Romeo's Complicated Love

Romeo and Juliet’s Complicated Love Life
Through the characters Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare warns that
jumping into love too quickly can cause characters to alter their beliefs and actions, and therefore betray their values.
One character that Shakespeare uses to demonstrate that jumping into
love too quickly can cause a loss of self worth is Romeo. At the beginning of the play, Romeo is in “love” with Rosaline. Unfortunately Rosaline does not return his love. As Romeo is experiencing this unrequited love, it puts him to a saddened state. Readers see this right in the beginning of the play as Romeo is complaining to Benvolio about Rosaline not returning his love. He explains that “I have lost myself. I am not here. / This is not Romeo”

(Shakespeare 1.1.205-206).

Romeo is explaining to Benvolio that he has “lost (him)self” which readers interpret as losing one's sense of self-worth. Romeo directly states that he has “lost (him)self” and readers learn that just because Rosaline doesn't love Romeo back, Romeo doesn’t know who he is anymore. Readers learn that Romeo bases his self-worth on whether someone loves him or not showing the effects love has on Romeos self worth. Romeo does not only lose himself by loving Rosaline, but in his current state of insecurity, he feels the need to jump into a relationship with Juliet. During the famous balcony scene, Juliet is explaining that she doesn't understand why Romeo has to be a Montague since she is a Capulet. Romeo responds to this by saying that she doesn’t have to worry and “...I’ll be new baptized. / Henceforth I will never be Romeo” (2.2.54-55). From this passage, Shakespeare intended for readers to characterize Romeo as desperate. Romeo is characterized this way because he is desperate to be a part of a new relationship due to his current low self worth after experiencing unrequited love with Rosaline. Romeo is willing to go against the values of his family just to stay in a relationship with Juliet proving he is desperate. The fact that Romeo is willing to say that he will be

“new baptized” proves to readers that Romeo would change his identity just to be in a relationship with someone he just met. Romeo says that he “will never be Romeo” proving that he is willing to change himself completely in order to satisfy Juliet which readers would agree is a altering of actions
Another character Shakespeare uses to prove that jumping into
relationships can cause a loss of values and personality is Juliet.

Juliet does not only isolate herself, she also loses trust within her family. During the famous balcony scene, Juliet is talking to herself, unaware that Romeo is listening. She explains that she will “Deny thy father and refuse thy name...And ill no longer be a Capulet” (2.2.36-38). The fact that Juliet will “Deny thy father” means that she will go against what her family thinks is right. Also, not respecting the rules her father has set in place is example of betrayal and respect which readers would agree is a value of the Capulets. Juliet betraying her family is an example of going against the values that her family has set firmly in place. The fact that Juliet is willing to betray her family proves that getting into a relationship too quickly can cause an altering in behavior and a change of beliefs. Later on in the play, as Juliet has returned from Friar Lawrence's cell, she goes to her father begging that he forgives her. She falls to her knees in front of her father and says “Pardon, I beseech you! Henceforth I am ever ruled by you” (4.2.21-22). This quote demonstrates that Juliet is putting her feelings before her family. Since she jumped into a relationship with Romeo so quickly, she had the sudden rush of being in love and forgets about her true values that her family has set in place. She also seems to forget her own personal values. Juliet says that “Henceforth I am ruled by you” meaning she

would never betray her father again. This breaks one important value in the Capulet family, trust. In this quote, Juliet is lying to her father. In reality, she does not keep this promise of never betraying her father again. Readers interpret this quote as loss of values because Juliet is willing to put something not as important such as feelings and in front of the most important thing, family. Through the characters Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare teaches readers that jumping into a relationship too quickly can cause characters to alter their beliefs and actions leading to generally negative outcomes.