Entertains them with his wit and his madcap antics
• Mercutio and Tybalt's encounter

  1. Mercutio approaches with humour

  2. Tybalt enters into the spirit of it

  3. Mercutio pretends to be offended, jokingly turning the word consort into another meaning

  4. They engage in a theatrical play fight with both groups laughing
• Romeo arrives


  Tries to stop Mercutio and Tybalt's fight
• Tybalt stabs Mercutio under Romeo's arm by mistake</b>
• Mercutio is mortally wounded


  He curses both families and dies, turning the laughter into a stunned silence
• Romeo runs after Tybalt


  They fight ferociously and Romeo kills Tybalt
• This is the turning point in the play, the Prince banishes Romeo and the action moves swiftly to its climax with the tragic death of the young lovers
• I see Queen Mab hath been with you tonight: '(act 1, scene 4)'
• a plague on both your houses: '(act 3, scene 1)'
• speak but one rhyme and I am satisfied!: '(act 2, scene 1)'
• prick love for pricking and you beat love down!: '(act 1, scene 4)'
• not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door, but 'tis enough: '(act 3, scene 1)'
• If love be blind, love cannot hit the mark 21: '(act 2, scene 1)'
• They have made worms' meat of me: '(act 3, scene 1)'