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Romeo character analysis
Romeo character analysis
Romeo character analysis
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“What light through yonder window breaks?”(II, ii) is one of the most widely recognized phrases on the planet. William Shakespeare wrote these words cunningly in the play Romeo and Juliet. Romeo, the character that spoke the quote, has many interesting qualities such as being amorous, verbose, and determined. Romeo shares half the title and could be considered the most important character in the play. Toward the beginning of the play, Romeo is saddened by his first love, Rosaline. There is little information about her in the play, but it is known that she broke Romeo’s heart. His amorous heart shows itself throughout the play through his words and actions. From Act I to Act II, Romeo is depressed because of Rosaline’s rejection, but as soon as he lays his eyes on Juliet, he falls in love. Romeo exclaims “O’. She doth teach the torches to burn bright!”(I, V) Without even communicating with Juliet, he proclaims his love. Romeo then proceeds to approach her and woe her into a kiss. His straightforward manner shows his amorous side. It didn’t take long for the two lovers to get married...
There is no doubt that Romeo rushes into love throughout the play. One example of this is when he falls in love with Rosaline. Although Rosaline is not a major role in the play, it shows the sorrow and uncertainty Romeo goes through after not being loved back. Marilyn Williamson said “During the time in which he was infatuated with Rosaline, he was. withdrawn into darkness” (6).
Furthermore, Romeo starts the whole tragedy. True, Juliet acts naïve, nonetheless Romeo acts hastily by encouraging the relationship. Prior to Romeo and Juliet’s encounter, Romeo is in an infatuation with Rosaline. In Act 1.1, Romeo depicts Rosaline's beauty and says, "She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair." Romeo’s love for Rosaline is only skin deep and faces heart break when she chooses to be celibate. Yet when Romeo sees Juliet for the first time, he forgets all about Rosaline and instantly falls for Juliet. In Act 1.5, Romeo is the first to spot Juliet and immediately feels an attraction to her. In addition, Romeo thinks Juliet is very beautiful and convinces her to kiss him without knowing each other. Then in Act 2.1, Romeo pursues Juliet and goes to her balcony and begins to profess his love for her. When Romeo is swearing that he is in love with Juliet, she stops him and says everything is happening so quickly. However, Romeo reassures Juliet and they plan for their marriage.
If you have the Harry Potter series, or almost any other story you have been introduced to this literary device that instantly makes your story attention-grabbing, and page-turning. This writing tool is known as a character foil. A character foil is a character that displays contrary, or opposite character traits. An example of a character foil is Draco Malfoy, and Harry Potter. Their rival relationship and other conflicts are the perfect example to showcase foils at work. To continue, in the iconic “Romeo and Juliet” written by William Shakespeare, there are two known character foils in the first Act: Benvolio and Tybalt, and the Nurse and Lady Capulet.
Romeo's passionate personality is shown to us quite early in the play. in Act 2, scene 2, famously known as the balcony scene. Although Earlier in the play Romeo is shown to be infatuated with Rosaline but As soon as Romeo sees Juliet we see him show almost immediate passion. for her to be. At the beginning of the play we hear Romeo talking to Benvolio of his love for Rosaline and how his heart hurts because of his love is not returned by her.
It’s often said that love at first sight is what occurred in this dismal story but you can not truly be in love until you have gotten to know the person and actually talked to them. When Romeo first saw Juliet he was already saying he was in love with her and didn’t even speak to her, “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight!” (I.V.52). When in actual, true love you must know the person. Juliet had just learned his name and she was already calling him her love, “My only love, sprung from my only hate!” (I.V.138). On top of that, they were just teenagers. Majority of all teenagers suffer from mood swings due to the hormones raging through their body. One day they’re angry the next they’re sad, so how could they have truly known what they have wanted? Yes, it is possible for teenagers to be in love, but it’s hard to tell whether it’s actual love. “One fairer than my love? The all-seeing sun” (I.II.96) In that line he was talking about a girl he met before he met Juliet, Romeo was claiming he was in love with her, Rosaline, and he was really down about that sitatuion. “Is Rosaline that thou didst love so dear, / So soon forsaken? Young men’s love then lies / Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.” (II.III.66-68) Friar Lawrence even pointed it out; if he was able to get over Rosaline that quickly then he did not love her. If he could get over her that fast then he could find somebody else and get over Juliet
can see his importance in the title of the play; he is named in the
Romeo as a Typical Courtly Lover in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is portrayed as a typical courtly lover. In my essay I will be examining the first act of the play and exploring Romeo as a courtly lover and his transition from loving Rosaline to loving Juliet. In traditional medieval literature there were often fictional characters who were known as courtly lovers. At the start of the play Shakespeare has portrayed Romeo as a traditional courtly lover because he follows the rules of courtly love.
