Romeo and Juliet - What is it that accounts for the changes that take place in the character of Romeo.

Mahmoodul Shah 04/01/3003

English Literature

What is it that accounts for the

changes that take place in the character of Romeo

At the dawn of Romeo and Juliet we are presented with Romeo being an innocent child and shallow in love. He has no understanding of the real world and life. However during the course of the play Romeo greatly develops maturity.

At the start of the play, when confronted by Benvolio and asked questions, Romeo is deeply in love with a girl with a name of Rosaline. However he is extremely sad and confused because she does not love him. In act 1 scene line 160-170 we are told that Romeo is “out of love of her favour” and that is the main reason of Romeo being extremely sad. His confusion is confronted in act 1 scene 1 line 175-179 where he is extremely confused and says words such as “O loving hate” which show that he is really confused about the whole matter of love. However, further in this scene we learn of the good relationship that Romeo has with Benvolio and that is described in act 1 scene 1 line 183-185. In the same scene we further learn why Romeo is so sad. This is because Romeo tells Benvolio how beautiful she is (act1 scene 1 line 207-215) and how he cannot realise the fact that she does not love him anymore. Benvolio, as we know is a good friend of Romeo and tries to tell Romeo that she is not the only girl and he should look at other girls (act 1 line 1 line 226-227) but Romeo goes onto describe how beautiful she is and tells Benvolio in act1 scene 1 line 228 that forgetting her will make him realise how beautiful she really is. However Benvolio says that he takes that as a challenge, “I’ll pay that doctrine, or else die in debt”.

Early on we are presented with Romeo who is a confused child, and naïve in thinking that he is madly in love. Romeo is too young and immature to understand what true love really is and I feel that this immaturity that has been presented to us is his origin of becoming mature.

In act 1 scene 2 Romeo is presented with a list from a servant of the Capulet's and because in those days, servants were not educated, and coincidently the servant asks Romeo to read the names. When he is reciting the names in act 1 scene 2 line 64-70 the name Rosaline is also mentioned. Rosaline is the girl whom Romeo is deeply in love with, and Romeo asks the servant why you are going to these people. The servant replies that there is a feast at the Capulet's mansion. Benvolio in act 1 scene 2 line 84-89 tells Romeo to go to the party where he will be able to compare Rosaline with other girls but as Romeo is too young to understand love and as confused as he is, in act 1 scene 2 line90-93 he tells Benvolio that his love is like a religion and to accept something false (that Rosaline in not the prettiest girl in the world) then his love should be burnt and he should be killed. This speech that Romeo has made is very extreme but this further proves that Romeo is a confused, immature child and that he is madly in “untrue” love. In the same act and scene, Romeo in act 1 scene 2 line 101-102 says that he will go to the party but only to prove Benvolio wrong. This also proves that Romeo is acting like a child because he is bringing out his child ness in him by doing such actions, because if he knew that Rosaline was only the prettiest girl in Verona then he wouldn’t go to the feast.

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At the party when he first set eyes on Julliet he forgets all about Rosaline. The speech that romeo makes in act 1 scene 5 line 43-52 indicates that Romeo has forgot everything about rosaline because the beauty of Julliet has obviously beaten rosaline. The speech also indicates that Romeo is a child minded character at the beginning of the play because he liked rosaline before now he likes Julliet because she is “better”. However this speech is Romeos first decisive change towards maturity. In the same act and scene Tybalt a loyalist to the capulets spots Romeo at the party. The two households in the play, montague and capulet have an ancient grudge and Romeo is at the wrong place and he shouldn’t be there. Tybalt informs capulet but capulet tells Tybalt not to do anything about it because Romeo is a “Virtous, well governed youth”, act 1 scene 5 line 76-77. however Tybalt does not forget what has happened. In act 1 scene 5 line 92-108 Romeo speaks to Julliet and even kisses her.

However Romeos first sign of a major change is in act 1 scene 5 line 116-117 where he has asked the nurse who Julliet is and she tells him that she is the daughter of the capulet. Romeo now thinks his life depends on his enemy. This tells us that Romeo realises the perfect feeling of love, and what love really means. Also this change is telling us that Romeo is having his own thoughts and making his own decisions. Julliet has the same feeling for Romeo. In act 1 scene 5 line 137-140 she also loves Romeo and it is too late for her to change her feelings.

When walking back from the party Romeo turns back to the Capulets. Here again, in his speech, act 2 scene 1 line 1-2 it brings out that he does really love Julliet and has to go back to her.when reaches the house and talks to Julliet and they both exchange their love for one other Julliet tells him that she will send a messenger tomorrow ask him for marriage (act 2 scene 2 line 144). This scene finishes by them exchanging their love for one another. This scene tells us that Romeo has changed a lot. He has lost his naievty and with new found maturity declares he loves Julliet truly. In act 2 scene 3 we learn of the good relationship between friar Lawerence and Romeo. The play brings it out as if the friar performs a parental role to Romeo, counselling him in what is good and bad acting as a mentor and we shall see that later on in the play. In act 2 scene 3 line 32-34 friar Lawrence realises that Romeo is worried because he is up so early. This tells us that Romeo is obviously worried about last night. Romeo tells friar Lawrence that he loves Julliet (act 2 scene 3 line 57-58) but friar Lawrence points out to him that it was only yesterday that he dearly loved rosaline (act 2 scene 3 line 65-66). Romeo tells him that the love for rosaline was not true (act 2 scene 3 line 84-86). This tells us that like an adult Romeo is accepting his mistakes making mature reflections as we once again see a transition from naive Romeo to mature he tells friar Lawrence that his relationship may even bring their families together (act 2 scene 3 line 91-92). Newfound, his maturity brings with it the role of mediator attempting to bring peace between the families and has left his childhood behind him. I feel that the transition has been triggered by his feelings for Julliet and his idea to create peace he thinks that marrying her would bring the violence to a halt.

