Mercutio is a friend to Romeo, but a very different friend than Benvolio. He was very different to Romeo, but still his best friend. Mercutio’s language, was full of sexual suggestion
Mercutio: An open arse and thou a poperin pear! (Act 2, Scene 1, Line: 38.)
This quote is full of sexual reference.
This line was addressed to Romeo, in the hope of brightening up his spirits. This line is not only an example of Mercutio's vulgarity, but also of his intelligence and wit.
The points that I have made above, about Benvolio, Mercutio and Sampson, are all indications of how different Romeo’s attitude towards love is.
At the Capulet’s party, Romeo is trying to forget about Rosaline, when suddenly, he sees Juliet for the first time, dancing, and he is very taken aback. Immediately, Romeo’s love for Rosaline, is completely overshadowed by his newfound love for Juliet. I think that Shakespeare started this play, with Romeo, being ‘apparently’ in love with another woman, to exaggerate the differences between the conflicting types of love. Romeo’s feelings for Rosaline, wee really just a fixation; and as soon as Romeo catches sight of Juliet, he realises this. He realises that Rosaline was just one word, from a book containing five thousand words, and Juliet was the rest.
Romeo: O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright. (Act 1, scene 5, Line: 41.)
He suddenly realises that Rosaline had been nothing but a scholar, who had been taught to shine, by the real beauty of life, Juliet. I think that Shakespeare’s intentions were for us, the audience, to believe that their love was real, and in a very exciting way. It was sparked at the Capulet’s party, and was meant to be ‘love at first sight’. It is really up to the individual whether or not they choose to believe in the ‘love at first sight’ theory, but I think, that at that age, any feelings like those are love, whether or not it is real, is another question. Juliet has no experience, no past relationships to compare these feelings to; so how would she know if it was real or not? She would not, so she assumes that it is, and this intensifies their love dramatically. So, even thought, at the party, it was just an attraction, Shakespeare, already, intended us to believe that their love was real, because he had shown us, that Romeo had been so in love with Rosaline, or so he thought, but all it took was one look at Juliet, and he had forgotten about Rosaline, and he was in love with somebody else – forever.
Just before the party, Juliet had been talked to about marriage with Paris, a young nobleman, and kinsman to the Prince, who had asked for her hand in marriage. It would have all been on her mind at the party, and this would have increased the passion of the bond, between Romeo and Juliet. Juliet would have been feeling mature, and wise enough to make her own decisions, including the decision about her future husband, whether it be Paris, or somebody else; and this may have drawn her closer to Romeo. I think that Shakespeare put the scene into the play, in which her mother told Juliet about marriage, so that there was the extra feeling of love at the party, and to show how many difficulties there were, in trying to make the love between Romeo and Juliet, work. At the party, there were many types of love around. This is the scene with the most different loves in people. There is friendship, obsession, hate and selfishness, real love, and happiness; most of these being conflicting towards each other.
Lady Capulet: Ladies of esteem,
Are made already mothers by my count.
I was your mother much upon these years
That you are now maid. (Act 1, scene 3, Lines: 71-74.)
Juliet has been informed that she is quite free, in terms of responsibility. At her age, her mother, Lady Capulet, was already mothering Juliet; but Juliet still feels young. She is not married; she has not even found anyone who she loves. So now, she is more aware, of the need for her to become more mature, and I think that Shakespeare wanted us to notice, that Juliet is now looking for something, which will show people how mature she can, and will be.
