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Character Analysis of Mercutio from Romeo and Juliet
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AQA English Literature resource for GCSE A 2 page character analysis on Mercutio Includes quotes and analysis of Mercutio from specific scenes
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Mercutio as a CharacterQuotes are in red.
Notations of where each quote is from are in purple.
Links to context are in blue
Mercutio Basics:
Mercutio is Romeo’s best friend. Mercutio likes to have a good
laugh, is optimistic, loyal and a good friend.
When Romeo is depressed because of his unrequited love for
Rosaline. It is Mercutio that suggests they should all gate-crash
the Capulet party.
Later on in the play, when Tybalt arrives to fight Romeo, Mercutio
stands in for Romeo as he is loyal towards his best friend.
Mercutio cannot believe that Romeo would sacrifice his honour in
this way, so he fights Tybalt instead. When Tybalt stabs Mercutio
and he is severely hurt. Mercutio attempts to joke by saying it is a
‘scratch’ but when he realises the severity of his situation, he dies
cursing the two households.
His name sounds like ‘mercurial’ which means volatile. He never
backs down from a duel and, although he’s neither a Montague nor
a Capulet, he gets involved in the feud on the side of the
Montague’s.
Tybalt kills him in Act 3, Scene 1.
Humorous
Mercutio makes fun of Romeo when he declares he feels sick
because of this love he has for Rosaline.
Mercutio ridicules Romeo’s ‘love’ for Rosaline claiming it is false
“That dreamers often lie”. (Act 1 Scene 4) This is Mercutio’s
response after Romeo tells him he dreamt of Rosaline.
Mercutio understands that Romeo’s love for Rosaline isn’t true and
ridicules him for it.
Loyal
Mercutio is loyal when Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt, as he
decides to fight Tybalt instead. This is because he cannot stand to
see Romeo’s honour jeopardised in the face of his enemy.
“Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher by the ears? Make
haste” (Act 3 Scene 1)
This shows Mercutio taking Romeo’s place to fight Tybalt.
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