Romeo’s father and Benvolio give us our first glance into Romeo’s personality. Benvolio says “what sadness lengthens Romeos hours?” This shows Romeo’s personality towards the beginning of the play, he is portrayed to be a closed book as even his family and closes friends do not no what troubles his young mind. “Many a morning hath he there been seen with tears” from this Romeo comes across as overly emotional, Shakespeare did this so when Romeo changed from one extreme to the next, it would be more irrational, making his character unpredictable and therefore more interesting
Romeo behaviour before meeting Juliet is immature and cocky we see this in the way Romeo talks of Rosaline and love. “A right fair mark-man! She’s fair I love” he says she’s is a target to be hit, she is a prize to be won. He loves her because of her beauty, and wants her only because he can not have her. He always wants what he can not have. Shakespeare use of oxymoron shows us how confused Romeos emotions are towards Rosaline.
Shakespeare presents Romeos depressed irrational emotional self wanting to win Rosaline, and distort with feelings of love and confusion. Then in the very next scene where Romeo meets Juliet everything changes. He speaks of Juliet with respect and admiration “if I profane, with my unworthiest hand…” he says he is nothing compared to Juliet he continued “This shrine, the gentle sin is this, my lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss) he says she is a saint, and he urges to his her holy lips. Shakespeare puts these to scenes side by side by show Romeos drastic change in character we become familiar with it so it is more believable later in the play when Romeo kill Tybolt by Shakespeare arranging the scenes in this way we see Romeo is a young boy driven by his raging emotions.
Romeo language and action on the balcony scene (act 12 scene 2), show us how passionately he feels for Juliet, and how much his character has changed in contrast with how he used to speak about Rosaline. “But soft, what light though yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun, that she is radiant and beautiful he says she is fairer than the moon and put shame to the stars “ o speak again, bright angel” he is happy just to hear her voice and know that she is close. When Romeo was “In love” with Rosaline he says she is a target to be hit. This shows that Romeo has matured.
Romeo uses sincere simple language to convince friar Lawrence of his love for Juliet and his eared for him to marry her. “be plain, good son, and homely in thy drift. Riddling confession finds but riddling shrift. Friar Lawrence tells Romeo to use plain language and explain how he feels “Then plainly know, my heart’s dear love is set on the fair daughter of rich Capulet… and made exchange of vow… but this I pray, That thou consent to marry us today” his language has changed before he talks poetically but now from the heart for a change.
