Before the party scene Romeo is still feeling sorry for himself about Rosaline and his friends attempt to cheer him up but he still feels grey about the Capulet party. Romeo treats his friends with no respect and this could be a development about he negative character. ‘‘Give me a torch, I am not for his ambling; being but heavy, I will bear the light’’ Meaning that Romeo wants to just get it over and done with, he sees it as a chore and is only going because he might see Rosaline. Mercutio tries to lighten up Romeo by saying he must dance but Romeo talks about his soul/sole ‘’Not I, believe me. You have dancing shoes will nimble soles, I have a soul of lead’’ Shakesphere cleverly talks about both soles/souls which is a good contrast.
When Romeo first meets Juliet, he instantly forgets about Rosaline and started kissing Juliet. Shakespeare makes the audience believe that Romeo is too young for Love and does not fully understand it and this why he starts kissing Juliet. This shows that Romeo can move from one person to another and as soon as he finds another person he will forget about the other one. He describes Juliet very exotically ‘‘rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear’’ This tells us how beautiful and rare she is and that he will probably never find another woman like her. Shakespeare’s use of language is very emotive and descriptive; this makes the audience feel as if they are in the play rather than just watching it.
In the next scene we see Romeo talking to himself and then Juliet appears on the balcony above him and starts talking to herself about Romeo and that he is meant to be her enemy. Romeo listens and decides to listen to some more rather than telling her he’s there ‘’shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?’’ Romeo tells Juliet how he hates his name ‘’my name, dear saint, is hateful to myself because it is an enemy to thee.’’ Romeo hates his name because his lover is an enemy to his family. Juliet also feels the same way about Romeo ‘‘refuse thy name’’ meaning that she doesn’t like her name either. Romeo refers to Juliet as saint, which just go to show how beautiful and important she is, it is very emotive as you can imagine it. Romeo and Juliet prepare a marriage the next day ‘‘thy propose marriage, send me word tomorrow’’. Shakespeare has developed Romeo’s character very carefully as he just rushes to conclusions without even thinking to act: marring a family enemy who have been enemies for years. If this was modern the consequences would have been worst. This could mean being grounded and even in some cases abandoned. Some families are very extreme. The audiences would have reacted differently: an Elizabethan audience would have been shocked and disappointed whereas a modern audience would still have been shocked but it would have been more common. Quite a lot people do that nowadays, in some religions parents force their child to get married.
Romeo acts very differently after meeting Juliet, he seems more cheerful. Shakespeare suggests that that is how he normally acts, whether he is in a good mood or not. Romeo and Friar have a very special relationship; they are very close, so close they could even be father and son. Romeo tells Friar everything even his personal things such as his love life. Romeo wouldn’t even tell his parents that we know this because the beginning of the play his parents were worried about him whereas if Friar was his dad there wouldn’t have been any problems. We know Friar knows about Romeo’s love life because he asks questions which again show us how special their relationship is. ‘‘wast thou with Rosaline?’’ and ‘‘wherehast thou been then?’’ Romeo reacts casually as if he doesn’t care ‘‘I have forgotten that name, and that name’s woe’’ meaning that he doesn’t even know Rosaline.
Shakespeare shows Romeo acting normal again with his friends ‘‘good morrow to you both’’ this means that the old Romeo is back and that is how he normally acts. Mercutio and Romeo play an Elizabethan sporting game of wits ‘‘A most courteous exposition-nay, I am a pink flower of courtesy-pink for flower-right’’ With Juliet in his life Romeo is pleased and he enjoys being back rather than moaning about Rosaline who was too good for him.
When Romeo gets married to Juliet in the church with Friar Lawrence as a priest, this is the complete opposite to the previous scene. Instead of feeling sorry for himself he is the happiest man in the world. This shows the real Romeo, the Romeo who we are used to seeing, rather than the moody one. ‘‘Amen, amen! But come what sorrow can, It cannot countervail the exchange of joy’’ This means that Romeo is in a really good mood and that nothing can make him upset, no sorrow at all.
During the feud we see a side to Romeo which we have never seen: before an aggressive side. Romeo sees Tybalt and Mercutio arguing and tries to help. He helps by telling Tybalt that he loves him ‘’Tybalt the reason that I have to thee’’ Romeo tells Tybalt that he has to love him because they are now family. This is why Romeo is not in a rage. He also gives Tybalt a hint about their marriage but Tybalt thinks it’s a nasty comment and starts attacking Romeo. This can also be traced back to party scene as Tybalt saw Romeo there. ‘‘it fits when such a villain is a guest: I’ll not endure him’’ meaning that he wanted to kill him there and then but his uncle – Capulet let him be. ‘‘He shall be endured’’ Capulet was only thinking about himself when he said this as he only cared the party and publicity. If there was a big fight he would be unpopular. Tybalt remembers this and a start drawing to Romeo and then Mercutio starts to fight Tybalt but then Romeo stands in between them and Tybalt thrusts his sword into Mercutio’s abdomen. Mercutio then shouts ‘’a plague a’both your houses! I am sped ’’ This a major turning point for Romeo, his best friend is dead, just when he thought life was going well it had in fact became the opposite. The audience can sense that something bad is going to happen as he progresses. Something does happen; Romeo then kills Tybalt because of his lost of his dear friend Mercutio. Then is when the audience can see Romeos dark side and it just shows what hatred can do to someone.
Friar Lawrence tells Romeo the bad news about banishment ‘‘Not body’s death, but
body’s banishment’’ meaning that Romeo cannot come back to Verona, he is banished forever. Romeo is shocked and is very upset ‘‘There is no world without Verona’s walls’’ This means that there is nothing outside Verona and tat life isn’t worth living. The audience would have been very upset to see Romeo leave Verona and this is an excellent way to develop Romeo’s character. The Elizabethan would have thought that being banished is the worst punishment as Christopher Columbus had only started exploring then, whereas the modern point of view wouldn’t have cared that much as you can just go and live somewhere else.
When Romeo thinks Juliet dies the whole world falls apart for him, Balthasar tells Romeo about it and because Romeo is so upset and starts threatening him
Overall the main reasons behind Romeo’s and Juliet’s death are because the changes of Romeo throughout the play: Mercutio’s death, Tybalt’s death and being banished.
