What are some of Mercutio's personality traits?
Wild, frenetic, easygoing, and fun-loving , Mercutio's manic energy, rambling stories, and razor-sharp wit masks a much darker core. Mercutio is quick with words and is one of the play's most skilled masters of puns and wordplay-he is always ready with a scandalous joke or a bawdy tale, but deep down, the play suggests that Mercutio is long past tired of his role as Romeo's jester.
How is Mercutio a believable character?
Character analysis: Benvolio, Mercutio and Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet
- Article written by: Emma Torrance
- Themes: Tragedies, Power, politics and religion
- Published: 19 May 2017
What is Mercutio personality like in Romeo and Juliet?
To sum Mercutio up in a few words- he's witty and moody. Although he jokes around with his friends a lot, his sense of humor could be described as lighthearted and even cruel at times. For example, in act 1 scene 4 Mercutio is joking around with his friends about love and other happy concepts.
What are the character traits of Mercutio?
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- Summary
- Act and Scene Summaries
- Themes
- Characters
- Analysis
- Critical Essays
- Quotes
- Teaching Guide
- Short-Answer Quizzes
Who played Mercutio in Repertory?
Orson Welles performed the role of Mercutio in repertory during the 36-week US tour of the Katharine Cornell company (1933–34) In 1933–34, Orson Welles played the role of Mercutio in the Katharine Cornell company's seven-month nationwide tour.
Where did the name Mercutio come from?
The name is first used in Luigi Da Porto 's 1530 Giulietta e Romeo.
What does Mercutio expect from Romeo?
After Romeo receives a death threat from Juliet's cousin Tybalt, Mercutio expects Romeo to engage Tybalt in a duel.
Why is Mercutio disgusted with Tybalt?
The addition of Mercutio into the fray increases the tension, and Tybalt is seen as a slightly more peaceful character than in previous versions, as Mercutio is disgusted by the fact that Tybalt continues to search for a quarrel with Romeo, when Romeo is trying to bring peace between them.
Why does Romeo refuse to fight Tybalt?
However, Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt, because Romeo now considers Tybalt to be kin due to his secret marriage to Juliet. Mercutio is incensed at his friend's "calm, dishonorable, vile submission", and decides to fight Tybalt himself, right before which, Mercutio refers to his sword as his "fiddlestick.".
What is Mercutio's sense of humor?
Though often fun-loving and witty, the latter demonstrated in his Queen Mab speech in the first act, Mercutio's sense of humour can at times be facetious or even coarse, much to his friends' annoyance. He is also moody and given to sudden outbursts of temper, one of which sets a key plot development in motion.
Who played Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet?
In 1936, John Barrymore portrayed Mercutio in George Cukor 's film Romeo and Juliet opposite Leslie Howard as Romeo. In 1961, Russ Tamblyn played the Mercutio character, Riff Lorton, in the film adaptation of West Side Story, the musical modernised version of Romeo and Juliet.
Who is Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet?
Mercutio is, as the lesson describes, one of the Romeo and Juliet 's stand-out characters. His "Queen Mab" speech in Act 1, Scene 4, remains one of the most debated monologues in Shakespearean literature; there are almost as many interpretations of that speech as there have been performances of Romeo and Juliet, and his wise-cracking personality amuses both the audience, his friends, and even Juliet's nurse. However, he is much more than comedic relief. In the following discussion questions, you will critically examine his role within the play in accordance with the sections outlined in the lesson.
What is Mercutio's best friend?
'Loyal,' 'devoted,' 'funny' and 'witty' are just a few of the words that describe Romeo's best friend, Mercutio, in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. He is neither a Montague nor a Capulet, but he is more than just an interested party in the epic family feud.
Why does Mercutio not think Romeo should get involved with Juliet?
Mercutio does not think that Romeo should get involved with Juliet, that it will only cause a monster headache and that it will never work out . Although Mercutio is a sort of tough guy, his goal is to keep peace between the families. But Romeo doesn't listen and instead mocks his friend: 'A gentleman that loves to hear himself talk and will speak more in a minute than he will stand to in a month.'
What scene does Mercutio die in?
And for those of you who do not know, Mercutio is murdered in Act 3, Scene 1 in a fight with Tybalt (more on that later). It's reported that audiences love Mercutio so much that some performances go south after his character dies.
What does Romeo say after he kills Tybalt?
