Benvolio mentions that Romeo has been walking underneath a grove of sycamore trees. He seeks the darkness because; psychologically he is in darkness regarding true love. He is ‘sick amore’, literally lost in an obsessive fantasy for Rosaline, someone he does not properly know. Oxymorons are used to show his internal chaos and confusion, “Oh heavy lightness, serious vanity”
His speech is artificial, overly poetic and lacking in spontaneous emotion. It appears studied and bookish. It demonstrates that he has not felt true love.
Infatuation is a key emotion that Shakespeare portrays in Romeo. Romeo’s infatuation with Rosaline is artificial and holds no true love. Romeo tries to describe his love for Rosaline as unwanted by the one he loves, “This love feel I, that feel love no love in this,” To Romeo, Rosaline is a goddess that he praises with flamboyant language that he does not know how to use or feel.
Romeo’s love at first sight with Juliet is filled with light imagery. Now he has met Juliet, his language is quite the same as earlier on, as he has contrast with dark imagery, like earlier on in the play. Then once he has seen Juliet, he compares her to a sparkling jewel, “As a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear,” and that Juliet’s beauty is very precious and rare. Also he says that Juliet is a white, beautiful bird and everyone else at the dance are black crows, “So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows,” Romeo feels that he is very crude compared to Juliet and then once he has touched her after the dance, he will be blessed by touching her, “and touching hers, make blessed my rude hand,” Also earlier on in the play when he thought he was in love with Rosaline, “Did my heart love till now? Forever it, sight!” he realises his love was just infatuation, as now he has found the person he loves, Juliet.
Juliet’s arranged marriage with Paris is a complete surprise to her, but the worst thing about it is that they spring it up on her just before she meets Romeo. She is completely confused; she doesn’t know what to do with herself. When she next sees Romeo, she straightaway realises she is in love with him, not Paris. She doesn’t want to offend her mother by telling her she loves Romeo, the Montague.
Shakespeare’s presentation of 'love´ in the play 'Romeo and Juliet´ varies. Some characters think only of sex, others demonstrate a form of love with their children, but the one true, pure love is that of Romeo and Juliet. Each character in the play provides a frame to their love, their attitudes contrasting with young lovers. Romeo and Juliet share a special bond together that will never be lost. They make the greatest sacrifice for each other and this proves their love.