Lady Capulet had spoken to Juliet about maturity, and how she had had more responsibilities of her own, at Juliet’s age, but this does not necessarily make her right. She had been a mother quite young, although in those days, it was not out of the ordinary. However, maybe if she had waited longer, until she lost her childhood, and become a mother, she would be truly as wise as Juliet. Although Lady Capulet had conceived, and given birth to Juliet, she was not a true mother to her. She found it hard and embarrassing to speak to Juliet about marriage, which showed us just how hard it must have been for Juliet to live as the daughter of the Capulet. The nurse however, had no problems in talking to Juliet. The nurse is more of a mother to Juliet, than Lady Capulet could ever be. She nurtured her and breast-fed her as a baby. The nurse is the one who has cared for, and raised Juliet, as if she were her own. The nurse is good at heart, but often is quite rude in what she says. She tells somewhat ‘bawdy’ jokes, which Juliet has grown up with. Juliet’s reactions to what the nurse says, is a sign of her innocence. She would not speak that way herself, but she does laugh at what the nurse states.
Nurse; No less? Nay, bigger – women grow by men! (Act 1, scene 3, Line: 96.)
The nurse is one of the few characters in the play, who brings a comical theme to Romeo and Juliet. The nurse is Juliet’s best friend, and nobody could replace Juliet in the nurse’s life, just as nobody could replace the nurse in Juliet’s life. The nurse just wants Juliet to be happy, and when she hears that Paris wants to marry Juliet, she is happy, and thinks that it will please Juliet, but when she discovers that Juliet is not happy with being made to marry Paris, she does try to help her, and bring her together with Romeo, which I think Shakespeare wanted us to observe, as another type of love in the play – the love between the nurse and Juliet.
One of the most relevant parts in the play is the sonnet in Act 1, scene 5, which Shakespeare has written, to show the bond between Romeo and Juliet. When Romeo thought that he was in love with Rosaline, he spoke in blank verse, which Shakespeare meant to show that his feelings for Rosaline, did not go nearly as deep as they did for Juliet; to show the differences between the loves conducted by Romeo. To the Elizabethan audience, a sonnet was a very effective way, to express the true meaning of love. Just before the first line of the sonnet;
Romeo: If I profane with my unworthiest hand, (Act 1, scene 5, Line: 90.)
Romeo takes Juliet’s hand; and just after the last line of the sonnet;
Romeo: Then move not, while my prayers effect my take, (Act 1, scene 5, Line: 103.)
Romeo kisses Juliet. I think that Shakespeare meant it to be like this, because it was a symbol of how quickly their love for each other developed. Romeo sees Juliet, and immediately wants to speak to her. He speaks to her, and immediately wants to hold her hand. Romeo holds Juliet’s hand, and immediately he wants to kiss her. He kisses her, and then they are in love. All of this happens in the space of about fifteen minutes, and this is how their whole relationship is.
Romeo takes Juliet’s hand, and fourteen lines later, he is kissing her. They have found out so much about each other in such little time. The whole play is over four days, and I believe that Shakespeare intended us to think that the sonnet was a symbol, of Romeo and Juliet’s whole relationship. It was how their relationship was, on a small scale. Instead of skipping from holding hands to kissing, it was marriage to death. This play on words was a complete contrast to the one, which Romeo used to describe Rosaline.
Romeo: She is too fair, too wise, wisely fair. (Act 1, Scene 1, Line: 207.)
In the quotation above, we can see that his love for Juliet, was much stronger, that his love for Rosaline. Firstly, Romeo is saying this, to Juliet, so he obviously is confident enough to say it to her, even though eh might have been making a fool of himself. Secondly, Juliet plays a parting saying this play on words; she feels the same way about Romeo, as he does about her, unlike Rosaline had;
Romeo: She hath forsworn to love. (Act 1, Scene1, Line: 217.)
This means that Rosaline has already denied the fact that she had ever loved Romeo. However, Juliet had not. From the moment they saw each other, they both had feelings of passion for the other.
After the Capulet’s party, Juliet is at her home, daydreaming about Romeo. This is generally known as the ‘balcony scene’, but as Shakespeare wrote it, Juliet was just ‘aloft’. Romeo is hiding in the bushes, beneath Juliet, and hears Juliet say;
Juliet: O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father, and refuse thy name. (Act 1, scene 3, Lines: 33-34.)
