When Romeo’s and his friends are on their way to the Capulet’s ball we see a different side to Romeo’s character. Romeo at this time has matured into a deeper personality. He believes in fate, he believes in destiny. This show a more superstitious to Romeo’s contrasting personality. He makes a chilling prediction.
“For mind misgives. Some consequences, yet hanging in the stars, shall bitterly begin his fearful date with this night revels.” I believe that this prediction is ironic, as the audience knows from the prologue that something bad is going to occur but then ironically Romeo predicts something. It also says that Romeo and Juliet are “star crossed lovers” which is slightly ironic as Romeo turned to the stars to make his prediction which happened on the same night Juliet fell into his arms.
There is another dramatic change in Romeo’s varied personality, as when he first sees Juliet he believes that she is his destiny and that his love for Rosaline was fake.
“Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.” Which clearly states that he had never experienced real love till this moment in time.
I feel he is becoming more heroic towards the love side as most common ‘super heroes’ all have a soft side for there love. However he hasn’t proven to show leadership or strength.
Shakespeare shows his language full of religious imagery when he describes Romeo’s feeling for Juliet. This description is very heartfelt which is written like it as come from an emotional Romeo’s heart. His way of speech seems to be more decisive and dominating. “If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this.” The way that he describes Juliet is much more in contrast to the way he described Rosaline to undoubtedly state his feelings for Juliet is from the heart and his previous feelings for Rosaline were temporary and in fact no than a passing infatuation.
When Romeo realises that Juliet is a Capulet he feels that his whole has collapsed.
“Oh dear account! My life is my foe’s debt,” he feels that he is in debt to the Capulet’s for fair Juliet. However Romeo shows amazing, impetuous determination towards Juliet and does not give up on her, as he knows that she is his true destiny. He believes that every risk is worth taking for his true love. “Stoney limits cannot hold love out.” This a brave and more heroic move for Romeo, as this is the only obstruction for love. Romeo is fitting the role of hero more as the play goes. He show that he will not give up and nothing can stop him from love this is similar to heroes as they will never lose determination and always fight on.
Juliet shows that she also is into the relationship by using her practical influence to persuade Romeo not to swear on the moon by suggesting marriage. I believe that Juliet is more level-headed and more down to earth by thinking of ways to bypass the obstruction put on them regarding the relationship. However at this stage they are both ecstatically happy about the thought of marriage and their passionate love. They did not consider the consequences long enough and I believe they did not think of the effects thoroughly. I do not believe this shows Romeo acting as a hero as he did not think of the consequences of which would happen.
When Romeo tells Friar Lawrence about the marriage he is taken back by Romeo’s sudden change of heart. Before, Friar Lawrence saw Romeo as a lovesick teenager inexperienced by real love. Now Romeo tells him how he feels about Juliet and the marriage. Romeo at this point has now transformed into the typical hero of a love story. He has become positive and decisive. He is motivated by Juliet’s overwhelming love and this makes him determined to overcome any obstacle standing in his way of destiny with Juliet. Friar Lawrence also thinks that this may result in a bind between the two feuding families ending in peace and prosperity throughout the city.
When Tybalt tries to provoke Romeo into a fight, Romeo posses an admirable quality trying to avoid his ‘brother in law to be’ this shows that he has transformed into a true and that his love for Juliet is pure.
“Tybalt the reason that I have to love thee doth much excuse the appertaining large, to such a greeting.” This shows a much more mature and sensible Romeo instead of the unpredictable, lovesick teenager we saw at the start. Even though they are enemies Romeo wants to keep peace in between the two families. When Mercutio and Tybalt start fighting Romeo tried to stop and got between them causing a halt in the feud. Tybalt sneakily get a lunge at Mercutio where he is stabbed in the stomach. When Mercutio dies in Romeo’s arms a dramatic twist occurs where Romeo behaves completely out of character and goes after Tybalt in a blinding, impulsive rage. Blinded by his own rage Romeo kills Tybalt. No longer blinded by rage but covered in guilt and fears the way that Juliet feels about him now.
“Oh I am fortune fool” He feels as though everything was going well until this incident occurred where everything went wrong. He believes that the gods are playing with his fate for punishment.
When Romeo found out that he was to be banished from the streets of Verona to a nearby street named Mantua, Romeo felt very insecure about this decision. However he was still aware that the love for him by Juliet was still alive therefore he accepted his sentence willingly. The audience must have felt sorrow for Romeo as he has strong friendship values but also is in love.
When we see him with Juliet for the last time before the climax he says all feelings out to her he feels that this is the last time he will ever see her. Even when you’re reading this scene you can feel tension in the dramatic writing. His behaviour is definitely more mature and sensible at this time.
When Romeo receives the false news Juliet’s death he is in shock. He cannot believe that destiny has let it come to this.
“Is e’en so? Then I defy you stars” This is an important stage of the play, as Romeo has believed in fate and destiny since childhood. At this time he questions destiny and vows to fight it. In my opinion I believe that this shows his true feelings and love for Juliet, this shows the way he feels and if he can defy god and destiny to save Juliet then he would have truly matured into a hero.
When Romeo arrives at Juliet’s tomb he runs into Paris and Paris questions Romeo’s well being and blames all the tragedy on him. Paris challenges Romeo to fight but Romeo just wants to enter the tomb and see Juliet. Paris does take no for an answer. They battle and Romeo shows his true commitment to Juliet and beats Paris to a bloody death. Romeo’s character again has shown great strength and integrity towards love. His attempt to avoid the fight shows a heroic act and It also shows that Romeo has changed into a more stronger character.
When Romeo saw Juliet lying motionless in the tomb his heart broke in half. On his final speech to Juliet his language has dramatically changed. He is speaking in simple, honest terms making his worlds memorable and full of emotion.
“O my love, my wife! Death that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, hath had no power yet upon thy beauty.” This whole extract contains Romeo’s most inner feelings for Juliet. This again show us the change of Romeo’s character from the start of the play. Before when in love with Rosaline he was speaking in riddles and contradictions but now he is speaking in simple, honest heartfelt terms.
When Romeo took the poison his motive was that the only way they could be together was in death. He showed his true love for Juliet. His death was previously planned and it is quite unlike his rash impulsive behaviour earlier. This again shows Romeo’s true characteristics. And so he died for the love of his life, the love of his destiny Juliet.
In my opinion Romeo died like a tragic hero, he died bravely and he died for what was in his heart which shows that he changed dramatically through the course of the play. I also believe that the love of Juliet changed him for the better. Yet true love did cause him death but at the same time I believe that it caused him great happiness to remain in Juliet’s heart after death. At the start of the play he would not have done that for Rosaline this shows his commitment to true love. Romeo and Juliet I believe is all to do with destiny and the day that they both dies does not mean that their destiny died as true love last forever.
To conclude there are three types of heroes the first being ‘super heroes’ who have inhuman powers such as flight. The second of which is a life style hero who are people like firemen who risk there own life to save another. The third of which Romeo fits into is a person who dies for a cause they believe in. I believe that Romeo is hero in this way as he died for love.
