3.3.1
Characterisation
Mercutio - Unromantic and Sexual
Mercutio - Unromantic and Sexual
Mercutio is a foil to Romeo. He does not believe in romance and is crude and aggressive towards women. Some people think Mercutio could be homosexual.
Unromantic
Unromantic
- Mercutio is Romeo’s best friend.
- Mercutio is witty (funny) and light-hearted. He is a contrast (a foil) to Romeo.
- He does not believe in romance. He thinks of relationships between people as purely sexual and not romantic of loving.
- When we first meet Mercutio in A1 S4, he is trying to tell Romeo to get over this apparent love for Rosaline. He says: 'If love be rough with you, be rough with love. Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down'. He tells Romeo to ignore the hardships of love and to follow what he wants. He says if he gives up on women, then it will be harder for him to get one again.
Sexual
Sexual
- Mercutio also shows his sexualised, crude (rude, in a sexual way) side in A2 S1 when he and Benvolio are looking for Romeo after the party.
- He is talking about Rosaline’s body parts, saying: 'I conjure thee by Rosaline’s bright eyes… her fine foot, straight leg, and quivering thigh'.
- Mercutio is quite aggressive about women and his friends’ relationships. He makes a lot of negative, derogatory (insulting) comments about women in the play.
Homosexual?
Homosexual?
- Mercutio makes a lot of jokes about penes. There is some suggestion that Mercutio is a homosexual character. Some people think this is why he reacts to aggressively when Tybalt asks if he 'consortest with Romeo' in Act 3.
- But Mercutio could also just be enjoying the male friendships that he has in the play.
Characterisation of Mercutio
Characterisation of Mercutio
Mercutio is presented as aggressive and witty. His death and the fact that Romeo never tells him about Juliet, are important aspects of the plot:
Unaware of Juliet
Unaware of Juliet
- It is important to remember that, although Romeo and Mercutio are best friends, Romeo never even hints to him that he loves Juliet.
- Romeo never tells Mercutio what happened at the party and does not say that he has married Juliet.
- Would he have told Mercutio this if Tybalt hadn’t come to fight him in Act 3?
Aggressive
Aggressive
- Mercutio and Tybalt are quite similar. They both react quickly when they are encouraged to fight.
- In A3 S1, Mercutio also becomes angry that Romeo is refusing to fight and defend himself after Tybalt has insulted him.
- He says that Romeo’s refusal is a 'dishonourable, vile submission'.
- Because he is angry, Mercutio then steps in to defend his friend and the Montague family name. This causes his own death.
Witty
Witty
- Shakespeare presents Mercutio as a witty character right up until he dies. Mercutio says that the fatal (deadly) wound he receives is just 'a scratch', even though he knows that he is dying.
- As he dies, he shouts 'a plague o’ both your houses'. This highlights the tragic nature of the play. Romeo’s best friend is now asking for both the Montagues and the Capulets to be punished for their fighting.
- The audience has grown to like Mercutio. So the audience sympathises with Romeo’s vengeful (seeking revenge) attack on Tybalt.
Importance of death
Importance of death
- Mercutio’s death marks the point where the play changes. The play becomes more and more tragic (sad) after his death.
1Context
2Plot Summary
2.1Prologue
2.2Act 1
2.5Act 4
3Key Characters
3.1Romeo
3.2Juliet
3.3Mercutio
3.4The Nurse, Benvolio & Tybalt
3.5Friar Laurence
3.6Grade 9 - Key Characters
4Key Themes & Concepts
4.1Power & Danger of Love
5Writing Techniques
Jump to other topics
1Context
2Plot Summary
2.1Prologue
2.2Act 1
2.5Act 4
3Key Characters
3.1Romeo
3.2Juliet
3.3Mercutio
3.4The Nurse, Benvolio & Tybalt
3.5Friar Laurence
3.6Grade 9 - Key Characters
4Key Themes & Concepts
4.1Power & Danger of Love
5Writing Techniques
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