Mercutio (here portrayed by actor Jonathan Huelman, at right) gives his famous Queen Mab speech to Romeo (Jacob Blumenfeld) in Act I, scene IV of Romeo and Juliet.

Mercutio is a character in William Shakespeare's famous tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. He is a relative of the Prince and a close friend of Romeo, and Romeo's cousin Benvolio. Mercutio is apt to make long, drawn out speeches (the most famous of which is the Queen Mab speech), and is generally thought to be reckless, a jokester, and a free spirit. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixels Full resolution (900 × 600 pixel, file size: 70 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)BeastKing89 22:31, 22 April 2007 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixels Full resolution (900 × 600 pixel, file size: 70 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)BeastKing89 22:31, 22 April 2007 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this... Actors in period costume sharing a joke whilst waiting between takes during location filming. ... In English folklore, Queen Mab is a fairy. ... Romeo (here portrayed by actor Jacob Blumenfeld) contemplates suicide after discovering the dead body of Juliet in the dramatic final scene of Romeo and Juliet. ... Romeo and Juliet in the famous balcony scene by Ford Madox Brown For other uses, see Romeo and Juliet (disambiguation). ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... In general usage a tragedy is a play, movie or sometimes a real world event with a sad outcome. ... Romeo and Juliet in the famous balcony scene by Ford Madox Brown For other uses, see Romeo and Juliet (disambiguation). ... Prince and mediator of the feuding families in The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. ... Romeo (here portrayed by actor Jacob Blumenfeld) contemplates suicide after discovering the dead body of Juliet in the dramatic final scene of Romeo and Juliet. ... Benvolio is a character in William Shakespeares fiction Romeo and Juliet, one of the legendary Montagues. ... In English folklore, Queen Mab is a fairy. ... Recklessness is wanton disregard for the dangers of a situation. ... “Joker” redirects here. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Due to his sharp, quick wit and flamboyant, affable personality, Mercutio is one of Shakespeare's most popular characters. In fact, many actors express that they would rather play Mercutio than Romeo. Look up Wit in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Role in the play

Though one of Romeo's best friends, Mercutio's facetiousness tends to try Romeo's patience on occasion; However, there is dramatic irony in the fact that when he makes the speech, Romeo has already fallen for Juliet. Mercutio is frustrated with Romeo's moody, depressed state of being that comes from Rosaline's denial of Romeo's love. After Romeo has fallen for Juliet, Mercutio is pleased to see Romeo back to his normal, congenial state. Juliet is: The fictional character Juliet Capulet in William Shakespeares play Romeo and Juliet. ... Rosaline is an unseen character in the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. ...

After Romeo receives a death threat from Tybalt, Mercutio expects Romeo to engage Tybalt in a duel. However, Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt, as he is Juliet's cousin and therefore a kinsman to Romeo because of Romeo's recent marriage to Juliet. Not knowing this, Mercutio is incensed, and decides to fight Tybalt himself. Romeo, not wanting his best friend or his relative to get hurt, intervenes, causing Mercutio to get stabbed by Tybalt "under [Romeo's] arm." Tybalt in the 1968 film as portrayed by Michael York. ... A duel is a formalized type of combat. ... “Nephew” redirects here. ... “Spouse” redirects here. ... A detail from The Haywain Triptych by Hieronymus Bosch A stabbing or dicksucking is the penetration of a sharp or pointed dick at close range. ...

Before he dies, Mercutio curses both the houses of Montague and Capulet by saying "A plague o' both your houses! They have made worms' meat of me...". His line describing his wound, "'Tis not deep as a well, nor wide as a church door, but 'tis enough, 'twill serve," has become famous. He makes a pun before he dies: "Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man...." In revenge for the murder of his best friend, Romeo slays Tybalt, thus leading to Romeo's banishment from Verona and the increasingly tragic turn of events that follows. The name Montague can refer to: as a surname Andrew Jackson Montague Bruce Montague Charles Edward Montague Ed Montague (baseball player) Ed Montague (umpire), son of the baseball player Edwin Montague John Montague, a 20th century Irish poet and writer Lee Montague Magnificent Montague, DJ Richard Montague, American philosopher, cf. ... The seal of the House of Capulet The Capulets were a fictional Ghibelline family of Verona at mortal feud with the fictional family, the Montagues in William Shakespeares play Romeo and Juliet. ... A pun (also known as paronomasia) is a figure of speech, or word play which consists of a deliberate confusion of similar words within a phrase or phrases for rhetorical effect, whether humorous or serious. ... Ancient unreadable gravestones mark the position of graves in the parish churchyard at Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, England A grave is a place where the body of a dead animal, generally human, is buried, often after a funeral. ... Exile (band) may refer to: Exile - The American country music band Exile - The Japanese pop music band Category: ... Verona is a city and provincial capital in Veneto, Northern Italy. ...

