“O brawling love, O loving hate,
O anything of nothing first create!”
(Act One, Scene One, Lines 170-171)
Not only do these contradictory terms show Romeo’s inability to think straight, they also show him blinded by his apparent love for Rosaline. However, when Romeo meets Juliet for the first time, he changes from having a negative view of love and being in a state of emotional turmoil to being positive, light and soulful. His language suddenly transforms from a dark and depressing mood into a more lifted one.
This becomes apparent to the audience when they hear Romeo say:
“This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this,
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss”
(Act One, Scene Five, Lines 93-95)
His language, though no longer overly elaborate, still has some Petrarchan qualities, though Romeo expresses his love positively rather than through depression, which informs the audience that his love is passionate and pure. His description of Juliet as “holy shrine” suggests that she is his world, his religion, his life, and “tender kiss” emphasises his caring love for her. Through language such as this, Shakespeare makes clear that Romeo is no longer in love with the idea of being in love (as he was before), but is well and truly in love with Juliet.
Although Juliet returns Romeo’s affections, their views on love and marriage were rather different before they met. Juliet was the classic example of a dutiful daughter, pleased to obey her parents in almost every aspect of life, including love. When Lady Capulet proposes Paris’ offer to her, Juliet says
“I’ll look to like, if looking liking move
But no more deep will I endart mine eye
Than your consent gives strength to make it fly”
(Act One, Scene Three, Lines 98-100)
At this point in the play, Juliet is being obedient and is allowing her parents to guide her in the matter of love as they see fit. However, when Juliet meets Romeo, her views change so drastically that she goes against all social norms and proposes marriage herself (an idea that was simply unheard of in Elizabethan culture – the man was supposed to propose). Juliet even goes so far as to offer to abandon her family for Romeo (and hence, risk abandonment), making the audience realise that her love for Romeo is greater even than her love for her parents and her life, which serves as a great contrast to the previously shy and dutiful Juliet:
“Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.”
(Act Two, Scene Two, Lines 35-36)
Both Romeo and Juliet share a passionate, true love for each other, harbouring no obsessions with sex (unlike Sampson and Gregory). When they meet, they begin to realise just how powerful love can be, and devote themselves to the other.
The fourth character to be discussed is the Nurse, of the House of Capulet. She is of low social status, which is reflected in her bawdy (though unaggressive) sense of humour. However, Nurse treats Juliet as her own daughter (something Lady Capulet never did), a fact which is made apparent to the audience when Lady Capulet says “Thou knowest my daughter of a pretty age”. Also, although Nurse displays a strong parental for Juliet, her views of love are rather superficial, and based upon appearances.
“A man, young lady! Lady, such a man
As all the world – Why he’s a man of wax”
(Act One, Scene Three, Lines 76-77)
The above quotation (describing Paris) shows that Nurse considers appearances to be of utmost importance; the phrase “man of wax” implies perfection in looks. She also refers to Paris as “a flower” and doesn’t mention anything about his character when persuading Juliet to marry him. Nurse’s views on marriage are influenced by fond memories of her late husband “God be with his soul” and she also says to Juliet:
“And I might live to see thee married once,
I have my wish”
(Act One, Scene Three, Lines 63-64)
This tells the audience that she has positive views on marriage and has a motherly wish to see Juliet married. Furthermore, Nurse uses a lot of sexual innuendo, talking about “wormwood on my dung” and Juliet “falling backward when thou hast more wit”. Making such casual remarks in the presence of a person such as Lady Capulet was considered improper in those times, but the Nurse’s disregard for this also reflects her low social standing.
Another pair of characters from Juliet’s family is Lord and Lady Capulet, who, surprisingly, have contrasting views of love and marriage. Lord Capulet believes that Juliet should be older before she is married, and wants her to choose her husband.
“Let two more summers wither in their pride,
Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.”