When Romeo first set his eyes on Juliet he had forgotten all about Rosaline and had fallen in love with her. “If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss” (Shakespeare 66). At a Capulet party Romeo spots Juliet when he decides to go to her and grab her hand and ask her for a kiss. This demonstrates how he only had to lay his eyes on her for him to fall in love with her it is a sign of fate and destiny. After Romeo and Juliet have experienced their first kisses they suddenly saw a future with each other. Later on, Romeo sneaks over the wall that entered into the Capulet’s house and hears Juliet speaking about how she loves him. “O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I'll no longer be a Capulet” (Shakespeare 80). 'Tis but thy name that is my enemy: Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any
Through the flaws in the characterization of his characters, Shakespeare allows their weakness to manipulate and cloud their judgment. This fundamentally leads to the outcome of Romeo and Juliet, with each weakness presenting a conflict that alters the characters fate. Being especially true with the star-crossed lovers, William Shakespeare leads their perfect love into tragedy with these conflicts. In Romeo and Juliet, Juliet, Friar Lawrence, and Tybalt all contribute to conflicts that enhance the plot. From destructive flaws in their characterizations, Juliet, Friar Lawrence, and Tybalt are all consequently controlled by their weakness, therefore affecting the outcome of the play.
have had an equal amount of both. You can get an idea of how flawed
Romeo's inclination to fall in love easily was first shown in his love for Rosaline. It was illustrated perfectly when he first met Juliet. "Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight. For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night". (Lines 50-51, Scene 5, Act 1) He say this but he seemed to have forgotten Rosaline like old news, even though he speaks of Juliet as he spoke of Rosaline only a few short hours before. "One fairer than my love! The all-seeing sun ne'er saw her match, since first the world begun" (Lines 94-95, Scene 2, Act 1). Romeo immaturity was further shown by the way he handled Tybalt's slaying of Mercutio.
Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Language of Literature. Ed. Arthur N. Applebee. Evanston: McDougal Littell, 2002. Print.
Romeo and Juliet is one of the most famous love tales, but what if the play is not actually a tale of love, but of total obsession and infatuation. Romeo has an immature concept of love and is rather obsessive. Romeo is not the only person in the play who is obsessed though. Many people throughout the play notice his immaturities about love. Very rarely was true love actually shown in the play. attention. Romeo childishly cries to his friend, Benvolio because Rosaline will not love him back and says " She hath forsworn to love, and in that vow/ Do I live dead that live to tell it now" (I i 219-220). Romeo is stating that he's ready to die for loving Rosaline. This is exactly the same attitude Romeo had towards Juliet a little later in the play. During Scene I, Act ii, Romeo's friend, Benvolio tries to get him to go to the Capulet's party to help him get over Rosaline and meet other women Romeo gets very angry and emotional when he suggests this. “Now Romeo is beloved and loves again, / Alike bewitched by the charm of looks” (II 5-6). The chorus expresses Romeo’s juvenile way...
In the beginning of the play, Romeo was rejected by Rosaline, which caused a whole in his heart that he attempted to fill. The same night, he met Juliet. He moved too fast in a dismal effort to find true love. He kissed her in the first few words they talked, which showed his impulsiveness.
When Romeo meets Juliet, he claimed to be immediately in love. Although he has been sulking over Rosaline, when he met Juliet, he states, “Did my heart love till now? forswear it sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night” (Act 1.5 Lines 51-52). The entire time as he envisions love with Rosaline, it was all incoherent. Romeo’s impulsive attitude causes him to fall head over heels with Juliet, which begins the drama in this play.