Key characteristics and character development - Romeo

Loving

Romeo encourages the audience to explore different types of love and question the effect love can have on a person. Initially, he is preoccupied by the concept of love, which is embodied by his infatuation with Rosaline. Rosaline not physically appearing in the play allows Shakespeare to present love through her as an idea, though an abstract concept. This love makes Romeo disheartened and he seeks comfort in isolation. In contrast, Juliet is the personification of real and tangible love, she causes Romeo to transcend boundaries and societal expectations

Fateful

The protagonists are unable to defy the powers of fortune and fate, however they do signify a level of self-autonomy and an assertion of the individual self. Therefore, Romeo’s trials and tribulations in the play stimulate a reading into the battle between microcosmic individual and the macrocosmic higher powers.

Religious

Romeo’s dialogue is ingrained with religious allusions, which reflects the religious society of Shakespeare’s time. This playwright investigates the role of religion as a moral epicentre, and how love is intrinsically linked to a religious relationship, which is dictated by blind faith and devotion.

Isolated

The hero of this text indicates isolation in various scenes, which refers to Petrarchan suffering but also a detachment from the world and his individual ‘self’. Shakespeare attempts to question the nature of loneliness, and to what extent it is self-inflicted.

Masculine

Romeo navigates the realm of masculinity in the play. He’s contrasted with hyper-masculine characters such as Mercutio, who is violent and uses misogynistic bawdy humour to make fun of love. Romeo’s refusal to accept Tybalt’s duel also subverts the characteristics of stereotypical masculinity. Shakespeare presents the characters who conform or confront the gender rules of their society in order to emphasise the constraints of gender.

Violent

This theme is antithetical to love. Violence is hindered by love, as Romeo refuses Tybalt due to his new maturity brought upon by his relationship with Juliet. After Juliet’s purported death, Romeo reverts to the typical masculine behaviour, by indulging in violent acts, such as threatening Balthasar and killing Paris. Juliet is the antidote to the violent presented within the text. Romeo exclaims that her love makes him ‘effeminate’, thus he’s unable to duel Tybalt. This means that Juliet functions as the antithesis to violent. This is mainly to do with societal structures and gender constructs. Sword fighting is typically associated with males who take part in duels, however, at the end of the play Juliet is forced to take violent action against herself with the dagger. It could mean that violence may be only answer at times. Juliet’s choice to use violence ends the feud. Thus technically ending all the violence of the play. To this extent, Juliet is the cure to violence.