Juliet is asking why her one love, has to be her families enemy. She is wondering why he has to be a Montague, and her a Capulet. She does not understand why there is a difference, and why the circumstances make it impossible for them to be together. I think that here, Shakespeare wants to put across, the effects that occur from prejudice. Already, Juliet is willing to reject her family, just for Romeo. After hearing what Juliet has just said, Romeo too, is willing to change his whole life for Juliet.
Romeo: I’ll be new baptized:
Henceforth, I never will be Romeo. (Act 1, scene 3, Lines: 50-51.)
Romeo has entered the Capulet’s territory, and knows the consequences of him being found by the kinsmen, but he is willing to take his chances, just to see Juliet again. He is very excited, and gets a thrill, from doing something unlawful. All he wants, is to be with Juliet.
In the film, by Frank Zefferelli, The acting for the ‘balcony scene’, is very good. The looks of frustration, combined with true love, are so realistic, and this really emphasizes, the real words of Shakepeare. Nobody compares to Shakepeare, so for Zefferelli to produce such a good film, was a very commendable act. The chemistry between Romeo and Juliet in the film was fantastic. Watching this film, makes it easier for students, to understand the points that Shakespeare was trying to put across. The love seems so real, and I think that Shakespeare would have been pleased with this reproduction of his play.
There is a lot of love in this play, but there is also so much hate and selfishness. The Capulet’s and the Montague’s are fighting, for reasons that neither of them even knew of. The feud is older than any of the Capulet’s or Montague’s in Verona. It took them the death of their children, to finally realise how foolish they were being. If they had not driven their children to their graves, then the fighting may never have stopped, so I think that one of the principles of this story, that Shakespeare wrote about, is the something good always comes out of something bad. Both Romeo and Juliet are very aware of the problems that their names will cause them now, and in the future, but I think that Shakespeare brought this in, to show us that the lovers believe that together, they can do anything. They will not give up, because they are truly in love with one another. This brings a completely different theme into the play, and helps us to see that Romeo and Juliet are truly in love, because they try to get past all of the hardship, and have the view, that ‘the grass is greener”. The theme of the fighting is a contrast, to the love between Romeo and Juliet.
Wrong judgement, comes about through Friar Lawrence. The Friar was supposedly helping the lovers, and to a certain extent, he was. He was trying to do what he could for the pair, but in the end, did he really help them? He gave Juliet the poison to enable her to fake her own death, and gave her his word, that Romeo would receive the letter, telling him the situation; but he let her down. Romeo did not receive the letter, and although this was because of unforeseen circumstances, it was the Friar’s responsibility, to ensure that he got it. If Romeo had received the letter, maybe neither of them would have died, but that is something, which will never be known. Maybe if the Friar had not given Juliet that poison, Romeo and Juliet would have found a way to stay together; who knows? What we do know however, is that through wrong judgement, the Friar in fact helped to kill both Romeo and Juliet.
The final incident, that tells us that their love was pure, was when they were both willing to die for one another. In Act 5, Scene 3, when Romeo comes to Juliet’s deathbed, after he has killed Paris, he says to Juliet,
Romeo: Here’s to my love. (Act 5, Scene 3, Line: 119.)
and with that, he drinks the remedy He then says;
Romeo: O true apothecary:
Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die. (Act 5, Scene 3, Lines: 120.)
Then he dies. He knows that he could not have lived without Juliet, his one true love, and so he was willing to die, not for her, but with her. If he could not live his life with her, then he could not live his life at all. The tragedy then comes, when Juliet awakens, only to find that her Romeo had died. Her scheme had failed – she had forced Romeo to his death. I think that Shakespeare wanted his audience to wonder about Juliet’s motives of her suicide. Was it because she knew that she could not live without Romeo, or was it through guilt? Either way, we know that it was genuine love, because she was willing to die for him.
So, it was true love, as we now know, between ‘Juliet, and her Romeo’.
Word count: 3,114