Foils are used in all types of literature. A character that exhibits opposite or conflicting traits to another character is called a foil. Foil characters can be antagonists, but not always. Sometimes, foils will even be other characters alongside the protagonist. Learn more about teaching foil characters with Storyboard That.
Examples of Foil Characters in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
Storyboard Text
Romeo
CHARACTER
Falls in love quickly
Melancholy
Hopeless romantic
Mercutio
FOIL
Finds love humorus
Does not fall in love
Jovial
Paris comes to pay respectful homage to Juliet, Romeo to visit his dead love and to join her in death by poison. When Paris starts to enter and then challenges Romeo as a felon, Romeo slays him in a fit of rage.
Tybalt
Serious
Pessimistic
Mercutio makes fun of Romeo for being romantic about love. He thinks love is less about devotion and more about physical pleasure. He is also a skeptic, mocking Romeo's beliefs in fairies and portents.
Benvolio
Sarcastic
Optimistic
Aggressor/Antagonistic
Sticks up for Family
Quick Tempered
Capulet
Montague
Even Keeled
Sticks up for Friends
Passive/Peaceful
Romeo comes upon the scene as Mercutio becomes heated in his words with the fiery Tybalt. Romeo steps between them and then tries to diffuse the tension by placing himself before Mercutio and by telling Tybalt that he has no argument against him.
Juliet
Daughter figure
Young
Calm
Benvolio, whose name means "good-wisher" in Latin, has been the one to calm Romeo in an earlier act.
Nurse
Mother figure
Old
Excitable/Impatient
Juliet remains loyal to her husband, while the Nurse cries out "Shame come to Romeo!" (3.2.91)
Concise
Patient
"Well, sir; my mistress is the sweetest lady—Lord, Lord! when 'twas a little prating thing..."