Romeo And Juliet Mercutio Character Traits

Character Analysis: Mercutio

In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio, a supporting character, is an Italian man with a realistic outlook on life who proves himself to be a humorous, yet attentive friend with gregarious tendencies. While he is not the most amiable of companions, Mercutio’s actions demonstrate the underlying good intentions he harbors for his loved ones. Looking beyond the well-meaning but crass comments and absence of proper empathy, Mercutio’s benevolent nature is apparent. Although his method of social interaction relies heavily on his opinions, which in turn rely on the amount of his experience and wisdom, Mercutio tries to lend a helping hand in his own way.

Mercutio’s opinionated way of thinking greatly influences how he speaks about certain subjects. Not one to reserve his tongue, Mercutio’s

Ever the joker, Mercutio also finds ways to incorporate his jokes into a form of sympathy by trying to distract Romeo from his hopeless crush with humor, “ You are a lover. Borrow Cupid’s wings and soar with them above a common bound” (1:4 17-18). Mercutio lightly pokes fun at Romeo’s love for Rosaline and calls him Cupid, encouraging him to rise up against the restrictions pinning him down, which would be his unrequited love. Mercutio is also not above making jokes at his own expense for the sake of cheering up his friend, “What care I what curious eye doth quote deformities? Here are the beetle brows shall blush for me” (1:4 30-32). Mercutio is claiming he does not care who looks upon him and references to his bush-like eyebrows, a message for Romeo to be comfortable in who he is and his own abilities instead of worrying if he is good enough for Rosaline. While Mercutio enjoys being the cause of more than a few laughs, he uses his comedic skill to benefit his friends as well as poke fun at