A character in the play that could be compared to Mercutio is the Nurse. Both provide a lot of comedy in the play with their crude sense of humour, however they are also good people to turn to in the event of a serious matter. This is illustrated by Mercutio’s defense of Romeo in Act 3, Scene 1, resulting in his death and the Nurse’s assistance in bringing Romeo and Juliet together throughout the play.
Although they are best friends, Mercutio is a contrast to Romeo. Romeo is often depressed and always has problems to deal with, “A troubled mind drive me to walk abroad / Where underneath the grove of sycamore”. Benvolio’s quote is a play on words by Shakespeare using the French word for “love”. Mercutio however is the opposite of Romeo; he is cheerful and always high in spirits and deals with his problems through maintaining his wit and humour, “…we’ll draw thee from the mire / Of this save-your-reference love.” Mercutio continues to try to joke Romeo out of his sombre mood.
Romeo and Mercutio have a close relationship. They are always very playful, constantly joking with each other throughout the play, “Alas, poor Romeo! / He is already dead: stabbed with a white wench’s black eye, / Shot through the ear with a love song.” Early on in the play, Mercutio frequently teases Romeo about love and love-sickness. Although he often mocks Romeo, Mercutio still manages to give him advice on his problems, “Prick love for pricking, and love beat you down.” Towards the beginning of the play, Mercutio urges Romeo to be rough with love when it is rough with him. Mercutio is considered a neutral in the Montague / Capulet feud, this is because he is a kinsman for Prince Escalus. However this does not affect his relationship with Romeo, shown by the way he steps in to fight Tybalt. When he is stabbed by Tybalt in Act 3, Scene 1, Mercutio blames the two houses of Montague and Capulet for his death calling a “plague o’both your houses!” Although in his dying speech, he still manages to keep his humour and always look on the positive side of things when he uses irony and a pun on “grave” in saying “Ask for me to-morrow and you shall find me a grave man.” Mercutio is a character that values and respects his friends. When Mercutio first challenges him, Tybalt replies, “What wouldst thou have with me?” Even though Mercutio is neither a Capulet nor Montague, he gets himself involved with the feud, of which he very well knows how dangerous it can be, to defend Romeo, “Come sir, your passado!”
Before he is killed in Act 3, Scene 1, Mercutio is a character who takes a number of different parts in the play. He is portrayed primarily as the joker of the play, with his use of irony and regular mocking of Romeo, Benvolio and the Nurse. Although he maintains his humour in serious situations, he thinks fast and will always defend and value his friends, shown by his defense of Romeo. He and Romeo are close friends with a very brotherly relationship. Mercutio is neutral in the feud between the Montague’s and Capulet’s therefore only steps in to fight Tybalt, because he is a character of principals and felt that Tybalt was being unfair towards his friend, Romeo. In conclusion, Mercutio is a character who can be interpreted in a number of ways, although he often jokes around, he remains a man with morals who respects his friends yet always likes to remain optimistic.
