Romeos character analysis Essay Example For Students

Romeos character analysis   Essay 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 Romeos 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 fathers 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 want ed. 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. Shell not be hit with cupids arrow, she hath dians wits. Meaning that she does not love him and she has Dians wit. Dian is the goddess of hunting and chasity, she avoids Cupids arrows ; from this we learn that Rosaline has no intention of loving him or any other man. This is further proven when Romeo confirms Benvolios 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 didnt 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. Romeos 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 nightwe can pick up an underlying message Juliet is more beautiful than Rosaline which completely opposes what he said in act 1 scene 2. When the devout religion of mine eye maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fires; and these who, often drowned, could never die, transparent heretics, be burnt for liarssaying that if he did see someone more beautiful than Rosaline, his eyes would burn out because they were liars, unfaithful to the true belief: Rosalines beauty. (Romeos lines seem to be inspired by the practice of burning heretics at the stake) t his shows how quickly he changes his mind and forgets about Rosaline. Romeo describes his lips as the tools of love and compares this to a prayer being the tools of Religion, before he kisses he says thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged. He is comparing Juliet to a saint, my sin is purged Christians go to confessions to purge (cleanse) their sin, he is saying that by kissing her he is doing a holy act and purifying his soul. Romeo is now in love with Juliet, so when Mercrutio makes fun of Rosaline in act 2 scene 1 to anger Romeo, Romeo dismisses it in one line (act 2 scene2) he jests at scares that never felt a wound just as someone who has never been wounded can jest about a soldiers battle scars, so someone who has never been in love can finds it easy to joke about the sufferings of a person deeply in love. This is very different from his sufferings over Rosaline in act 1 scene 1. How does Shakespeare guide our responses to the main characters in Romeo and Juliet? EssayRomeo seems happy and optimistic that he will see Juliet again but Juliet voices her misgivings after he left methinks I see thee now, thou art so low, as one dead in the bottom of a tomb. Juliets words seem uncomfortably like a premonition. Lots of things happen while Romeo is in Mantua here is a summary: Lady Capulet tells Juliet that she must marry Paris on Thursday. Juliet, appalled, refuses to do so. Capulet flies into towering rage on hearing of Juliets refusal to marry Paris. He threatens and insults her. The nurses defence of Juliet further enraged Capulet, he threatens to disown her if she will not obey him and marry Paris. Lady Capulet refuses to help her daughter. Juliet seeks comfort from the nurse who urges her to marry Paris. Felling betrayed, Juliet sends the nurse away, vowing never to trust her again. Juliet resolves to seek Friar Lawrences help. Juliet goes to Friar Lawrences cell and she finds Paris there she does not wish to talk to him and replies to Pariss questions with double meaning. After Paris leaves Juliet asks for Friar help, threatening to kill herself if she is forced to marry Paris. Friar Lawrence devised a plan to prevent her marriage to Paris and for her to leave with Romeo without anybody knows. He gives her a portion that makes her seem dead, and she will be placed in Capulets vault. Romeo will be with her when she awakens to take her to Mantua. Juliet takes the portion before the day she is to be married. The nurse finds her on the wedding day Dead. She is put in the vault. Romeo is unaware of all this in Mantua, Friar Lawrences letter does not reach him. Balthasar (his servant) brings him news of Juliets death. Romeo reacts impulsively just like in act 3 scene 1 when Romeo killed Tybalt in rage, which landed him in this trouble. He decides swiftly that he does not want to live without Juliet and he would kill himself, Romeo does ask Balthasar if there was any news from friar Lawrence but as he did not have it Romeo proceeded to his death in Verona. Romeo acts immature, he wants to kill himself and he does not think of the consequences. He buys poison of a poor apothecary. He treats the apothecary quite kindly; he knows that the apothecary is poor and would have to sell poison to him in order to survive. Even when tragedy strikes him Romeo is considerate towards others, it seems to be his nature as every body (even Capulet in act 1 scene 5 Verona brags of him, to be a virtuous and well governed youth.) thinks kindly of him; he also treats his servant Balthasar kindly, unlike how others treated their servants. Romeo then goes to the capulets vault, but here he is met with a problem, Paris is there to pay respect to Juliets dead body and he thinks Romeo has come there to do some damage to Tybalt and Juliets bodies. Romeo does not want to talk to Paris and tells him to leave him alone but Paris would not let him go and challenges him, Romeo who is depressed and grieving for Juliet so he gets angry quickly and kills Paris, Romeo then realized what he had done and is remorseful. this shows again how impulsive Romeo is. Romeo goes in sees Juliet and drinks the potion and dies. Juliet wakes up and sees friar Lawrence who had come to check on her, he is nervous and wants to leave as soon as possible because the alarm has been raised that Paris is dead, Juliet refuses to come with him and he flees, Juliet finds Romeo dead and kills herself with his dagger. Thus the story ends? Conclusion Romeo is a complex character; our views of him are often changed by the course of events in this play, at some times he seems impulsive and does not think of the consequences of his actions. But at other times Romeo is thoughtful, responsible and mature. For every immature deeds he does, there always seem to be a cause, which makes us doubt if the deed was really immature. Romeo seems to have become responsible after his marriage to Juliet; he seems to feel that that he should take care of Juliet and be civil to her kinsmen. This is arguable however, because he committed suicide, which in my opinion is an easy way out but did he really have anything left to live for? Juliet was dead, he was banished and his mother was dead (he did not know that). So it must have seemed like his only option. Romeos character is very puzzling, was he a selfish and spoilt boy or a man who was too consumed with grief over losing his wife? Ill leave you to figure that out.