The characters of Romeo and Mercutio in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet serve as foils to each other. While Romeo is a romantic lover who expresses his love through words, Mercutio is cynical about love and sees it as insignificant. He encourages Romeo to have casual sex instead of pursuing a serious relationship. Mercutio also seems jealous of Romeo's love for Juliet. The two characters present contrasting views of love and relationships that underscore major themes in the play.