Courtly love is shown in Act 1 Scene 1 where Romeo believes his in love with Rosaline. The audience can see he is over reacting whilst using such language as ‘Ay me! Sad hours seem long’ Romeo using exclamations, an indicator of exaggeration. Shakespeare shows us this love as a contrast to real love. Romeo uses a poetic form which some consider as a way of showing his confusion. Courtly love is an unrequited love, having a crush but nothing being returned. Romeo describes his love as a ‘feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health and still-waking sleep’; this is dramatic and gives the audience an insight into Romeo’s character. He uses many Oxymoron’s’, to show he’s emotional. When Mercuito is teasing Romeo about Rosaline and his Courtly love for her, he is hyperbolic (using rhetorical exaggeration). Elizabethans would be familiar with this type of love, partly because of an Italian poet Petrach in the 14th century, he wrote numerous poems based on a woman called Laura he saw at church and had a crush on. Elizabethans would have understood Romeo. Romeo’s state of mind and use of language is a direct contrast to his response to Juliet later on in the play. Shakespeare shows us this love as a contrast to real love.
Dutiful love is shown throughout the play. It is obviously a sense of duty- often through arranged marriages and dedication. Dutiful love was the norm. This type of love is mainly based on Paris and Juliet. Paris is promised to Juliet by Capulet (Juliet’s father) perseverance is used with this arrangement as both Paris’ family and the Capulet’s family are high standing families. This love often grows because of a sense of commitment. It would be gentlemanly of a man to have an arranged marriage with a woman. This type of love is shown in Act 1 Scene 2 as Paris (Juliet’s suitor) states ‘younger than she are happy mothers made’ this shows us being a thirteen year old mother and bride was normal in the Elizabethan times. Capulet (Juliet’s father) in Act 3 scene 4 is betrothing Juliet to County Paris, he tells Paris: ‘O’ Thursday let it be- O’ Thursday, tell her’ Audience familiarity would be amongst the Elizabethans, with this type of love. Language used seems as if Paris is excited, he shows us this by the use of 'O'. And also rhyming is used and planning begins: 'We'll keep no great ado- a friend or two' Marriage would be considered for life. They saw it as a practical idea, (a financial matter rather than an emotional one) and a good idea as of short life expectancy, arranged marriages were the norm. Males in two equal standing families would arrange it, as women were often submissive and men led their families. This is because they were considered the valiant sex, also masterful. Much dramatic irony is formed from this as Juliet has by this time already married and fell in love with Romeo. She needs to diverse a plan and rapidly so she can avoid her planned marriage with County Paris. Shakespeare shows this love as it was the norm, and often occurred in '1st class families'. Sexual love is the physical side of love, seen more as lewd. Shakespeare leaves his audience with the excitement and adrenaline of the sexual act. The nurse is seen as a very sexual character, using humour and wit. For example in Act 1 scene 3 The Nurse swears on her ‘Maidenhead at twelve year old’ (meaning her virginity at twelve) - This is the nurse subtly informing us she was a virgin up until she was thirteen. The language used is often slang and crude or rude, clever puns are used as well as innuendos. Capulet and Montague servants meet, brag and threaten each other and each others families using antitheses and paradoxically. ‘When I have fought with the men I will be civil with the maids’ later he stated ‘I will cut off their heads’. Excitement is shown with fighting… which they’d follow by animalistic sex: ‘me they shall feel while I am able to stand’. This language is rude very physical and masculinity. Mercuito also speaks of sexual love whilst speaking to Romeo about Romeo’s love for Rosaline- he isn’t as bawdy as the servants are. Elizabethans and modern audiences if compared would have different ideologies on our views on sexual love. The Elizabethans may have been taken aback, although greatly amused and shocked. It was seen, and still seen as an exciting type of love.
I often see real love as – fate, it’s meant to be, a person’s destiny to be with that other person. But it’s often needed when the time and perhaps place is right. Love may change over time; maybe it becomes less sexual love over time. Your feelings towards the person you love gradually alter. This love is between Romeo and Juliet, as Romeo claims in Act 1 scene 5: ‘O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright’ following his first glance at her. This shows the audience he is bedazzled by her radiant beauty. From the beginning he reverenced her, perhaps even elevated her. The Elizabethans may have found this exciting and illicit as its forbidden liaison. Romeo uses extended light imagery, describing Juliet as light: ‘It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.’ he uses rhyming couplets – to describe his love: ‘Did my heart love till now? Foreswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night’ Also religious imagery is used by Romeo: ‘Blessed my rude hand’, ‘This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this.’ He acts excited, as he believes what he’s doing is forbidden liaison. Romeo and Juliet whilst in love foresee their deaths, Juliet says: ‘my grave is like to be my wedding-bed’ and Romeo later says ‘my life were better ended by their hate, than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.’ His language here is as if he was anticipating his death.
The modern audience differs from the 16th century audience. Elizabethans would be familiar with courtly love, partly because of Petrach who wrote poems about a girl he had a burning desire for, whom he met at 21 years old- Laura. Modern audiences with their own personal experiences would also be familiar with this love. Both would understand as it’s a process of growing up. Whereas with dutiful love it would be the norm, a practical idea due to short life expectancy. Modern audience couldn’t really relate to arranged marriages as it doesn’t happen nowadays. Many people choose not to get married, and divorces are common. The Elizabethans would have been shocked and amused by sexual love; modern audiences may be used to it though still slightly embarrassed and taken aback. To an modern audience I think real love is most relevant as in today’s society finding or even having a true love is becoming less and less common. We are excited and happy to see real love around us or actually be in a true love relationship. I also think courtly love is important to a modern audience as they can relate and understand what the characters may be going through. Modern audiences may also compare their own experiences with the characters.
I think Romeo’s love for Rosaline at the start of the play is most likely what I feel when meeting new boys- you tend to over react and confuse courtly love for real love. It has not affected my own views on love though… I still believe what I’ve always believed. That love can occur at any place or time, love controls you and you cannot control it. And that it’s possible there’s more than one person out there for everyone, it’s just a case of finding them.