Act 2 scene 4 brings another major change in Romeos life. He is asked for marriage. He agrees to the marriage in act 2 scene 4 line 180-183. This is scene is very important firstly because Romeo is getting married to his enemies daughter and secondly this scene is telling us about Romeo’s individuality i.e. in this scene it shows that he is thinking about himself and is no longer an innocent boy anymore.

From an infatuated Romeo we have an adult, fully matured and is getting married to the true love of his life despite the consequence of family conflict. In act 2 scene 6 line 35-37 they both get married. In act 3 scene 1 the capulets and the montagues are around in the streets of Verona. And Tybalt from the capulets meets with mercutio who is from the montague side but is a relative of the prince. The prince has warned the two enemies that if there ever disturbance on the streets of Verona then the penalty of death shall be put into act. However Tybalt is hunting for Romeo because he still remembers the party incident. When Romeo arrives Tybalt insults him (act 3 scene 1 line 61-62) but Romeo replies calmly and infact in many occasions he replies peacefully and calmly. The examples are as follows: act 3 scene 1 line 63-66, act 3 scene 1 line 69-73, act 3 scene 1 line 85 and also in act 3 scene 1 line 86. by these four examples we learn that Romeo is an adult and he thinks of peace. He displays a calm mind and tries to disperse the violent atmosphere. In these examples above he uses gentle words such as “Tybalt, the reason I have to love thee doth much excuse the appertaining rage” in such a situation but Romeo has tried to express his love to obtain peace which is an adult, mature action. However as the play continues the fight happened between mercutio and Tybalt (act 3 scene 1 line 112-118) and mercutio got killed. However Romeo displayed himself as an elder among those childish boys who still hadn’t thought of peace.

The tragedy begins at this part because Romeo is faced further difficulties in his life. Tybalt has just killed Mercutio. The death of Mercutio let Romeo have a chance to decide for his life. He chose revenge. The death of mercutio meant a lot to Romeo and his family and he had no other option but to kill Tybalt (act 3 scene 1 line 125-132). Even though this decision was wrong and he did kill Tybalt (Act 3 scene 1 line 134) but he took responsibility for it, which indicates he is brave and ready to accept the consequences of his actions. However Romeo had to and has killed Tybalt but he killed him in anger and as he says “Oh I am fortune fools” (Act 3, Scene 1 line 139). He will have to pay for the death. This is another major shift that meets Romeo.

In the above paragraph Romeo has done a disastrous act but he tried to prevent it because of his love for Julliet but he never succeeded, because the matter went too far.

Romeo falls in to hopelessness because the punishment that he has received is banishment (Act 3 scene 1 line 190). He turns to friar lawerence for couragement and help (act 3 scene 3 ). The friar tells Romeo that he should be happy because it is banishment and not death (act 3 scene 3 line 110). Yet still Romeo is scared and worried because he will not be able to see Julliet and that might as well be death (act 3 scene 3 line 11-13). In fact he is so scared and confused he even tries to kill himself (act 3 scene 3 line 107) but the nurse who has just entered the scene stops him. Friar lawerence tells him to get in control of himself because Romeo and Julliet are both alive. The nurse arranges that Romeo will spend the night with Julliet but he will have to depart the next day before dawn (act 3 scene 3 line 165-170).

In act 3 scene 5 Romeo is in Julliets room. Juliet stands tough and tells Romeo that he must go in order for him to stay alive (act 3 scene 5 line 26). Romeo leaves Verona, for his life and his love Julliet. Romeo has overcome a lot. He has lost his love because he has to leave the city, his punishment and the loss of his friend. The person that does go with Romeo is Balthasar. This is a sign of braveness which Romeo has shown but the tragedy continues as Romeo faces more adversity in his life.

When balthasar tells the death of Julliet in act 2 scene 1 line 18 Romeo acts in a more of a mature way. He takes little time to decide what to do. He wants to go to Julliet straight away and decides to kill himself in the tomb where she is lying. He first visits the apothecary and purchases poison (act 5 scene 1 line 58 – 60) after a lot of persuasion. With the poison Romeo goes to the tomb with Balthasar and at the arrival of the tomb he tells Balthasar to go away (act 5 scene 3 line 3 ). Romeo opens the tomb but Paris stops him (act 5 scene 3 line 49-51). Paris was the man who was to marry Juliet. Friar lawerence’s cunning plan should also be mentioned as this shapes the story. Friar lawerence gave a special medicine to Julliet that would make Julliet look dead. This was done in response to Julliet getting married of to paris. After she had taken the medicine she would be buried in the family tomb. The friar would send a message to Romeo, Romeo would come and he would take Julliet away but this does not happen because the brake out of plague and the message could not reach Romeo. After killing paris (act 5 scene 3 line 73) Romeo proceeds himself to Julliets death bed and there he takes the poison (act 5 scene 3 line 119-120). When Julliet awakes from her sleep she sees Romeo dead and kills herself (act 5 scene 3 line 168-169).

The tragedy has ended. Romeo has changed and his maturity brings him an end to his life. From a unsympathetic character, and deeply in untrue love Romeo rapidly advances into an adult but he is faced many difficulties which he does conqueor. However he couldn’t overcome the death of his Julliet so he kills himself. Romeo learnt a lot from his life and has gone to the top of maturity. He ended his life as an adult not as a child.