Essay about Romeo and Juliet

Submitted By jmurph3
Words: 745
Pages: 3

Romeo and Juliet Theme Analysis
True love and infatuation
In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the main characters bring us through the ups and downs of their young love, ending with their gruesome deaths. The play begins with Romeo being in love with one girl, and then he quickly forgets about her and becomes so infatuated with another girl that he rushes into a marriage with her. This goes to show that young boys only love for beauty, perhaps they only search for lust. While Romeo and Juliet truly believe they are in love, Shakespeare claims that loving too quickly won’t last.
In the beginning, Romeo shows his desperation and lovesickness for a girl that doesn’t love him back when he shouts “Ay me! Sad hours seem long/… Out of her favor, where I am in love.” (I.i.153, 158). You immediately think he speaks of Juliet, but Shakespeare surprises you with introducing a girl named Rosaline. Romeo believes her to be the most beautiful girl he has ever seen, and that he could never love anyone but her. He then goes to Friar Lawrence and cries to him over his love for Rosaline. Romeo and Benvolio are accidentally invited to a Capulet party. Benvolio talks Romeo into going by saying that Romeo might encounter a different girl. “At this same ancient feast of Capulet’s/ sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so loves/ With all the admired beauties of Verona./ Go thither, and with unattainted eye/ compare her face with some that I shall show,/ And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.” (I.ii.84-89.) Benvolio tells Romeo that she really isn’t the most beautiful girl in Verona and after going to this party he will come to think she is one of the ugliest.
While attending this party, he spots a beautiful girl across the room. “Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear./ So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows/ as yonder lady o’er her fellows shows./ The measure done, I’ll watch her place of stand,/ And, toughing hers, make blessed my rude hand./ Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! / For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.” (I. v. 45-51.) He feels magnetized to this girl because of her beauty. He walks up to the girl to meet her, and quickly feels this strong connection, even though they don’t know each other’s names. When he finds out that she is Capulet’s daughter, Juliet, he knows the only way they could be together is if Friar Lawrence secretly marries them. Romeo goes to Friar Lawrence’s and asks him to marry them. “Holy saint Francis, what a change is here! / Is Rosaline, whom thou didst love so dear, / So soon forsaken?