However, if you compare this to Romeo’s love for Juliet, although it may have been rushed and hasty, initially based on looks and beauty, it is definitely not an infatuation. Romeo and Juliet share a bond, which makes their love even more special. When they first meet each other they share their language. They both use biblical and religious words to express themselves. The first time they speak it is in the form of a sonnet; the first moment that they meet, it is obvious that there will be something special between them.
Romeo and Juliet share a physical, passionate love as well as emotional love. The first night that they meet they do not want to leave each other. “Let me be ta’en, let me be put to death”. He was so contented to be with her, he would rather risk his life than be separated. He was also willing to kill himself for her, willing to sacrifice himself because he could no longer live without Juliet. He buys the poison after finding out about Juliet’s ‘death’. He cares for her so much, he says “For nothing can be ill if she be well”. The love he shows toward Juliet is so intense and sincere. It is hard to deny that he truly loves her; it is one that many people crave for.
The three types of love shared between them were all hasty. Romeo’s love for Juliet was hasty. Upon seeing Juliet, he instantaneously forgot all about his “swan”, Rosaline whom he was so deeply infatuated with and fell for Juliet at first sight. He soon forgets about what he said about Rosaline being “too fair, too wise; wisely too fair” and describes Juliet as “Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear”. This is a parallel situation compared with his ‘love’ for Rosaline; it was based on love at first sight and not on the mutual feelings for each other. It is hasty and rushed. Even Juliet said it was ‘Too rash, too sudden, too unadvised, too like the lightning”.
Likewise, Paris’s love for Juliet was hurried. He didn’t get to know Juliet well, despite Lord Capulet’s advice to “woo her…get her heart”. However, with all the complications happening like the death of Tybalt, he made the excuse that “These times of woe afford no times to woo”. He simply asked for her hand in marriage: “commend me to your daughter”. He didn’t even know if Juliet shared his love and felt the same way, and just assumed that she will love him eventually, speaking to her as if they were already married, “my lady and my wife”. With Paris, he portrayed himself that he was sure that Juliet loved him. When they met at the church, he says to her: “Do not deny to him that you love me”. However, this relationship is not mutual, much like the one between Romeo and Rosaline. It is unrequited and false, artificial and insincere. This is very different with the love Romeo has for Juliet, for it is genuine and requited.
With the three relationships, they did not last for very long. His ‘love; for Rosaline did not last long, ending when he saw Juliet at Capulet’s feast. “Did my heart love till this night?” Despite Romeo’s intensity of his feelings for Juliet, and his willingness to sacrifice himself for her, the love they shared died when they did, and it is not certain whether they can actually share it in the ‘afterlife’. In the same way, Paris’ love for Juliet died when she died. But I doubt that there was a ‘love’ to begin with. Perhaps his feelings could not ‘mature’ as deep as the one shared between Romeo and Juliet.
The love that they ‘shared’ had effects on the characters themselves. For Romeo, he “Shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out, /And makes himself an artificial night”, he was always solitary, gloomy, and miserable during his infatuation for Rosaline. This kind of ‘love’ or feelings is not healthy, causing depression to the first party.
When Paris proclaimed his love for Juliet to Lord Capulet, it did not really affect him. Probably only by the death of Juliet, did he show any change, but it could have also been sparked off by the urgency of the relationship. He was to marry her the day she was discovered dead. It will definitely have its negative effects on Paris. Although his character was not developed very much, he did feel more for Juliet especially when her cousin, Tybalt had been slain. In the end, when Romeo defeated him, he requested him to “lay me with Juliet”.
It was actually the love that Romeo had for Juliet that had the greatest effect on him. He changed mentally and emotionally, and grew into a much more mature and sensible person through the course of his relationship with Juliet. It unquestionably had positive effects on Romeo. Before going to the feast, he had already decided to sulk at the party, to be a “candle-holder and look on” while others enjoy themselves. But when he had laid his eyes upon Juliet, he transformed into a whole different person. He became cheerful and in high spirits. It was a direct contrast to the ‘love’ he had for Rosaline. Instead of causing pain and being heartbroken, he was now a passionate lover and a sincere one. He used plain and simple language that revealed his inner feelings than the flowery language he used for Rosaline. It was mere poetry that did not reveal his true feelings for her.
What was very different between the relationships Paris and Juliet as compared with the one between Romeo and Juliet, and Romeo and Rosaline, was that it was open and honest. He did not hide his feelings that he has for Juliet, requesting for her hand in marriage to Lord Capulet. What’s more is that Lord Capulet gave permission for the marriage. Unlike Romeo’s case with Juliet, their ‘reunion’ was in secret and probably would be rejected and cast off if both families were to find out. It might be called an outrageous ‘partnership’. So in a way, despite not showing Juliet whether or not he truly loved her, he had gone to seek permission from the Head, Lord Capulet and if they did eventually get marriage, it would be one that was approved and acknowledged. Not like the one between Romeo and Juliet, where the choice to get wedded was based purely on their own decision and not one that was consulted with their own parents. Compared with Romeo’s love for Rosaline, his best friends knew about it, Benvolio having found out when he spoke to Romeo, and probably telling Mercutio. It wasn’t a total secret but was kept hidden from his parents.
It is obvious that the love Romeo has for Juliet is true and deep, it is also reciprocated, unlike the one between Romeo and Rosaline, and Paris and Juliet. Also, the three relationships showed signs of hastiness and rashness, which resulted in a short-lived and rather brief relationship. However, the love did affect the characters in some way or other and had changed Romeo into a better person.
