Romeo and Juliet is a play in which Shakespeare shows us a variety of views of love. The play could not be possible without the two lovers (Romeo M. and Juliet C.) and the ancient grudge of the two households, the Montague’s and the Capulets.
The play is set in four days though Shakespeare frames each scene as though it is a life time of love.
My idea of a romantic hero is when a boy really tries to win over a girl and in the end rides off with her into the sun set, saving her from any danger she is in.
I am not quite sure if Romeo does this.
We start the play with Romeo desperately in love with Rosaline (another member of the Capulet family). It seems that Romeo falls in love very easily! However Shakespeare does not go into very much detail of Rosaline`s view of Romeo’s love for her. Instead we only hear Romeo’s opinion of her.
Act 1Scene 2, Romeo “Out of her favour, where I am in love”
Romeo seems initially quite romantic towards Rosaline. He does all the romantic gestures towards Rosaline that we might expect.
Act 1 Scene1Romeo “she will not stay the siege of loving terms…”
Initially Romeo’s love for the unattainable Rosaline dominates the play in conversations with Benvolio. Benvolio tries to help Romeo but fails.
Romeo “You can not teach me how to forget”
At this point we see that Romeo is quite the romantic hero. He still will not give up on Rosaline.
Although he has not shown us that he is a ‘hero’ in other ways so far.
Benvolio wants to takes Romeo to the Capulets party, where either he can see Rosaline or “Examine other beauties”
Romeo reluctantly goes along. However this brings the ancient grudges of the households a float. Here we see that Romeo is not quite so much heroic as provocative as he probably knew that going to the ball would start a fight.
Act 1 scene 5 Tybalt “To strike him dead, I hold it not a sin”
That same fateful night Romeo falls in love, for what he feels now is the first time, with Juliet. His earlier feelings for Rosaline are dismissed
Act 1 scene 5 Romeo “I never saw true beauty till this night”
Romeo even questions if Rosaline was just all in his mind not his heart.
Romeo “Did my heart love till now”
I could argue that Romeo going rapidly from one girl to another whilst claiming that he had fallen in love with both isn’t quite traditional romantic behaviour. My idea of a romantic hero is one who falls in love, wins over the girl and loves only that girl.
I feel however that Shakespeare wrote in Rosaline to emphasise Romeo and Juliet’s act of falling in love and the significance of Romeo’s passion for Juliet.
I do feel also that Romeo can be a bit ‘pushy’. Like the first time he kisses Juliet, “you kiss by the book”, and when he proposes to her,
Act 2 scene 2 “O wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied”
Though some people would argue that he was being romantic by sweeping Juliet off her feet.
The balcony scene is the classic example of Romeo showing us his ‘romantic hero’ side. He would even change his name to prove how much he loved her.
“Had I it written, I would tear the word”
Romeo’s love for Juliet can not be stopped by anything. Or so he feels and this line makes me think that he will always protect and be with Juliet.
“Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me”
Within twenty four hours the star crossed lovers are married. In most Romantic tales the story ends happily here, but not for this couple!
Romeo had thought that he had gotten off lightly with going to the Capulet ball but Tybalt had other ideas. Tybalt and Romeo fight, Romeo being very pitiful at this, puts across that he is not the brave hero that we perhaps first thought. The fight ends with Romeo’s closest friend, Mercutio being slain by Tybalt.
Act 3 Scene 3 Mercutio “I am hurt. A plague on both your houses! I am sped.”
Romeo at the sound of his friend’s death kills Tybalt in revenge.
Romeo is then banished from Verona and he goes to see Juliet for the last time. In my view of a traditional romantic hero, the hero would stay with his love till death or would take her with him. Instead Romeo runs away leaving Juliet.
Act 3 Romeo “I must be gone and live, or stay and die”
This line does not give a heroic image of Romeo who after sleeping with his wife leaves, choosing safety and survival over love.
Juliet however feels that she cannot cope with out Romeo.
Juliet “be not so long to speak. I long to die”
After pressure from her family to marry Paris, a helpful friar tells her to take a potion that will enable her to act dead for two and forty hours and when she awakes Romeo will be there to take her away (the romantic thing to do). However Romeo gets the wrong message and thinks that Juliet is really dead, so goes to her side to kill himself to show his love for Juliet. This one action to me really does prove that Romeo, like most of us, does have his weaknesses, but is nevertheless a true traditional romantic hero.
“Juliet I will lie with thee tonight.”
“Here’s to my love! Thus with a kiss I die”
“I love thee”
Essay Writing Service Features
Our Experience
No matter how complex your assignment is, we can find the right professional for your specific task. Contact Essay is an essay writing company that hires only the smartest minds to help you with your projects. Our expertise allows us to provide students with high-quality academic writing, editing & proofreading services.
Free Features
Free revision policy
$10Free bibliography & reference
$8Free title page
$8Free formatting
$8How Our Essay Writing Service Works
First, you will need to complete an order form. It's not difficult but, in case there is anything you find not to be clear, you may always call us so that we can guide you through it. On the order form, you will need to include some basic information concerning your order: subject, topic, number of pages, etc. We also encourage our clients to upload any relevant information or sources that will help.
Complete the order form
Once we have all the information and instructions that we need, we select the most suitable writer for your assignment. While everything seems to be clear, the writer, who has complete knowledge of the subject, may need clarification from you. It is at that point that you would receive a call or email from us.
Writer’s assignment
As soon as the writer has finished, it will be delivered both to the website and to your email address so that you will not miss it. If your deadline is close at hand, we will place a call to you to make sure that you receive the paper on time.
Completing the order and download