Mercutio plays the most important part in the play. As in every scene he always “stands out of the crowd”. If Mercutio was not in the play no one would laugh in the Montagues, you could call him a kind of joker.
The First time you see Mercutio is in Act I Scene IIII when Mercutio, Benvolio and a few other Montagues are ready to go to the Capulet party. And Romeo still being lovesick because of Rosaline (this girl that he fancies but she does not him). Then Mercutio teases Romeo until he agrees to go to the party
First Quote- Mercutio: “Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance” Act 1 Scene 4 line 17-18
Second quote- Mercutio: “You are a lover; borrow cupid’s wings, and soar with them above a common bound.”
All of the Montagues wear masks to avoid identification. When the Montagues arrive at the party Romeo meets a girl called Juliet, and falls in love with her.
Romeo
Act I Scene 5 Page 69
First Quote- “[To Juliet] If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, gentle sin is this,
My lips two blushing pilgrims ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.”
Second Quote- “Have not saints lips and palmers too?”
Third Quote- “O then dear saint, let lips do what hands do. They pray; grant thou, lest faith turn to despair”
The next important time you see Mercutio is Act 3 Scene 1
And enters Mercutio, Benvolio and men.
Mercutio’s first words are “I pray thee good Mercutio, let’s retire.
The day is ho, the capels are abroad,
And if we meet, we shall not ‘scape a brawl,
For now these hot days, is mad blood stirring.”
What Mercutio is saying is that even though the Capulets are away he still feels uneasy about the day, and feels that something bad is going to happen. And that if the Capulets come they will fight them and “brawl”.
When Tybalt, Pertruchio and others arrive Tybalt says:
Quote Act 3 Scene 1 line 39-40
Follow me close, for I will speak to them (talking to Pertruchio and others) Gentlemen, good den; a word with one of you. (To Montagues)
Mercutio opens his big mouth and says:
Line 41-42
And but a word with one of us? Couple it with something, make it a word and a blow.
This really annoys Tybalt and then Tybalt talks back and because Mercutio is such a loyal friend to Romeo he takes this comment personally and deals with it the wrong way:
Line 46:
“Mercutio, thou consortest with Romeo”
Mercutio takes it the wrong way because he thinks Tybalt said they were like travelling musicians.
Then Mercutio gets put over the edge of what he can take when Romeo arrives Tybalt says:
ENTER Romeo
Quote Line 57:
“Well peace be with you sir, here comes my man” What Tybalt was saying was here’s the person ive been looking for and Mercutio takes it in the wrong way and he thinks that he meant that Romeo was his servant.
And then Mercutio puts his foot in it again and says:
Quote Line 59-61:
“But ill be hanged sir, if he wear your livery
Marry go before to field, he’ll be your follower;
Your worship in that sense may call him man”
Tybalt
Quote Line 61-62:
“Romeo, the love I bear for thee can not afford
No better term than this-thou art a villain.”
Romeo
Quote Line 63-66:
“Tybalt the reason that I have to love thee
Doth much excuse the appertaining rage
To such a greeting. Villain I am none.
Therefore farewell, I see thou knowest me not.”
Tybalt takes this in offence because he thinks that Romeo is being rude to him by saying that he loves him but Tybalt does not know that Romeo and Juliet have married and Tybalt still feels that he has a score to settle with Romeo for gate crashing his Capulet Party.
Tybalt wants to fight Romeo and Romeo refuses to fight, then Tybalt is so enraged that Romeo will not “turn and draw” that Tybalt starts to hit him.
Tybalt
Quote Line 67-68:
“Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries
That thou hast done me, therefore turn and draw”
Romeo
Quote Line 69-73:
“I do protest I never injured thee
But the love thee better than thou canst devise.
Till thou shalt know the reason of my love.
And so good Capulet, which name I do tender as dearly as my own, be satisfied”
Mercutio annoyed at Tybalt and Tybalt being dishonourable tells himself he should stop Tybalt before anything else happens.
Mercutio
Quote Line 74-76:
“O calm, Dishonourable, vile submission!
Alla Stoccata carries it away.
Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk”
Tybalt
Quote Line 77:
“What would thou have with me?”
Mercutio feels that if he interferes he may take his own life to save Romeo and he is saying to himself this is the last time I can do this is my last lifeline and if I do help Romeo I maybe killed.
Mercutio
Quote Line 78-83:
“Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine lives, that mean to make bold withal, and as you shall use me hereafter, dry-beat the rest of the eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher by the ears? Make haste, lest mine be about your ears ere it be out”
When Mercutio drags Tybalt off Romeo and beats Tybalt to the ground Tybalt picks up his blade lashes out to stab Romeo and Mercutio gets in the way and Mercutio is stabbed in the stomach.
Mercutio
Quote Line 91-93:
“I am hurt.
A plaque on both your houses, I am sped.
Is he gone and hath nothing?”
Benvolio
Quote Line 94:
“What, art thou hurt?
Mercutio
Quote Line 95-96:
“Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch, marry ‘tis enough.
Where is my page? Go villain, fetch a surgeon”
Romeo
Quote line 107:
“I thought all for the best”
Mercutio
Quote Line 108-111:
“Help me into some house Benvolio,
Or I shall faint. A plague o' both your houses!
They have made worms' meat of me.
I have it, and soundly too. Your houses!”
Romeo now feels guilty and he feels that he should have been the one to be stabbed not Mercutio; Mercutio took his own life to save Romeo.
Romeo
Quote Line 112-118:
“This gentleman, the prince's near ally,
My very friend, hath got his mortal hurt
In my behalf; my reputation stained
With Tybalt's slander; Tybalt, that an hour
Hath been my kinsman. O sweet Juliet,
Thy beauty hath made me effeminate,
And in my temper softened valour's steel.
All-in-All Mercutio was a very good friend to Romeo and this Is why Romeo had to kill Tybalt because Mercutio took his life in order to save Romeo, not meaning to but Tybalt sneakily stabbed him with his blade when he wasn’t looking and Romeo and the other Montague’s thought that Mercutio was joking because he has always has been a joker.
