11 Facts About Mercutio

Mercutio is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's 1597 tragedy, Romeo and Juliet.

Mercutio is a close friend to Romeo and a blood relative to Prince Escalus and Count Paris.

Mercutio is moody and given to sudden outbursts of temper, one of which sets a key plot development in motion.

One of Romeo's closest friends, Mercutio, entreats Romeo to forget about his unrequited love for a girl named Rosaline and come with him to a masquerade ball at Lord Capulet's estate, through use of his Queen Mab speech.

Mercutio finds himself in love, and immediately forgets about Rosaline.

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When Mercutio sees Romeo the next day, he is glad to see that his friend is his old self again, and he encourages Romeo, all the while making bawdy jokes at the expense of Juliet's Nurse.

Mercutio is incensed at his friend's "calm, dishonorable, vile submission", and decides to fight Tybalt himself, referring to his own sword as his "fiddlestick.

Mercutio makes one final pun before he dies: "Ask for me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man.

Name Mercutio was present in Shakespeare's sources for Romeo and Juliet, though his character was not well developed and he was presented as a romantic rival for Juliet.

Mercutio is then banished rather than executed because the killing was provoked.

Mercutio's death is sudden and makes death a dark reality for several characters, causing a domino effect that leads ultimately to the tragic climax.