With this night's revels'' Act 1, Scene 4, 106-109
Romeo is a dreamer and believes in the stars determine everything.
''And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars
From this world-wearied flesh.'' Act 5, Scene 3, 111-112
Romeo has just found Juliet and thinks that she is dead. He is about to kill himself, and says he wants to be free from his unlucky stars. He is saying in this quotation that even if he does not choose to kill himself now, Fate will do something else terrible to him later.
Love is the main reason for this play. Romeo and Juliet are deeply in love and would do anything they could to help eachother.
''O she doth teach the torches to burn bright!'' Act 1, Scene 5, 43
Romeo describes Juliet as a light in darkness. It makes Juliet and her name sound more beautiful and shows how she stands out from everything else.
When Romeo is outside Juliet's bedroom window he says:
''But soft,what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.'' Act 2, Scene 2, 2-3
As it is night-time Romeo is looking forward to seeing Juliet - like looking forward to dawn. When Romeo thinks Juliet is dead he still sees her as a source of light:
''For here lies Juliet, and her beauty makes
This vault a feasting presence full of light.'' Act 5, Scene 3, 85-86
Love is shown as a kind of madness : when romeo's in love with Rosaline and being moody, Benvolio teases him, saying ''Why, Romeo, art thou mad?''
In Act 2, Scene 6, Friar Lawrence is concerned that Romeo is too deeply in love, and warns him to keep control of his passions.
'' These violent delights have violent ends...
...Therefore love moderately, long love doth so;
Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow. Act 2, Scene 6, 9...14-15
In a way even the feud is based on love.After the fight in Act 1, Romeo says: ''Here's much to do with hate, but more with love. Act 1, Scene 1, 167
The love and loyalty the Montagues and Capulets feel for their families causes violence.
Lord and Lady Capulet genuinely believe marrying Paris will be good for Juliet. They do love her in their own way, but they don't bother to find out what she really thinks.
Paris and Lord Capulet treat love as a kibd of deal - they don't go into the emotions at all.
Lord and Lady Montague are really worried about Romeo in Act 1, Scene 1, but they rely on Benvolio to sort it out. They love Romeo but they keep their distance.
The most heartfelt relationship apart from Romeo and Juliet's is the friendship between Romeo, Benvolio and Mercutio.
Friar Lawrence and the Nurse are the only people who know Romeo and Juliet's secrets.
The Friars good at giving advice. He persuades Romeo not to kill himself in Act 3, Scene 3, and talks Juliet out of killing herself in Act 4, Scene 1. The Nurse is impressed by the way he talks:
''O Lord, I could have stayed here all the night
To hear good counsel. O what learning is!''
The Friar's not that keen to marry Romeo to Juliet. He knows all about Romeo's crush on Rosaline, so he can't believe Romeo's serious about Juliet. Even though the Friar's hoping the wedding will have happy results, he says lots of things that make it sound like he knows things will end up going wrong. The advice he gives Romeo just before he gets married is particularly spooky:
''These violent delights have violent ends...'' Act 2, Scene 6, 9
This makes you think that he will have something to do with Romeo and Juliet's traggic death. The Friar's worried that Romeo's so wrapped up in his feelings he'll let things get completely out of control.
The Nurse really loves Juliet and is a comedy character. She's very attached to Juliet, and does her best to help her.
The Nurse is more affectionate with Juliet than her mother ever is. She has pet names for her. In Act 1, Scene 3 she calls her a ''lamb'', a ''ladybird'', and a ''pretty fool''. Juliet's a lot closer to the Nurse than she is to her mother because she's spent so much time with her. When Juliet seems to be dead on the morning of the wedding to Paris, the Nurse is more genuinely upset than any of the other characters.
The Nurse has no choice about helping Juliet marry Romeo. Juliet's the boss and she's the servant:
''I am the drudge and toil in your delight.'' Act 2, Scene 5, 74
The Nurse probably thinks Juliet would be better off with Paris. When she's under pressure from her parents, the Nurse advises Juliet to do as they say:
'' I think you are happy in this second match,
For it excels your first'' Act 3, Scene 5, 222-223
Juliet thinks the Nurse is being a hypocrite, but she's trying to be practical and sensible.
Once the Nurse starts talking it is really hard to stop her. She repeats herself over and over again:
''O day, O day, O day, O hateful day!
Never was seen so black a day as this.
O woeful day, O woeful day!'' Act 4, Scene 5, 52-4
When Romeo and Juliet fall in love, they're taking a big risk. It goes against the whole feud. Juliet warns Romeo against her own family:
''If they do see thee, they will murder thee.'' Act 2, Scene 2, 70
It's incredibly dangerous for them to be together - they have to get married in secret. But there's hope that their love will somehow be stronger than the feud.
He helps because he hopes the wedding will end the feud:
''In one respect I'll thy assistant be.
For this alliance may so happy prove,
To turn your households' rancour to pure love. Act 2, Scene 3, 90-92
