One thing that I have noticed in this play, is how people of the upper classes, such as the Capulets, the Montagues, the Prince and all other noble people talk. Shakespeare used a much more poetic, and easy flowing language for these, and often they sentences rhyme. The common and lower class people, for example, the nurse, use a much more vulgar language which is not poetic in any way. Shakespeare does so that the audience is able to differentiate between the two.
The first impressions of Romeo are plain. This is a young man who has obviously fallen in love with someone who doesn’t love him back. Romeo seems to be sad, apathetic, and unconcerned about the world around him. This is shown because it would be seen normal for Romeo to have taken part in the argument, and stuck by his kin, but he doesn’t bother. In a way, he only cares about his own woes and troubles and feels solitude is one way of getting over them.
The act which follows this is of one where Romeo and his friends Benvolio and Mercutio discover that the Capulets are having a party. One of the guests attending is the women Romeo has been so melancholy about; Rosaline. They decide to gatecrash the party. Romeo believes there is no point in going, but then his eyes set on Juliet and once again he falls in love.
Some might question Romeo’s idea of love, as he had only been so upset earlier that day, yet already he was over Rosaline and falling in love with Juliet. But this is a point where we see some actual change in Romeo’s character. No longer is he the adolescent he was before but he matures. His character is made more brave and courageous because he dares to roam around the Capulet’s house just to be near Juliet.
In act 3 Romeo is insulted by Tybalt, who is Juliet’s cousin. Even though Tybalt is trying to stir some emotions Romeo remains calm and tries to make peace. He says to Tybalt “…I never injured thee, But love thee better than thou can’st devise…” He refers to the newly formed relationship between Tybalt and Romeo, but neither Tybalt nor Mercutio know about this and Mercutio thinks of this is giving in, he describes the situation as “O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!” This would have been seen as very cowardly as society expected a man to fight when himself, his house or his kin had been offended. It was particularly dishonourable for a Montague to give in to a Capulet, as they had been enemies for many years now.
Romeo try’s to stop them fighting and steps in between them, but Tybalt manages to strike Mercutio from behind. He then runs off. After a scene in which Mercutio curses both of their families “a plague o’ both your houses!” and then dies, Romeo is outraged and in fury he challenges Tybalt and kills him. Mercutio is a relation to the prince, and therefore he is not of the houses of Montague or Capulet. He knows his death is due to both of them: Romeo stepped in-between to stop them, but Mercutio could not see, meaning Tybalt was able to strike him from the back, so he curses both their houses. A plague was also known as “black death”, so Mercutio was cursing both families to a slow death.
The next time we meet Romeo is in Friar Lawrence’s cell, where Romeo expresses his devastation for being banished. He thinks that it is the end of the world for him. He states “there is no world without Verona walls… ‘Banished’ is banished from the world, and world’s exile is death” he compares being banished as being dead. He feels like this because he knows there is no civilization outside Verona’s walls and it is a dangerous place to be. He will not be able to see his family or friends.
This means his life, his family, friends and Juliet are very important to Romeo, and it is very hard to give them up.
The other reason for Romeo being upset is because he will not be able to be with Juliet. The nurse then enters the scene, and Romeo attempts suicide. This is the first time we are introduced to the notion of Romeo wanting to give up his life if there is no love from Juliet. The effect on the audience is that they think Romeo’s feelings are much stronger for Juliet then how he was feeling for Rosaline. You could say Romeo feels true love.
The final act in which we see Romeo is act 5. Romeo comes to the Capulet tomb, believing Juliet really has died. There he meets a Paris, who believes Romeo is trying to desecrate Juliet’s tomb. Romeo does not initially know it is Paris, and kills him whilst defending himself. He realises that this is Paris, the man who was meant to marry Juliet, and grants Paris’s last wishes.
You could say, Romeo saw himself in Paris, because Paris also lost his love. Paris comes to his senses and realised he didn’t really have any true hate for this man, and again another innocent person lost his life. Romeo sees Juliet and decides a life without her isn’t worth living. He drinks poison which he bought in an earlier scene and dies.
Through out the story we see Romeo’s character grows up from being an adolescent, and in a sense immature boy, to a brave and mature young man. At one point Romeo would not have hurt any man, and would have chosen to settle any arguments verbally, but he is changed in a way that talking no longer matters and the only way to solve an argument is by someone’s death. Romeo says “either thou or I, or both, must go with him” in act 3 to Tybalt. He is saying the only way to settle this is either by Tybalt dieing, Romeo dieing or both.
Maybe Paris did not have to die. If Romeo explained the situation, his life would have not been taken away. But Romeo realises his mistake, and takes his life because he blames himself for everything.