Name origins

Mercutio's name is related to the word "mercurial," meaning "having an unpredictable and fast changing mood," an accurate description of Mercutio's personality. The word "mercurial" itself derives from the ancient Roman messenger god Mercury (Greek: Hermes) whose other namesakes include the fast-moving planet Mercury, and the metal mercury, which is a liquid at room temperature and often called quicksilver for this reason. A head of Minerva found in the ruins of the Roman baths in Bath Roman mythology, the mythological beliefs of the people of Ancient Rome, can be considered as having two parts. ... God, as a male deity, contrasts with female deities, or goddesses. While the term goddess specifically refers to a female deity, words like gods and deities can be applied to all gods collectively, regardless of gender. ... Mercury is a god, also known as the god of trade, profit and commerce. ... Hermes Fastening his Sandal, Roman marble copy of a Lysippan bronze (Louvre Museum) Hermes (Greek, , IPA: ), in Greek mythology, is the Olympian god of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of orators and wit, of literature and poets, of athletics, of weights and measures... The eight planets and three dwarf planets of the Solar System. ... This article is about the planet. ... It has been suggested that Properties and uses of metals be merged into this article or section. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Mercury, Hg, 80 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 12 (IIB), 6 , d Density, Hardness liquid 13. ... Quicksilver is a common name for the chemical element mercury, literally meaning living silver based on its appearance and its unusual liquidity at room temperature. ...

The death of Mercutio

Earlier versions of the story painted a different picture of the chain of events leading to Tybalt's death, leaving Mercutio out of the picture completely. Arthur Brooke's The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet, as well as William Painter's 1567 version of the story both left the entire episode solely to Romeo and Tybalt. In both stories, Tybalt attacks the peace-pleading Romeo with such force that he is forced to take up the sword for the sake of his own life. He is then banished rather than executed because the killing was done in self-defense. Arthur Broke, or Brooke (d. ... The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet is a narrative poem, first published in 1562 by Arthur Brooke, who is reported to have translated it from an Italian poem by Bandello. ... William Painter (1540?-1594), English author, was a native of Kent. ...

The addition of Mercutio into the fray increases the tension, and Tybalt is seen as a slightly more peaceful character than in previous versions, as Mercutio is disgusted by the fact that Tybalt continues to search for a quarrell with Romeo, when Romeo is trying the bring peace between them. Because of his rashness, Mercutio hurls insults and taunts Tybalt, and draws the sword first, in reaction to Tybalt's insults, which are directed to Romeo. Mercutio is, at this point, seen as though he wants to fight, even though is neither Montague nor Capulet. His curse "a plague on both your houses", is foreboding, but the blame for his death lies largely on his own impulsiveness, not the feud.^[1]

Like Patroclus in The Iliad, Mercutio's death in Act III, scene I is the pivotal turning point of the play.^[2] Before his death, Romeo and Juliet is essentially a comedy, revolving around references to doom and fate that seem far away. Mercutio's death is sudden, and makes death a dark reality for several characters causing a domino effect of tragic fate that ultimately takes the lives of Tybalt, Paris, Romeo, Juliet, and Lady Montague.^[1] A cup depicting Achilles bandaging Patroklos arm, by the Sosias Painter. ... The Iliad is, with The Odyssey, one of the two major Greek epic poems traditionally attributed to Homer, a blind Ionian poet. ... The word comedy has a classical meaning (comical theatre) and a popular one (the use of humor with an intent to provoke laughter in general). ... The domino effect refers to a small change which will cause a similar change nearby, which then will cause another similar change, and so on in linear sequence, by analogy to a falling row of dominoes standing on end. ... Look up fate, Fates in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet, Count Paris is a suitor of Juliets. ... The seal of the House of Montague in Baz Luhrmanns William Shakespeares Romeo + Juliet (1996) The Montagues were a fictional Ghibelline family of Verona at mortal feud with that of the fictional family the Capulets in William Shakespeares play Romeo and Juliet. ...

Because Mercutio's death signals the shift from comedy to tragedy (and also because his death occurs roughly halfway through the play), many productions of Romeo and Juliet place an intermission right after this scene. An intermission or interval is a break between two performances or sessions, in events such as a theatrical play, opera or musical concert. ...

