Romeo & Juliet Characters (Montagues)
Benvolio
Lord montague
Mercutio
Romeo
Lady Montague
Romeo's father
Romeo's mother
Romeo's close friend
Romantic young man
Falls in love with Juliet
referred to as Romeo's cousin.
murdered in Act 3, Scene 1 in a fight with Tybalt
skeptic, a man who mocks love
intelligent and witty
"Queen Mab"
cynical realist who finds dreams and fantasies ridiculous
describes dreams to be "the children on an idle brain."
He draws attention to the fact that Romeo’s romantic language is clichéd, suggesting that Romeo’s feelings might be inauthentic or immature
Friar Lawrence
Loyal
Foil with Romeo
Different attitudes to love
Romeo is a romantic and Mercutio mocks this
mocks Romeo's vision of love
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like Juliet's Nurse, regards love as an exclusively physical pursuit.
like Tybalt, is quick-tempered and they are both ready to draw their swords at the slightest provocation.
takes up Tybalt's challenge to defend his friend's name.
His death marks a distinct turning point in the play as tragedy begins to overwhelm comedy, and the fates of the protagonists darken.
peacemaker and voice of reason when tempers flare between the Montagues and Capulets
close friend of Romeo
Benvolio is loyal to Romeo, but he is also loyal to the Montague family
Benvolio advises Romeo to forget about Rosaline and "examine other beauties" instead. This is important advice, because it leads to Romeo meeting Juliet at the Capulet feast.
Benvolio suggests that he attend a party that will be given that evening at the Capulet mansion
Benvolio's advice is aimed toward helping Romeo regain his emotional balance. Unfortunately, that advice has unintended consequences
benevolent, kind, and motivated toward making peaceful resolutions of problems
Part, fools!
Put up your swords; you know not what you do
handsome, intelligent, and sensitive
falls in love very easily
so idealistic and driven by his emotions that he is rash and impetuous
impulsive and immature
matures from adolescence to adulthood as a result of his love for Juliet and his unfortunate involvement in the feud
more in love with the concept of being in love than with the woman herself.
When Romeo sees Juliet, he realizes the artificiality of his love for Rosaline
"Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! / For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night"
oxymoronic language
"o brawling love"
"o loving hate"
"heavy lightness"
Displays his pain and his confusion surrounding love
introduced by father
Denys audience the opportunity to judge him for themselves instead Lord Monatgue tells us he's depresed
self isolating at the beginning
Locks himself in "an artificial night"
It's safer and more peaceful than reality
depressed after things don't work out with Rosaline
"under love's heavy burden do I sink"
"you have shoes with nimble soles, I have a soul of lead
Mercutio's coarse physical imagery and sexual jokes contrast sharply with Romeo's religious imagery for love.
Whereas Romeo speaks of Juliet poetically, using an extended metaphor that likens her to the sun, Juliet laments the social constraints that prevent their marriage: “O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? / Deny thy father and refuse thy name”
closely linked to the young men with whom he roves the streets of Verona
short-tempered and quick to violence
Not dissimilar to modern day gang culture
clichéd phrases from love poetry
O she doth teach the torches to burn bright.