Chris Newman 11JDI
Analyse the character Romeo. How does his character develop through the play?
In this essay I will be writing on the character Romeo. I will show how he has developed through the play. I will focus on the events Romeo has engaged in during the play and past experiences we know about, his love for Rosaline, his personality, his feelings and his relationship with Juliet. I will have to look at the conflict between the Montague and the Capulet families, as this was one of the key reasons why the play is a tragedy.
Before we hear from Romeo we have a description of his behavior from his parents. Montague says, “Away from light steals home my heavy son and private in his chamber pens himself”. When we are first introduced to Romeo he is talking poetically. Romeo is not like the other men who have been fighting and not at all like Benvolio. Romeo is dreamy, romantic and you get the impression by the way he speaks he feels alone. “Ay me, sad hours seem long” We learn that his sadness is due to loving Rosaline who doesn’t return his love. He believes he has real love for Rosaline. “I do love a woman”. Romeo talks like a poet unlike any of the other characters. “O brawling love, O loving hate, O heavy lightness, serious vanity” He talks very romantically “she hath Dian’s wit, and in strong proof of chastity well armed, from love’s weak childish bow she lives unharmed”. “thou canst not teach me to forget” he is saying here that he’ll never get over Rosaline. As the play is called ‘Romeo and Juliet’ we know that he’ll quickly get over Rosaline. In fact as soon as he sets eyes on Juliet he forgets about Rosaline. It is either teenage fickleness or true love at first sight?