Alleged homosexuality

A common interpretation of the play is that Mercutio has homosexual tendencies. While there is no explicit proof of his sexual preferences, a considerable amount of what Mercutio says to Romeo, Benvolio, and even Tybalt, can be easily interpreted as sexual innuendo. He also uses blatant innuendo when speaking to the Nurse, but this is probably in jest, as she is an older woman, and he once comments that she looks like the sails of a ship, which is generally considered to be an insult. Mercutio's friendship with Romeo is such that Mercutio is willing to put his life on the line to defend his honour. However, this could simply be a result of Mercutio's reckless impulsivity and testosterone-fueled bravado, rather than a feeling of physical desire for Romeo. ^[2] Since its coinage, the word homosexuality has acquired multiple meanings. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group. ... Physical attractiveness refers to the perception of an individual as physically beautiful by other people. ...

Performers

A number of famous actors have played the role of Mercutio. A small sampling follows.

• Stage
  • Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud alternated the roles of Romeo and Mercutio in a 1935 stage version.

• Film
  • John Barrymore portrayed Mercutio in George Cukor's 1936 film Romeo and Juliet opposite Leslie Howard as Romeo.
  • John McEnery portrayed Mercutio in Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 film Romeo and Juliet.
  • Harold Perrineau Jr. portrayed Mercutio in Baz Luhrmann's modernized 1996 version, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet.
  • Ben Affleck portrayed actor Edward Alleyn in the 1998 romantic comedy Shakespeare in Love. In the film, Alleyn serves as history's first Mercutio.

• Television
  • Tetsuya Kakihara voices Mercutio in the fantasized, loosely adapted animated series Romeo x Juliet by the Japanese animation studio GONZO.

Serge Sudeikins poster for the Bat Theatre (1922). ... Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM (22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and four-time Emmy winning English actor, director, and producer. ... Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH (14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000), known as Sir John Gielgud, was an Emmy, Grammy, Tony and Academy Award-winning British theatre and film actor. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... “Moving picture” redirects here. ... John Sidney Blyth Barrymore (February 15, 1882 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – May 29, 1942 in Los Angeles, California), was an American actor. ... George Dewey Cukor (July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The 1936 movie adaptation of Shakespeares play, Romeo and Juliet was directed by George Cukor, with a screenplay written by Talbot Jennings. ... Leslie Howard (April 3, 1893 - June 1, 1943) was a British stage and Academy Award nominated film actor. ... John McEnery (born 1 November 1943 in Birmingham, England) is a British actor and writer. ... Franco Zeffirelli (born Gianfranco Corsi on February 12, 1923), is an Italian film director. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Harold Perrineau Jr. ... Baz Luhrmann (born Mark Anthony Luhrmann on September 17, 1962) is an Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated Australian film director, screenwriter, and producer. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... William Shakespeares Romeo + Juliet is a 1996 film adaptation of William Shakespeares play Romeo and Juliet, directed by Baz Luhrmann starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. ... Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is a Golden Globe Award-nominated American film actor, director, and Academy Award-winning and Golden Globe Award-winning screenwriter. ... Edward Alleyn (September 1, 1566 – November 25, 1626), English actor, was a major figure of the Elizabethan theatre and founder of Dulwich College and Alleyns School. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... A romantic comedy may be a film or novel, presenting a story about romance in a comedic style. ... Shakespeare in Love is an award-winning 1998 romantic comedy film. ... Tetsuya Kakihara , born December 24, 1982 in Düsseldorf, Germany) is a seiyū who is affiliated with 81 Produce (junior). ... The main cast of the anime Cowboy Bebop (1998) “Animé” redirects here. ... Romeo×Juliet ) is a TV anime series, loosely based on William Shakespeares classic play, Romeo and Juliet. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Gonzo journalism. ...

See also

• William Shakespeare
• Romeo and Juliet
• Complete list of Shakespearean characters

Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Romeo and Juliet in the famous balcony scene by Ford Madox Brown For other uses, see Romeo and Juliet (disambiguation). ... This is an index of characters appearing in the plays of William Shakespeare. ...

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Utterback, Raymond V. "The Death of Mercutio." Shakespeare Quarterly. (April 1973) 24.2 pgs. 105-116
2. ^ ^{a b} Maxwell, Jennifer. The Catalytic Function of Mercutio. (doc)

External Links

• Complete listing of all of Mercutio's lines