Romeo And Juliet Rhetorical Analysis

In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, it may seem as a love story meant to be, but is really a story of obsession and desperation. Romeo’s obsession to be with Juliet overpowers his ability to think clearly, and this same feeling takes over Juliet as well. The obsession and desperation also takes over Lord Capulet, and Tybalt as well.

When Romeo and Juliet first meet, they immediately fall in love. They cannot stand to be away from each other, and the desperation and obsession is fused in as well. When Romeo is banished, he'd rather die than be without Juliet. ”Ha, banishment! Be merciful and say ‘death,’/For exile hath more terror in his look/ Much more than death. Do not say banishment” (III iii 12-14). Juliet reacts in a similar way, too.

“That ‘banished’ that one word ‘banished’/ Hath slain ten thousand Tybalts” (III ii 114-115). Juliet should be mourning over the fact that her own cousin and friend is dead, but is obsessed so much with Romeo that she’d rather have the death of ten thousand Tybalts.

Her love for Romeo is so strong that she also feels banishment is even worse than death. This truly conveys the message that they may be in this so called “love,” but their excessive obsession replaces their love for each other. “What’s here? A cup, closed in my true love’s hand?/ Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end” (V iii 174-175). After Juliet sees that Romeo has killed himself with poison, she is quick to think and she kills herself. “Yea, noise? Then I’ll be brief. O happy dagger,/ This is thy sheath. There rust and let me die” (V iii 183-184). These quotes are crucial to the plot of the play. Instead of Shakespeare portraying Juliet as morning over the death of her loved one, he uses this quote to portray her desperation for Romeo. Therefore, this quote never really conveys the story as one of love, but as Shakespeare puts it, a story of obsession and desperation. Shakespeare’s true language is shown in this very quote by Juliet’s desperation and not true, star-crossed love. He also points out that obsession and desperation are contrasted to true love. One of the main examples of any form of love is shown

by the character of Benvolio. He says,”Alas, that love, so gentle in its view/ Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof (I i 159-160)! Benvolio is a great friend to Romeo and he is trying to find out why he is so sad. He discovers that Romeo’s love does not love him back. Benvolio is one of the main examples of love shown in the play. This is the main difference in love and obsession and desperation.
Although obsession and desperation are found in Romeo and Juliet, the families showed these qualities as well.

Lord Capulet was far more concerned about Juliet and Paris getting married than Juliet personal opinions. Lord Capulet is obsessed with Paris and likes him a lot more than Juliet does. He is desperate to get them married and will do anything to make it happen. “Hang thee, young baggage! Disobedient wretch!/ I tell the what: get thee to church o’ Thursday/ Or never look me in the face (III v 160-162). Juliet pleads to Lord Capulet to let her say one thing, and he is so wrapped up in her marriage that he wont let her say one thing. Lord Capulet is truly obsessed over the marriage and wants Paris and Juliet to get married as soon as possible. Unfortunately, Lord Capulet is still so obsessed with his daughter’s marriage that he is complain that he will have no heir to his thrown. “Death is my son-in-law. Death is my heir/ My daughter he hath wedded. I will die/ And leave him all. Life, living, all is Death’s (IV v 39-41). In this quote, Capulet finds out Juliet is dead at her bedside, and he doesn't immediately mourn for her. Instead, Lord Capulet is upset because he has no heir to his throne. He was so desperate for his daughters marriage that he couldn't think about anyone but himself when Juliet died. Capulet is so wrapped up in this marriage that he doesn't even consider her opinions, disowns her, and cares only about himself when his only daughter

dies!
As with Romeo and Juliet and Lord Capulet, Tybalt is caught in the contagious obsession and desperation. He is constantly wanting to fight Romeo and can’t even look at him. Before Romeo and Tybalt fight, Tybalt explains to Romeo that he is a villain to him. “Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford/ No better term than this: thou art a villain” (III i 31-32). After Tybalt states this, Romeo tries to tell Tybalt that he has reason to love Tybalt. Of course, Tybalt does not understand Romeo, and instead of letting Romeo explain, he is so desperate and obsessed of fighting Romeo that he ignores Romeo’s statement. When Tybalt does try to fight, Tybalt insists that Romeo fights him.. “Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries/ that thou hast done me. Therefore turn and draw”(III i 37-38). Instead, Mercurio takes Romeo’s spot, and Tybalt kills him. Romeo then avenges Mercurio’s death by killing Tybalt. Tybalt’s desperation and obsession blinded him from what could have prevented several deaths. Unfortunately, Tybalt was eager to fight and didn't quite understand Romeo.
The play may seem about true love, but it actually a story of obsession and desperation. Romeo and Juliet’s desperation and obsession caused both of them not to think clearly. They were never really in love, but just had an obsession of each other. Benvolio was the only true case of love in the play. Also, Lord Capulet’s obsession and desperation over the marriage caused him to be selfish and only think of himself. Finally, Tybalt was so obsessed over fighting Romeo that he didn't let Romeo explain why they could have evaded the whole fight altogether. The story is really about obsession and desperation, and Shakespeare makes may cases for it in the play.