mercutio

• MERCUTIO

  bitter

  "a plague o' both your houses"
• MERCUTIO

  cynical

  "dreams are the children of an idle brain"
• MERCUTIO

  comic relief

  • "farewell, ancient lady, farewell"
  • comparing nurse to "a sail!"

  popular

  liked by audience

  after his death play bceomes darker
• MERCUTIO

  RECKLESS

  context : benvolio doesnt want there to be a public fight w/ tybalt

  • "men's eyes were made to look, and let them gaze; I will not budge for no man's pleasure, I"

  thrives on public admiration

  gaze - crowd is amazed

  he imagines himself as unqiue and spectacular
• MERCUTIO

  • "romeo! humours! madman! passion! lover!"

  likens love to madness

  humours - rapidly-changing mood of a lover - mercutio thinks it's silly

  mercutio may feel alienated observing romeo's romantic attachment despite them usually understanding one another well
• mercutio

  "oh calm, dishonourable, vile submission"

  • says this when Romeo refusing to fight Tybalt
  • strong views on loyalty and family honour
• mercutio

  "you beat love down"

  cynical, realist, opposite to romeo
• mercutio

  "dreams are the children of an idle brain"

  • realist
• mercutio

  "a curse on both your houses"

  shared blame
• mercutio

  "that dreamers often lie"

  cynical, makes us question romeo's love
• mercutio

  "they have made worm's meat of me"

  feel sympathy - innocent victim, popular
• mercutio

  "ask for me tomorrow, and you will find me a grave man"

  joking even in death