Romeo even says after he kills Tybalt, 'O, I am fortune's fool.' Mercutio warned Romeo that he should stay away from Juliet, but he didn't listen, and as we all know, Mercutio was correct.
What is the turning point of Romeo and Juliet?
Mercutio's death is the turning point of Romeo and Juliet. The two lovers thought their love would conquer all and that it would somehow be strong enough to survive the legacy of the families' long-standing feud. But Mercutio 's death wakes Romeo up from his ignorance. His death also marks a foreshadowing of the darkness that will come. Mercutio's death turns the play from a romantic and comedic one to a tragic one. It should be obvious at this point to the audience that the two lovers will not see their happily ever after.
Who kills Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet?
Romeo, inundated with anger and rage, kills Tybalt in retaliation. But even as Mercutio lays dying, his wit and humor do not waver. He says, 'No 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door, but 'tis enough, 'twill serve.'. Mercutio's death is the turning point of Romeo and Juliet.
What is the character of Mercutio?
Character Analysis Mercutio. Character Analysis. Mercutio. Mercutio, the witty skeptic, is a foil for Romeo, the young Petrarchan lover. Mercutio mocks Romeo's vision of love and the poetic devices he uses to express his emotions: Romeo, Humors!
What does Mercutio say about Romeo?
Like Tybalt, Mercutio has a strong sense of honor and can't understand Romeo's refusal to fight Tybalt, calling it, "O calm, dishonorable, vile submission" (III.1.72). Mercutio demonstrates his loyalty and courage when he takes up Tybalt's challenge to defend his friend's name.
Why is Mercutio amused when he hears of Tybalt's challenge to Romeo?
When Mercutio hears of Tybalt's challenge to Romeo, he is amused because he regards Romeo as a lover whose experience of conflict is limited to the world of love.
What does Mercutio's speech indicate about Romeo's first meeting with Juliet?
Mercutio's speech, while building tension for Romeo's first meeting with Juliet at the Capulet ball, indicates that although Mercutio is Romeo's friend, he can never be his confidant. As the play progresses, Mercutio remains unaware of Romeo's love and subsequent marriage to Juliet.
What does the humor of Mercutio's death mean?
The humor with which Mercutio describes his fatal wound confirms his appeal as a comic character: "No 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door, but 'tis enough, 'twill serve" (III.1.94 — 95). Mercutio's death creates sympathy for Romeo's enraged, emotional reaction in avenging his friend's death.
Why does Mercutio exist outside of Verona?
Mercutio seems to exist outside the two dominant spheres of Verona because he takes neither the world of love nor the feud seriously. However, Mercutio, like Tybalt, is quick-tempered and they are both ready to draw their swords at the slightest provocation.
Who is the anti-romantic character in Lover?
Lover! Speak but one rhyme and I am satisfied. Mercutio is an anti-romantic character who, like Juliet 's Nurse, regards love as an exclusively physical pursuit. He advocates an adversarial concept of love that contrasts sharply with Romeo's idealized notion of romantic union.
What does Mercutio believe about his death?
Mercutio believes that specific people are responsible for his death rather than some external impersonal force. Previous section Friar Lawrence Next section Nurse.
Who is the most memorable character in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet?
Romeo and Juliet. With a lightning-quick wit and a clever mind, Mercutio is a scene stealer and one of the most memorable characters in all of Shakespeare’s works.
Who is Mercutio interrupted by?
Mercutio is interrupted in the middle of one of his antics by the arrival of a group of young Capulets led by Juliet’s hot tempered cousin, Tybalt. He is still angry about the previous evening when he had caught Romeo and his friends gate-crashing a party his uncle, Juliet’s father, was holding. He was stopped from doing anything about it by his ...
What is Mercutio's role in Romeo and Juliet?
Mercutio is a natural entertainer and plays to the crowd. On the day that Romeo goes to Friar Laurence’s cell to marry Juliet in secret his friends gather as usual and wonder where he is.
What does Tybalt accuse Mercutio of?
Tybalt and Mercutio engage in some banter. Mercutio approaches the encounter with humour and Tybalt enters into the spirit of it. When Tybalt accuses Mercutio of consorting with Romeo Mercutio pretend s to be offended, jokingly turning the word consort into another ...
Why is Benvolio nervous about Romeo and Juliet?
