Examine the attitudes of Romeo & Juliet to each other in Acts 1 & 2 of Romeo & Juliet

At the beginning of Scene Two we find that the Montagues and Mercutio have left the party, but Romeo cannot “go forward when my heart is here” – the Capulet mansion. He climbs over the wall into the grounds of the Capulet house, much to the annoyance of Benvolio, and the mistaken mirth of Mercutio, who believes he has gone to spend the night with Rosaline. Meanwhile in the Capulet orchard Romeo spies on Juliet, wishing that she knew how much he loved her. He describes her eyes as “two of the fairest stars in all the heaven” and says that “her cheek would shame [the real] stars”. Juliet sighs at the balcony, and Romeo waits for her to speak. “Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” she asks – why are you Romeo, a Montague, and not some other name. “Deny thy father and refuse thy name” she pleads, “or if thou wilt not…I’ll no longer be a Capulet”. She says these things out of love, but perhaps with the naivety of someone who is not even fourteen yet, as these things are near impossible. She continues on the theme, drawing the famous analogy with a rose – “…a rose by any other [name] would smell as sweet”. Romeo can contain himself no longer and cries out to her “henceforth I never will be Romeo!”. She does not know who has said this, and Romeo says he does not know how to introduce himself, as he hates his name “because it is an enemy to thee. Had I it written, I would tear the word”. Juliet recognises his voice and warns him that just being here he is likely to get himself killed – “if they do see thee, they will murder thee”. Romeo does not care, if she does not love him his life is “better ended by their hate” anyway. Juliet is worried that, having overheard her earlier, Romeo will think her “haviour light”, that she is too easily won. Romeo assures her this is not the case, and, as she retires to bed, asks her for “Th’ exchange of thy love’s faithful vow for mine”. Soon follows talk of marriage, on the very night they have met.

Soon it is morning, and, as promised, Juliet sends Nurse for Romeo. Unfortunately she is greeted by Mercutio, who insults her obscenely, and his rowdy ungentlemanliness contrasts perfectly with Romeo’s polite and excited conversation with the nurse, telling her his plans for him to marry Juliet. Nurse warns him that if he should “deal double” with her, it would be a “gross kind of behaviour”, and we see a glimpse of Nurse’s relationship with Juliet, effectively her mother.

Romeo and Juliet are secretly married by Father Lawrence, so happy with their lot and clandestine marriage. However, things soon go horribly as prophesied to us at the beginning, and we cannot look upon the married couple, unaware of the terrible fate that awaits them, without a huge amount of dramatic irony.