Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Romeo's Love For Juliet
Romeo's Love For Juliet
English Class
Ms. Jarvis
02-13-17
In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Romeo’s love for Juliet seems limitless. For
example, in the scene referenced above, Juliet asks Romeo how he got to her balcony with the
Capulet walls being so difficult to climb. Romeo says his love lifted him over the barrier.
Although the love between them appears perfect, their love is questionable. At the beginning of
the play, Romeo is depressed because he is in love with another girl, Rosaline. Because of his
love for Rosaline, his intentions behind meeting Juliet, and the speed in which they fell in love, it
One reason why Romeo’s love for Juliet is doubtful is because he appears to love
Rosaline. In the first act of Romeo and Juliet, Benvolio is telling Romeo to look at other girls in
order to get over his love for Rosaline. But Romeo declares that no one can compare to her:
“One fairer than my love? The all-seeing sun/ Ne’er saw her match since first the world begun”
(Act I, sc 2,ll. 99-100). In this passage, Romeo shows his love for Rosaline is so past compare,
not even the sun can match his love for her. Romeo’s love seems so intense for her that his love
Another example of how Romeo’s love for Juliet is arguable is in his intentions while
falling in love with Juliet. In the well-known balcony scene, Romeo is comparing Juliet to
Rosaline. He exclaims, “It is the East, and Juliet is the sun,/ Arise fair sun, and kill the envious
moon” (Act II, sc 2, ll. 3-4). Romeo seems to suggest that he wants to kill his love for Rosaline
by making Juliet the sun. His love for Juliet is suspect because he still has Rosaline fresh in his
A finale example showing Romeo doesn’t really love Juliet is that their love is rushed.
When Romeo goes to Friar Lawrence’s cell for advice, the Friar makes fun of Romeo’s love for
Juliet. “Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear/ So soon forsaken?.... Lo, here upon thy cheek
the stain doth sit/ Of an old tear that is not washed off yet” (Act II, sc 3, ll. 70-80) The Friar
seems to question Romeo’s love for Juliet because an old tear for Rosaline still sits upon his face.
The quickness of Romeo’s transfer of love from Rosaline to Juliet makes his love for Juliet
debatable.
Although there are many points that prove Romeo’s love for Juliet is problematic, Romeo
does show many signs of love for her. Not only does he chose to marry her, he kills him-self out
of love. What is clear throughout the play is Romeo loves to love. But due to many examples
from the text including, the intensity of his love for Rosaline, his motives behind loving Juliet,
and his haste in pursuing her, it is evident his love for Juliet is ambiguous. Overall, one of the
most famous stories of love upon closer observation is unconvincing. In this perspective, the play
seems to be less about Romeo and Juliet’s love for each other and more about Romeo’s