Benvolio is nervous because he has heard that there are Capulets about and in this weather, when the hot blood is stirring, anything could happen.
What happened to Romeo and Mercutio's friends?
Romeo and Mercutio’s other friends do not realise that Mercutio has been mortally wounded. Mercutio jokes about it but finally shows them the wound and falls down. He curses both families and dies. That turns the laughter into a stunned silence as his friends watch him die. Romeo runs after Tybalt.
Who is the character in Romeo and Juliet?
Home 1 / Shakespeare Characters 2 / Mercutio, Romeo and Juliet. Mercutio is a character in Romeo and Juliet. He dies halfway through the action. It is with his death and Romeo’s response to it that the comic mood changes and the path to a tragic end is set.
Is the Prince related to the Montagues?
He is related to the Prince and not a member of either feuding family. He does not take sides but because of his friendship with the Montague, Romeo, he hangs out with the Montagues. He is highly intelligent, witty, sophisticated, well educated, and also playful and very funny.
How old is Mercutio?
Mercutio is one of the few characters who can freely "roam" between both the Capulet and Montague houses. Like his lack of a last name, William Shakespeare never clarified on how old Mercutio is. Romeo Montague is estimated to be about 15 years old, so most people guess Mercutio is around that age (14-17). To sum Mercutio up in a few words- he's ...
Who is Mercutio in Romeo Montague?
Mercutio is a noble who talks in riddles and rhymes. Although he has no known last name, it is a fact that he is related to Count Paris and Prince Escalus; he is also a very close friend to Romeo Montague and Benvolio (who also has no known last name). Mercutio is one of the few characters who can freely "roam" between both ...
What is Mercutio's sense of humor?
Although he jokes around with his friends a lot, his sense of humor could be described as lighthearted and even cruel at times. For example, in act 1 scene 4 Mercutio is joking around with his friends about love and other happy concepts.
Who Is Mercutio?
Mercutio is a relative of Prince Escalus in William Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet, and is a close friend to Romeo Montague. In Romeo and Juliet, he first appears in Act 1 Scene 4 as he convinces Romeo to enter a Capulet party that they were not invited to.
Mercutio's Personality
Mercutio's personality served to offer new perspectives on issues that plagued the main characters in Romeo and Juliet.
It's All Fun and Games Until Tragedy Strikes
Mercutio is, as the lesson describes, one of the Romeo and Juliet 's stand-out characters.
Overview
Mercutio is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's 1597 tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. He is a close friend to Romeo and a blood relative to Prince Escalus and Count Paris. As such, Mercutio is one of the named characters in the play with the ability to mingle around those of both houses. The invitation to Lord Capulet's party states that he has a brother named Valentine.
Role in the play
One of Romeo's closest friends, Mercutio, entreats Romeo to forget about his unrequited love for a girl named Rosaline and come with him to a masquerade ball at Lord Capulet's estate, through use of his Queen Mab speech. There, Mercutio and his friends become the life of the party, but Romeo is drawn to Capulet's daughter, Juliet. He finds himself in love, and immediately forgets about Rosaline. When Mercutio sees Romeo the next day, he is glad to see that his friend is his o…
Name origins
The name Mercutio was present in Shakespeare's sources for Romeo and Juliet, though his character was not well developed and he was presented as a romantic rival for Juliet. The name is first used in Luigi Da Porto's 1530 Giulietta e Romeo. Da Porto briefly introduces a character named Marcuccio Guertio, a noble youth "with very cold hands, in July as in January", who makes Giulietta Cappelletti appreciate the warm hands of Romeo Montecchi.
Mercutio's death
Earlier versions of the story described a different chain of events leading to Tybalt's death, omitting Mercutio completely. Arthur Brooke's The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet and William Painter's 1567 versions of the story both left the entire episode solely to Romeo and Tybalt. In both stories, Tybalt attacks the pacifist Romeo with such force that Romeo is forced to take up the sword to defend himself. He is then banished rather than executed because the killin…
Performers
A number of famous actors have played the role of Mercutio. A small sampling follows.
• In 1933–34, Orson Welles played the role of Mercutio in the Katharine Cornell company's seven-month nationwide tour.
• In 1935, Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud alternated the roles of Romeo and Mercutio in a London stage producti…
See also
• Complete list of Shakespearean characters
External links
• Complete listing of all of Mercutio's lines
• Mercutio Character Analysis at Shakespeare Online