Sympathy for Romeo in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

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Sympathy for Romeo in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet "Then I defy you, stars" This is Romeo's reaction to hearing Juliet is dead, he wishes to control his own fate after having so much bad luck -the bad luck (fate) he has is one way Shakespeare builds up sympathy for him. Before Romeo comes into the play the audience feels sympathy for Romeo because of what the chorus and Montague say about him. What others say about Romeo is an important technique in building up sympathy; Shakespeare lays the foundations for the audience to feel sympathy later on by using this. A couple of times in the play dramatic irony produces sympathy when Romeo feels compelled to do something. The change in the imagery Romeo uses shows his true feelings, as he becomes more definite the audience are more sympathetic when things go wrong. These are the points I am going to discuss. ====================================================================== An idea of fate or the stars controlling everything first appears in the prologue, ==================================================================== "A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life: =============================================== Whose misadventur'd piteous overthrows ====================================== Doth with their death bury their parents' strife." ================================================== Here it seems as if they exist only to end their parents quarrel, this would make the audience sympathetic for their plight. ====================================================================== In the first scene there are many points to comment on. Firstly Montague is concerned about Romeo and describes him as being very upset, the audience may be sympathetic to him even though they don't know a reason, ==================================================================== "Many a morning hath he been seen, ================================== With tears augmenting the fresh mornings dew," ============================================== When Romeo talks to Benvolio he seems to be trying to gain sympathy from Benvolio =================================================================== "Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire …" he seems to be talking from his head not his heart and is feigning his feelings for Rosaline, he greatly exaggerates his feelings for her, he

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