As the play reaches Act 1 Scene 2, Romeo hears news of the Capulet’s party. He is determined to go, just to see Rosaline.
“I’ll go along no such sight to be shown,
But to rejoice in splendour of mine own.”
Romeo has planned to go to the party, even though he knows that there is a risk of being found out by the Capulet's. This shows his immaturity, as he is only thinking of his love for Rosaline and does not consider the consequences that he may face. It shows that he is love-sick, as he will go to such extents, just to see Rosaline, even though he may be caught.
When Romeo reaches the ball, he takes sight of Juliet for the first time,
“What lady’s that which doth enrich the hand
Of yonder knight?”
and immediately falls in love.
“Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight!
For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.”
After claiming to be completely infatuated with Rosaline, Romeo has immediately fallen in love with Juliet at first sight. It shows how impetuous and fickle he really is, as he moves on from one obsession to another. Within a first glimpse of Juliet, he has forgotten about Rosaline completely.
By Act 2, Romeo has completely moved on to Juliet, and Rosaline is forgotten, Romeo is now completely infatuated with Juliet, and wishes to marry her straight away. “Th’exchange of thy love’s faithful vow for mine.” Romeo asks Juliet to marry him after one day of meeting her. This shows how childish he is, as he cannot have possibly thought this through, and he seems to be rushing everything.
After receiving Juliet’s agreement for marriage, Romeo immediately begins to plan and arrange the ceremony. He turns to Friar Lawrence for help.
“When and where and how
We met, we wooed, and made exchange of vow,
That thou consent to marry us today.”
He is very eager to marry Juliet and wants the marriage to be as soon as possible. This shows that he is very impatient, so once again, he is showing his childish tendencies.
Friar Lawrence tells Romeo that his love for Rosaline was like a recitation memorised from a book, without true understanding, and chides him for his fickleness in love.
“Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here!
Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear,
So soon forsaken?”
Romeo is offended and denies it. “Thou chid’st me oft for loving Rosaline?” He reacts badly and tells the Friar that he is truly in love. “I pray thee chide me not. Her I love now.” This clearly highlights Romeo’s fickleness as he is appearing to know everything, being a teenager telling an adult that he is in love.
In Verona, Act 3 Scene 1, a fight breaks out between the Montague’s and the Capulet’s when Tybalt arrives, seeking Romeo. Tybalt challenges Romeo to a fight and Romeo refuses.
“And so, good Capulet, which name I tender
As dearly as mine own, be satisfied.”
Romeo is finally bringing out his manly side. He refuses to fight and wishes to make peace with Tybalt, even after everything that Tybalt has just said to him. This really shocks the audience, as Romeo, after being so childish, now shows the actions of a man, by being so calm and mature about the situation. Even though Mercutio is shocked with Romeo not wanting to fight, “O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!”, Romeo doesn’t give in to fighting, and this clearly show’s Romeo’s maturity as he does not want to get involved.
Mercutio challenges Tybalt to a fight and Romeo steps in to try and stop them. “Hold, Tybalt! Good, Mercutio!” This again shows Romeo’s maturity, by trying to prevent them fighting.
Tybalt kills Mercutio, and out of furiousness, Romeo murders Tybalt, but Romeo realises what he has done straight away. “O, I am fortune’s fool.” He takes responsibility for his actions and instantly regrets what he has done, which the audience should expect from an adult.
Word of Tybalt’s death gets round to the Prince, and Romeo is immediately exiled from Verona. Romeo finds the thought of banishment far worse than death.
“No sudden mean of death, though ne’er so mean,
But ‘banishèd’ to kill me? ‘Banishèd’?”
After his manly actions, Romeo now goes back to being a love-sick young boy. He says that he would rather die than be separated from Juliet, which seems rather foolish. Romeo is still showing childishness, but has matured from the start of the play.
When Romeo returns to Verona to Juliet’s tomb, he is arrested by Paris so Romeo fights Paris till death.
“O, I am slain! [Falls.] If thou be merciful,
Open the tomb, lay me with Juliet. [Dies.]”
Romeo, regretting what he has done, grant Paris’ dying wish, and lays his body beside Juliet’s. This a very mature response to what he has done. He clearly has respect for Paris after killing him, which is a responsible action. Romeo is again showing maturity.
Romeo takes the poison as he cannot bear life without Juliet, and wishes to join her in death.
“Here’s to my love! [Drinks.] O true apothecary!
Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die. [Dies.]”
Here, the audience’s first thought would be that he is a foolish child, committing suicide in distress, without thinking things through. But the audience can also see Romeo as a courageous man, giving up his life for his one true love.
After examining all of the evidence, it is difficult to tell whether Romeo is a man or a love-sick boy. Shakespeare clearly exaggerates Romeo’s actions and behaviour. Throughout the play, from beginning to end, it appears that Romeo develops from being a foolish young boy with love on his mind, to become a brave, mature man, taking responsibility for his actions. Romeo’s love-sick behaviour is essential to the play. The two star-crossed lovers, battling for their love till death, creates the tragedy to such an extreme. The intense romance between Romeo and Juliet attracts a varied audience, and is the key to “Romeo and Juliet’s” success.
