Romeo's character analysis

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Romeo’s character analysis

Romeo and Juliet is a tale of two star-crossed lovers who in their love for each other were willing to sacrifice their lives.

Romeo is a very temperamental person; his character develops considerably throughout the play in various ways.  In this essay I shall be looking closely at Romeo’s character, his intentions & abilities and his relationship with other characters in the play.

In the conversation between Benvolio and Montague in act 1 scene 1, we learn that Romeo is behaving strangely and avoiding his friends, “Towards him I made, but he was ware of me and stole into the covert of the woods.” In this sentence Benvolio is explaining to Lady Montague that when he walked towards Romeo, Romeo was aware of him and hid in the woods. We know now that he was consumed by his grief about being rejected by Rosaline, he would not confide in his friends or family, as we learn from his father’s words “But he, his own affections councilors, is to himself”. His father also mentions that Romeo stays in his room all day with the curtains drawn grieving alone in his darkened room “Away from light steals my heavy son, and private in his chamber pens himself, shut up his windows, locks fair daylight out, and makes himself an artificial night”. These two sentences given by his father offer a physical and mental portrait of Romeo penning himself away because he did not get what he wanted.

Benvolio tries again to talk to Romeo. He succeeds and asks Romeo why he looked distressed. At first Romeo shied away from giving a straight answer and talks in riddles and double meaning but then with more promptings he unburdens his misery. We learn that he loves a lady who has sworn to remain a virgin. “She’ll not be hit with cupids arrow, she hath dian’s wits”. Meaning that she does not love him and she has Dian’s wit. Dian is the goddess of hunting and chasity, she avoids Cupid’s arrows ; from this we learn that Rosaline has no intention of loving him or any other man. This is further proven when Romeo confirms Benvolio’s question that she has sworn to remain a virgin.

Romeo goes on to say that his love is misplaced because Rosaline has rejected him. Romeo compares his love to Rosaline as a devote religion. His words seem mature which belies his actions, which is often irresponsible and immature.

Even when his love has been rejected, Romeo still feels heavy with the burden of love. His friends didn’t take his love seriously, they thought it was humorous, silly and later on exasperating. Romeo is hurt by Rosaline ‘s rejections and perhaps by his friends’ indifference towards his love. We learn this when he quotes “… love pricks like thorn…”.

But Mecrutio does not feel melancholy about love. He views love in a physical sense more than emotional, he advises rather crudely “ If love be rough with you, be rough with love”.

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Romeo’s actions and words in act 1 scene 5 make us doubt if he has been in love at all, or just thinking pretending to be in love. He himself doubts it “did my heart love till now? Foreswear it, sight for I ne, er saw true beauty till this night.” By his words we gather that He cannot believe his eyes that a lady as beautiful as this exists. But on a closer analysis lets pick out the the key words, “…for I ne, er saw true beauty till this night…”we can pick up an underlying message Juliet ...

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