English Lit

• Foil

  A contrast
• Mercutio acts as a foil to Romeo

  Mercutio is not nearly so romantic and often ridicules Romeo's lovesick rambles
• Mercutio and Romeo

  • They represent two opposite ends of the spectrum of love, two extremes
• It characterises young people to be extreme in their emotions which often results in disaster
• Romeo's rashness and passionate expressions of love

  Provide an enormous contrast to the older characters in this act, for example Lord Capulet, who is far more authoritative and mature
• This introduces the theme of young vs old in the play