(Act One, Scene Two, Lines 10-11)
The above quote shows that Lord Capulet is quite prepared to wait another few years for Juliet to get married, which is the complete opposite of what Lady Capulet thinks:
“Well, think of marriage now; younger than you,
Here in Verona, ladies of esteem,
Are made already mothers.”
(Act One, Scene Three, Lines 70-72)
Lady Capulet clearly has no patience, and wants Juliet to marry Paris straight away. This implies that Juliet’s father is more loving and protective, while her mother is superficial and uncaring. Furthermore, the views of the two contrast on the point of love too:
“But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart
My will to her consent is but a part.”
(Act One, Scene Two, Lines 16-17)
This suggestion from Lord Capulet tells us that he wants Juliet to love her husband, and shows that he doesn’t really want to impose his own will upon her. Lady Capulet, on the other hand, wants Juliet to marry immediately, so that she can “share all that he doth possess” and add to the family fortune.
The next character to be explored is Mercutio, Romeo’s best friend. He is of noble status but uses crude and vulgar language in spite of his standing. He has a negative attitude towards love and regards it as a foe that must be beaten down:
“If love be rough with you, be rough with love.
Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down.”
(Act One, Scene Four, Lines 76-77)
However, he displays a strong filial love for Romeo, and his view on love could be influenced by Rosaline’s harsh treatment of his best friend. Another explanation could be that Mercutio has never experienced love before; therefore he doesn’t know how to deal with it properly. His cynical attitude makes Mercutio dismiss Romeo’s fantasies, because he is supposedly succumbing to the evil powers of love.
Another character with a negative view of love is Benvolio, Romeo’s other friend. When attempting to comfort Romeo, he suggests that he should simply find someone else to replace Rosaline in his affections.
“Compare her face with some that I shall show,
And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.”
(Act One, Scene Two, Lines 88-89)
Within the above quotation, Shakespeare informs us of the superficial attitudes to love and women within Benvolio. The use of the word “compare” suggests that women are merely objects, and the casual suggestion to replace Rosaline shows Benvolio’s shallow opinions. However, he does display a strong filial love for Romeo, which is shown when he tries to comfort him over the unrequited love. Even though the advice is not very good (Benvolio has probably never been in love himself), the gesture is still there. He also believes that love seems to be a good thing on the outside but on the inside it is an evil enemy:
“Alas that Love, so gentle in his view,
Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof”
(Act One, Scene One, Lines 163-164)
Contrasting with Benvolio is Tybalt, of the House of Capulet, who displays absolutely no filial love. He despises everyone of the House of Montague and displays a rather fiery personality.
“It fits when such a villain in a guest:
I’ll not endure him”
(Act One, Scene Five, Lines 74-75)
This quote referring to Romeo shows that Tybalt cannot stand any Montagues, and his previous order, “Fetch me my rapier, boy” along with other such statements littered throughout his dialogue suggest that he is very violent and aggressive. Later on in the play, he challenges Romeo to a fight to the death, demonstrating his obsession with his family’s honour.
The final character to be explored is Friar Lawrence, who, despite having two sons, treats Romeo like one of his children, giving advice and encouragement. He refers to Romeo as “good son”, which tells the audience of his fatherly feelings. Friar Lawrence doesn’t differentiate between the two houses of Capulet and Montague, unlike most of the other characters, and agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet in the hope that it will unite the conflicting families.
To conclude, William Shakespeare delivers to us an array of moral values and attitudes to love, sex and marriage in ‘Romeo and Juliet’. One of his greatest works, the play expresses the views of all social classes, using marvellous linguistic tools that are unparalleled to this day. The audience are greeted with the violent and aggressive attitudes of Sampson and Gregory, juxtaposed by the passionate and sensitive views of love of Romeo and Juliet. Throughout the play, Shakespeare masterfully weaves humour and sadness, peace and conflict, love and hate, together into an intricate and entertaining plot that will be performed and studies for generations to come.
