Romeo is His Own Worst Enemy in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

Romeo is His Own Worst Enemy in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

Romeo is his own worst enemy due to a few 'flaws' in his personality;

his impetuosity, his passionate nature and his changeability. If any

of these characteristics were absent the whole outcome of the play

would probably change quite drastically.

Romeo's passionate personality is shown to us quite early in the play,

in Act 2, scene 2, famously known as the 'balcony scene.' Although

earlier in the play Romeo is shown to be infatuated with Rosaline but

as soon as Romeo sees Juliet we see him show almost immediate passion

for her. At the beginning of the play we hear Romeo talking to

Benvolio of his love for Rosaline and how his heart hurts because his

love is not returned by her. We know this from a conversation that

Romeo and Benvolio had when Benvolio asks Romeo;

"…What sadness lengthens Romeo's hours?"

And Romeo responds;

"Not having that which having makes them short."

Here Romeo is saying that when you are not loved the days are long and

that when you are loved your days are short.

Throughout the whole play we see Romeo refer to Juliet as light. There

are many examples of this in the 'balcony scene' and at the Capulet

party in Act 1, scene 5. When Romeo first meets Juliet he states;

"O she doth teach the torches to burn bright"

Romeo says this after first setting eyes on Juliet, he is saying that

Juliet is brighter than the torches which light the whole room and

that she teaches them to be as bright as she is.

Romeo then goes on to talk of Juliet as "a snowy dove trooping with

crows," saying that Juliet is a bright, white dove, a symbol of peace,

walking among black crows; she stands out like a beacon of light in

the dark. Romeo then asks;

"Did my heart love till now, forswear it sight,

For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."

Here, Romeo is asking himself did he really love Rosaline.