When the Capulet and Montague servants start a big brawl in the opening scene, Shakespeare goes out of his way to let us know that Romeo is not out on the streets of Verona like all the other young men. Romeo may be acting a teensy bit rash when he kills Tybalt, but in general the boy's a lover, not a fighter. What do you think? Are they a match made in heaven, or are they just two dumb kids who only want to be together because forbidden love is sexy? A Lover, Not a Fighter? In fact, some scholars (ahem, Harold Bloom) think that Juliet actually deserves someone better than Romeo-he just can't keep up. He follows up this act of murder, by the way, with a bout of hysterics on the floor of Friar Laurence's cell (room). But, Romeo winds up killing Tybalt after Mercutio is murdered. To be fair, Romeo does show restraint when Tybalt challenges him, which is a big deal, since Romeo damages his reputation when he refuses to fight. He's rash and impetuous throughout the entire play, whether he's trespassing on Capulet property to see Rosaline, running off to elope with Juliet, or chugging a vial of poison when he mistakenly believes Juliet is dead. On the "Yes" side: Sure, Romeo's puppy love for Rosaline gives way to a more grown up relationship with Juliet.
What do you think? Ch-Ch-Changesīut, does Romeo's seemingly more authentic love for Juliet mean that Romeo evolves and matures as a character over the course of the play? That said, we should note that some skeptics think the only difference between Romeo's desire for Rosaline and his passion for Juliet is the fact that Juliet, unlike Rosaline, loves Romeo back. After all, he does vow to "lie with thee tonight"-i.e., kill himself-as soon as he hears that she's dead (5.1.37), and then he actually follows through with it. Even though Romeo breaks out a conventional pick-up line when he first chats it up with Juliet (he basically says that hooking up with Juliet would be a religious experience), he ends up seeming genuinely in love with Juliet. When was last time you switched your crush like a pair of worn-out tennis shoes? Romeo may not be shallow so much as he's just … a person. (Click the comparison infographic to download.) Rosaline Schmazaline In other words, the next lead singer for Dashboard Confessional. So, a "Petrarchan lover" is the kind of guy who mopes around sighing dramatically, moaning about the fact that his crush wants nothing to do with him, and reciting cheesy poetry about some angelic girl who's got eyes like stars, lips like luscious cherries, and who fills men with icy-fire (passion). These love poems featured "Laura," a gal who was just as unavailable and unattainable as Rosaline. Petrarch was a fourteenth-century Italian poet whose sonnets were all the rage in Renaissance England.
In fact, at the beginning of the play, his character is made to resemble a typical " Petrarchan lover," which had become a cliché by the time Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet (around 1595). The thing to know is that Shakespeare makes lovesick Romeo (the Romeo that crushes on Rosaline anyway) shallow and foolish on purpose. No sooner does he meet Juliet than he starts insisting, "I have forgot that name and that name's woe." (2.3.49). His over-the-top infatuation with Rosaline at the beginning of the play, immediately followed by, um, completely forgetting about Rosaline, can make Romeo seem shallow and foolish. He's emotional and angsty (plus he always has his hair in his eyes), and it drives some people crazy. If you find yourself occasionally annoyed by Romeo, you're in good company. We have to say, we're not entirely convinced. Romeo: literature's greatest lover… or literature's greatest player? Sure, his name has practically become synonymous with true love 4EVA, but let's look at the facts: he's the young son of the affluent Montague family who lusts after the unavailable, but oh-so gorgeous Rosaline-right up until he sets eyes on Juliet Capulet, only daughter of his family's arch enemies, and falls in love at first sight. (Click the character infographic to download.)
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