AshlinBradford

RomeoCharacterDevelopmentFinalEssay
Fromthebeginningoftime,peopleeverywherehavesearchedforlove.Someare
misguidedinthinkingthatlovealwayscomesinthesameform.Manytimesyoungadults
experienceloveintheformofinfatuation.Oftentimeswithmaturity,deeperformsoflovecan
beestablished.Throughout
RomeoandJuliet
,ShakespeareisabletodevelopRomeo'scharacter
throughhisloveandcompassionforJuliet.Romeoexperiencesaprogressionofeventswhenhe
isabletolovetoadeeperextent.Asheresiststhechallengesandtrialsthatfacehim,he
becomesclosertoJulietandmoreloyaltotheirrelationship.Romeosabilitytolovedeepensas
hefightsforJuliet,hishappiness,andpeacebetweenthefamilies.
TheloveRomeosharedforRosalineinActone,wasveryforeigntobothindividuals.
RomeoonlylovedRosalineforhermaterialpurposes.Hedidnotknowherpersonalityorher
innerbeauty.ThisisthereasonthatRomeofeltthathewasoutoffavor,whereIaminlove,
(1.1).RomeodidindeedloveRosaline,butshedidnotreturnherloveforRomeo.That
knowledgecausedpaintoRomeo,forhecouldneverreallybeacceptedandlovedbyRosaline.
Isloveatenderthing?Itistoorough,toorude,tooboisterous,anditprickslikethorn,(1.4).
Juliet,wasatreasuretoRomeobecauseofherinnerbeautywhichdealthandinhandwithher
outerappearance.Thisbeautyisthesourceoftruelove.Iamnopilot,yetwertthouasfaras
thatvastshorewash'dwiththefarthestsea,Iwouldadventureforsuchmerchandise,(2.2).
RomeowasabletoforgetaboutRosalinesoeasilybecausehehadnostrongconnectionwithher
personally.ButJulietwasdeeplyintertwinedwiththeemotionsofRomeo.Romeohad
developedthecapabilitytolove,whenhewasabletorecognizeandconnectwithtruebeauty.

Intheopeningof
RomeoandJuliet
,Romeo'sthoughtsandfeelingswereinterpretedto
reekdespairandsadness.Averychasteyoungwomen,namedRosaline,wasthepurposefor
suchsorrowinRomeo'slife.Hewouldcryout,Ayme,sadhoursseemlong.(1.1).Astime
drewout,Romeofoundhimselfmourningatthelossofsuchagreattreasure.WhenRomeo
wepttohiscousin,Benvolioinquietconfidence,hesaid,Shehathforsworntolove,andinthat
vowsoIlivedead,thatlivetotellitnow,(1.1).Rosaline'schastitywasaburdenforRomeo.He
feltthatwithouther,hewouldendurealivingdeathandtorturefullofsufferingandpainwhen
shewouldwinherplaceinheaven.Thosedesireswereonlyfedbythevainpromptingsofhis
heart.RomeowasnotwillingtolistentoBenvolioandlookatotherwomen.Buthesoonfound
thathisdecisiontoattendtheCapuletBallgainedhimaccesstothemostvaluableladyofall.
WhenRomeometJulietsomethingchanged.Hisattitude,composition,andthoughtshad
changed.Hewasabletostrengthenhisabilitytolovebyrespectingsuchabeautifulwoman.
Juliet'sbeautyhadincreasedthepurelovethatRomeohadfeltforher.Thelovethatwasshared
bythisyoungcouplehadcausedclosuretoRomeo'swounds.InAct2,Romeosaidthathehad
forgottenthenameofRosalineandthesadnessitbrought.(2.3).Thisactalone,causedadeeper
mendingprocessinRomeo'slifeandhisabilitytoloveJuliet.
Tensionbetweentwoofthelargestfeudingfamilies,CapuletsandMontagues,had
causedatempestuouswarforcenturies.Peacewasneverconsidered,anoptionforenraged
acquaintances.Romeodidnotindulgeinfighting,butdidnottrytostopit.Hetriedtoconstantly
survivetheinsultsandpeskyfightscausedbyTybalt,Juliet'scousin.Othermenwiththesame
characteristicsasTybalt,causedmanydisputationsbetweenRomeoandhiscloserelatives.In
Act1,TybaltconstantlyrepeatsthathehatesthewordpeaceasmuchashehatesMontagues.

(1.1).AgitationbetweenRomeoandTybaltwasevidentinthebeginningoftheplay.Butas
Romeo'sloveforJuliethadincreased,sohadhisdesiretoloveherfamily.RomeotoldTybalt
thathedidnotwishtofighthim,thereasonthatIhavetolovetheedothmuchexcusethe
appertainingragetosuchagreeting.(3.1).HeattemptedtoconnectwiththeCapuletsashedid
withJuliet.Butthehabitofcontentionwasembeddedinthemindsoffamily,andtheywerenot
willingtoforgiveandforget.Attheendoftheplay,TybaltchallengesRomeotoduel.Hekills
Romeo'sbestfriend,Mercutio.Andinhisowndefense,RomeokilledTybalt.Romeo's
mannerismstowardsTybaltshowedaneffortatloveandpeace.Romeoisathoughtfulman,
unwillingtoprovokefightingunlikethehotblooded,adversarialTybaltwhomhekills,
(absoluteshakespierre.com).ThedeathcausedbyRomeowasonlyindefense,toavoidfighting.
AlthoughRomeo'sactionswereharsh,theywerenecessaryforthefulfillmentandtruedevotion
toJuliet.
RomeosloyaltytoJuliet,andhisdeeplovereacheditsstrongestpeakwhenhewasable
tofightforJuliet,hishappiness,andthepeaceinbothfamilies.RomeokilledhimselfbyJuliet's
bedside,becausehecouldnotimaginealifewithouther.Hisdevotiontotheirlovecauseda
mosttragicendingwherebothindividualsfightforahappyending,butarecutshortbyan
outragedfamily.Romeo'schangeincharacter,frominfatuationtofidelityhelpedhimgain
strengthtofightthelargestproblemsofhistime.Theirlovewasabletodevelopintosomething
miraculouslybeautiful.Thatlovecausedtheirhappinesstogrowexponentiallyfromits
beginningstages,andradiatetoeachother.


WorksCited
"RomeoandJulietCharacters."RomeoandJulietCharactersReviewatAbsolute
Shakespeare.Web.15May2015.

"RomeoandJuliet."SparkNotes.SparkNotes,2015.Web.16May2015.