SaraMillionPerez

Period4
2/24/15

TrueLoveorJustanInfatuation?
Theplay
RomeoandJuliet
byWilliamShakespeareisfamousforitsstoryofatragictrue
lovebetweenstarcrossedlovers.However,RomeoandJulietsrelationshipisoftenidealised
andneverlookedatwithlogic,andtherearemanysignsthatshowthattheirrelationshipisjust
aninfatuation.Someofthemoreprominentexamplesthatshowtheirrelationshipisjustan
infatuationarethatRomeoiswellknownforthequickinfatuationswithgirls,RomeoandJuliet
onlyknoweachotherforthreedays,andRomeoandJulietarebothteenagers.RomeoandJuliet
arenotreallyinlove,theirrelationshipisjustaninfatuation.
Romeoiswellknownforhisquickinfatuationswithgirlsandhisvividandpoetic
descriptionsofthegirlsheisinlovewith.ItisjustthemorningbeforehemeetsJulietthat
RomeoisstillpiningoverhistrueloveRosaline.Romeosaffectionschangebetweenthetwo
girlssoquicklythatMercutio,Romeosbestfriend,stillmakesfunofhimforhislovefor
RosalinelongafterhehasfalleninlovewithJuliet.ItisMercutiothatsays,
IconjuretheebyRosalinesbrighteyes,
Byherhighforeheadandherscarletlip,
Byherfinefoot,straightleg,andquiveringthigh,
Andthedemesnesthatthereadjacentlie,
Thatinthylikenessthouappeartous.
(II.i.51)
notknowingthatRomeohasjustmetandbeenwithJulietandisnowinlovewithher.Mercutio
hasnoideaofRomeosloveforJuliet,anddoesntlearnaboutheruntillaterintheplay.
RomeosloveforJulietsosuddenthathedoesntevenhavethetimetotellhisbestfriendorany
ofhisotherfriendsthathehasmetJuliet,letalonefellinlovewithher.

RomeoandJuliet
takesplaceforonlythreedays.Onthefirstday,Romeoispiningover
hislove,Rosaline,andcrashestheCapuletspartyandfallsinlovewithJulietatfirstsight.The
nextday,thetwogetmarried,butRomeokillsTybaltandisbanishedfromVerona.Inthelast
dayoftheplay,aftermanymiscommunications,RomeoandJulietcommitsuicidethinkingthe
otherisdead.Astheplayonlytakesplaceinthreedays,thelovershaveverylittletimetogetto
knowoneanotherandiftheytrulyloveeachother.RomeoandJulietsrelationshiphappensvery
quicklyandsuddenly.Infact,thefirstthingRomeosaystoJulietisthathewantstokissher:
Iprofanewithmyunworthiesthand
Thisholyshrine,thegentlesinisthis,
Mylips,twoblushingpilgrims,readystand
Tosmooththatroughtouchwithatenderkiss
(I.v.43)
andthenproceedstokisshermultipletimes.Shortlyaftertheirfirstencounter,Romeoisoutside
Julietsbedroomwindow,andthetwoprofesstheirloveforeachother.Theirnextencounteris
whentheyaregettingmarried,andtheirlastencounteristhelasttimetheyseeeachotheralive.
So,RomeoandJulietswholerelationshipisbasedoffofthefactthatRomeosawJulietata
partyandthoughtshelookedattractiveandthefourencounterswhichtheyhave,inwhichmost
ofthetimetheyareprofessingtheirlove.InthethreedaysthatJulietandRomeoknoweach
other,theyneverhaveaconversationthatdoesntrevolvearoundtheirloveforanotherandthey
onlymeetfourtimes.
BothRomeoandJulietareteenagers.Romeoisonlysixteenyearsold,andJulietisonly
thirteenyearsold.Julietisonlythirteenyearsold,andinthebeginningoftheplay,whenParis
saystoCapuletthathewantstomarryJuliet,herfathersaysthatsheistooyoungtomarryandin
afewyearsshemightbeabletomarryParis.Also,beingteenagers,RomeoandJulietarevery

emotional,astheygofromhappytoinlovetodoubtfultosadtodepressedandangryand
vengefulandmanyotheremotionsinmanypointsthroughouttheplay.Infact,afterJuliethas
professedherloveforRomeoandtheyplantomarry,sheexpressesherconcernabouttheir
relationship:
AlthoughIjoyinthee,
Ihavenojoyofthiscontracttonight,
Itistoorash,toounadvised,toosudden,
Toolikethelightning,whichdothceasetobe
EreonecansayItlightens.
(II.ii.59)
JulietandRomeofollowthroughontheiremotions,however,whetherornottheyare
welladvisedorsmartdecisions.Asteenagers,RomeoandJuliethavemanyemotionsthatthey
actupon,andmakebaddecisionsby,
BecauseRomeoiswellknownforthequickinfatuationswithgirls,RomeoandJuliet
onlyknoweachotherforthreedays,andRomeoandJulietarebothteenagers,In
Romeoand
Juliet,
thepairofstarcrossedloversmayconstantlyprofesstheirlove,buttheirloveistrulyjust
aninfatuation