William Shakespeares: Romeo and Juliet

William Shakespeares: Romeo and Juliet

Throughout the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare displays

various types of love. Benvolio believes women are interchangeable,

while, at the beginning Romeo believes love is pain because of his

relationship with Rosaline. At the beginning Juliet does not even have

a definition of love and both Paris's and Lady Capulet's definition of

love is in appearance and rank. They also believe along with master

Capulet that marriages are only arranged for rank and wealth, which is

criticised by friar Lawrence, he states:

“For ‘twas your heaven she should be advanced

And weep ye now, seeing she is advanced

Above the clouds, as high as heaven itself?

O, in this love, you love your child so ill.

Lady Capulet believes love comes from appearance, both physical and

political, and has nothing to do with emotion. She shows this when she

speaks favourably of Paris's looks and his nobility. Shakespeare

portrays the Capulet’s as being dull and unloving throughout the play.

Lady Capulet even shows that she does not love Capulet when she

publicly denounces him. In doing this it is obvious that Shakespeare

wants to portray the message that the only true love is the love that

exists between Romeo and Juliet.

The first type of love is the exchangeable love of Benvolio. According

to Benvolio, a man should love a woman for only the duration of their

relationship and if their relationship should end, the man should feel

no grief. Before Romeo met Juliet his definition of love is pain, an

opinion derived from his relationship with Rosaline. I believe Romeo

is both right and wrong: not returned love is pain, but Romeo does not

truly love and it could be said that he only loves with his eyes.

Friar Lawrence criticises this form of love and his relationship with

Rosaline saying:

“Young men’s love then lies not truly in hearts but in their eyes.”

Romeo however dismisses this assumption saying in return:

“Thou chidest me oft for loving Rosaline.