Mercutio is a memorable character in “Romeo and Juliet”, the instigator of both fun and violence and speaker of the play’s most famous speech. His position in the play is a strange one, though: neither a Capulet or a Montague, though a good friend of both Benvolio and Romeo, he is described as a “kinsman” of Prince Escalus but the play doesn’t specify exactly what that means. Is he the Prince’s brother? Cousin? Nephew? Different productions make different choices and the play gives you a lot of leeway: sometimes he’s a rich young guy with the money that comes from being in the Prince’s family but not much direction; sometimes he’s closer to the Prince’s age but immature and a bit to old to be hanging out with the Montague boys, an older guy uncomfortable with his own aging. Whatever he is, he seems to be wealthy enough to have little to do but look for the next party or the next fight, a funny, profane hothead whose loss is keenly felt.
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