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Bella Rosenberg
Mr. Hakim
English 9
17 May 2015
Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet: Romeos Character Changes
Human beings are interesting creatures. They have many
feelings and different actions have different impacts on different
people. People react to how they feel in different ways; they express
their feelings in different ways. Humans are all different in how they
express and deal with their feelings. In the classic love story, Romeo
and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, there is some brilliant
character development related to how Romeo feels. Romeo and Juliets
love is forbidden because of a feud between their families, the
Capulets and the Montagues. This feud causes Romeos character to
change and develop. Throughout Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet,
Romeos complex character changes. He goes from a depressed
romantic to a happy lover to suicidal, which tends to be human nature
when one does not get what they want.
Through indirect characterization, it is clear that Romeo in 1.1 of
Shakespeares The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is irrationally
depressed. Romeo is hopelessly in love with Rosaline, a girl who does
not return his love. Romeo falls in love with Rosaline at first sight,
thinking it is true love, which is irrational. Romeos cousin Benvolio,

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and Romeos parents discuss his depressed state and Lord Montague
says, Many a morning hath he there been seen,/With tears
augmenting the fresh mornings dew,/Adding to clouds more louds with
his deep sighs; (1.1.139-41). Even Lord Montague notices Romeos
depressing actions. The imagery of the tears augmenting the fresh
mornings dew expresses that Romeo is depressed for an irrational
reason. The idea that Romeos sighs and tears are a part of nature, just
like the nature that Shakespeare illuminates in his imagery, represents
Romeos very character: that is, he is depressed and how he reacts to
love seems to be an innately part of who he is. As Romeo continues to
talk to Benvolio, Romeo continues with the theme of nature by saying
Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs;/Being purged, a fire
sparkling in lovers eyes;/Being vexed, a sea nourished with lovers
tears (1.1.202-04). The metaphor of comparing love to smoke
represents that his irrational love for Rosalind is making him
depressed. Also, the simile that love is a fire expressed how in love
Romeo is. Romeos irrational depression is shown through reactions
from other characters, also through his own actions. Through indirect
characterization, we can see that Romeo is depressed in the first scene
of The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.
In comparison to Act One, Romeos character has changed
throughout Act Two; Romeo is happier than he was, but still remains
conflicted. Though Romeos character changes, the feud between the

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Capulets and the Montagues is still occurring. In the famous balcony
scene of Act Two, Romeo and Juliet discuss the conflict of their names.
Romeo is willing to rid himself of his name for Juliet by saying, My
name, dear saint, is hateful to myself,/Because it is an enemy to thee.
Had I it written, I would tear the word. (2.2.61-63). The motif of names
represents Romeos willingness to change his name quickly based
upon his newfound happiness with Juliet. In this single moment, Romeo
quickly changes from his love of Rosaline to his love of Juliet. Later,
Romeos mood continues to improve as evidence of a duel of wits he
has with his friend, Mercutio, starting off with Mercutio saying, The
slip, sir, the slip. Can you not conceive? (2.4.51). Romeo willingly goes
on with this battle whereas if he were depressed, like in Act One, he
would not have. Throughout Act Two the change in Romeos character
is evident. He is happier but still remains conflicted because of his love
for Juliet and the feud between their families.
In Acts 3 to 5, Romeos character changes to suicidal and upset. The fight that
occurs in 3.1 results in both Tybalt and Mercutios death. Tybalt kills Mercutio, inciting
Romeos thirst for revenge. In his revenge, Romeo kills Tybalt, a Capulet, resulting in his
banishment from Verona. Romeo is extremely upset by this because he will no longer be
able to see Juliet. Juliet is also upset because of Romeos banishment and Tybalts death
by Romeos hand. Juliet questions Romeos character in 3.2 in her monologue: O
serpenthearthidwithafloweringface!(3.2.74). Shakespeares paradoxes and
oxymorons demonstrate that Romeo may be handsome but has an evil heart. Throughout

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the rest of the play, Romeo and Juliet become suicidal because they cannot see each
other. Juliet is in a dilemma of an arranged marriage to Count Paris, but she is already
married to Romeo. To avoid this, Juliet and Friar Laurence, a close friend of Romeo who
also married Romeo and Juliet, fake Juliets death. A servant of Romeos goes to Mantua,
where Romeo is exiled, and tells Romeo of Juliets death. Romeo then decides to go
back to Verona and devises a plan to kill himself. Once Romeo reaches the burial
monument he states, The time and my intents are savage, wild,/More fierce and more
inexorable far/Than empty tigers or the roaring sea (3.5.41-44). This comment has a
double meaning. The audience knows that Romeo is planning on committing suicide,
however the servant, at whom this is directed, does not. The comparison between
Romeos intentions and a hungry tiger manifests Romeos vicious plan. The drastic
change of events cause Romeos character change from a happy lover to suicidal.
Romeo, in Shakespeares The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet,
changes from a depressed romantic, to a happy lover, to suicidal,
which is a reaction when people do not get what they want.
Shakespeare would want to manifest human nature, that ones mood
could change so much in a little amount of time. By tracking Romeos
character it is clear that one person can be very fragile and can change
moods very quickly. It is clear that humans have feeling and react to
them. Romeos character changes reflect the theme of light/dark
throughout the text. When Romeo is happy he speaks of light, whereas
when he is upset or suicidal, he speaks of darkness.

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Romeo and Juliet is just one example of how humans express their
feelings and other peoples reactions to them.

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