In the play Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare, there are many different forms of and attitudes towards love and marriage.

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                                                                                                In the play Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare, there are many different forms of and attitudes towards love and marriage. These include, the courtly love shown by Romeo for Rosaline with no expectations, which was easily replaced by his impulsive love he later shows for Juliet. It is also a very common thing to find attitudes expressed towards love and marriage in a much less romantic way, such as those from the Nurse and Lady Capulet whilst attempting to persuade Juliet to marry County Paris whom she had not met. The audience are also shown Benvolio and Mercutio’s more robust and rough perception of love.

        At the beginning of the play, Romeo is shown to the audience as lovesick and somewhat depressed.

        ‘Many a morning hath he there been seen,

         With tears augmenting the fresh morning’s dew,’(Act1 Scene1)

Romeo’s character is also shown, in his first dialogue (Act1 Scene1) to be a quite romantic person, as, to start with, he is in love with someone who cannot return these feelings,

        ‘She hath Dian’s wit,

         And in strong proof of chastity…’

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  Romeo is portrayed as a romantic, sensitive and to have quite the opposite view to his friends, who are eager to give their opinions.

 

   

        Mercutio and Benvolio both have a slightly more practical view of love, although, their opinions are still quite different to each other’s. Benvolio believes that love should not force someone to act as though ill and so he advises Romeo,

        ‘By giving liberty unto thine eyes .

         Examine other beauties.’(Act1 Scene1)

This shows his somewhat unromantic view of love with a modern day interpretation of ‘Get over her’. Mercutio sees ...

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