Romeo goes through the conflict of feelings he feels about different people throughout Act One. Towards the end of Act One, Scene One Benvolio finds Romeo wandering on his own and decides to ask what is wrong, it turns out that Romeo is in love with Rosaline, but Benvolio thinks it is not real love Romeo is feeling and that he may just be in love with the thought of being in love, “by giving liberty unto thine eyes. Examine other beauties.” Romeo passes this statement off and tells Benvolio he is going to prove him wrong by going to the Capulet’s big feast and not falling in love with someone else. The conflict that Shakespeare has portrayed with Romeos’ love for Rosaline is that it is unrequited love, so she does not love him back and he seems depressed by this thought “out of her favour where I am in love.” Romeo was also seen by the sycamore tree early in the morning by Benvolio, the symbol this emits is that sycamore means love sick in French and describes his feelings towards Rosaline. In this confused state Romeo also uses many oxymorons such as “…o brawling love, o loving hate,” and “o heavy lightness,” he carries on with “feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health, still-waking sleep.” These statements could equally show how pathetically shallow Romeo is by getting so worked up about Rosaline and then be able to just forget her when he meets Juliet. Shakespeare’s use of oxymorons alters the audience’s perception of Romeo either they see him as the great dashing lover or they see him as a pathetic teenage lovesick puppy, it also foreshadows the forbidden love to come through the use of opposites. The first statements have the positive words first then the last few have the negative words first indicating the direction of the play, which is happiness fading into sadness. For the first time in Romeos’ life he meets a girl and has romantic love for her rather than sexual love, which is what he felt for Rosaline previously, “did my heart love till now? …… For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.”
The idea of fate is a source of much conflict in ‘Romeo and Juliet’, from the outset the audience is informed that these are "star cross'd lovers" and hence whatever actions that follow are entirely determined by fate, despite their best actions to change this otherwise. The prologue explains the lovers, being Romeo and Juliet’s fate, and how it is written in the stars. Also the prologue continues with how the conflict leads to more conflict and consequences “from ancient grudge break to new mutiny.” It is foreseen that the two children’s love was meant to cause their death “death-marked love.” Two other statements can be found within the prologue that declare the only way for the conflict to end is for the two lovers to come to their death, “doth with their death bury their parents’ strife.” “And the continuance of their parents’ rage, which, but their children’s end, nought could remove.” Further on in the play Romeo speaks of the fate of the stars again whilst telling Mercutio about his dream “yet hanging in the stars.” In this section of the play Romeo talks about his own death and a premonition he has had while asleep, he speaks of his destiny of death beginning that night “with this night’s revels, and expire the term of a despised life closed in my breast.” Romeo believes that his early death is his destiny and he cannot change his fate or the readings of the stars and explains that whoever is in charge of his life to do what they have to do, “but he hath the steerage of my course direct my suit.” He is ready for his end.
Age is also a source of conflict within Romeo and Juliet, the comparative ages of Juliet and Paris, and later with Romeo may explain her discretion and her father’s willingness to marry. Juliet’s father is asked by Paris for Juliet’s hand in marriage, in which he replies, “my child is yet a stranger in this world, she hath not seen change of fourteen years.” He explains to Paris that he thinks she is too young, and because she is his last daughter left “she is the hopeful lady of my earth,” he wants to keep her with him for as long as possible and tells Paris to wait two more years. Juliet’s decision in this marriage is all but her own, her father will not choose for her but only consent to her own choice, “my will to her consent is but a part.” Juliet is not attracted to Paris as far as the audience is aware, but is instantly attracted to Romeo. Her mother suggests that Paris is a very handsome and worthy of being her husband and the nurse agrees, “Why he’s a man of wax.” Juliet is but only thirteen and a teenager at that, she is most likely to be more attracted to young men and not men that her mother finds attractive. Hence why she is attracted to Romeo instantaneously, because her mother does not know him, he is a mystery and younger and new to love, just as she is.
In conclusion the conflict that Shakespeare has portrayed throughout Act One has varied. The quarrel between the two rivaling families is a conflict in its own, and conjures many disagreements and brawls against each other. The conflict in feelings for Romeo towards his loves Rosaline and Juliet are completely different, because his undying, unrequited love towards Rosaline only occurred because he was so in love with the idea of being in love, whereas his love for Juliet was real and sincere, not just a youthful infatuation. The effects that are given by Shakespeare of conflict create many different moods, such as anger when the families fight and depression when Romeo describes his unrequited love and even when he mentions his premonition of his own death. Love is a main mood that is created through religious language between Romeo and Juliet when they meet for the first time, “o then dear saint,” and “Ay pilgrim lips that they must use in prayer.” Religious language is also used after they have their first kiss when Juliet tells Romeo what a good kisser he is, “you kiss by th’ book.” Shakespeare develops an atmosphere where you get engulfed into the story and can feel exactly what is said in the play.
By Alex Smith 10Mercury