Romeo Flashcards
Introduction
Shakespeare uses the multi-faceted character of Romeo as a vehicle to criticise against the immature and impulsive decisions leading to reckless actions, which inevitably lead to his downfall. At the start of the play Shakespeare uses Romeo to criticise and satire Petrarchan love, as he pines over his unrequited love from Rosaline, perhaps due to the absence of role models, he never truly understood love. However Romeo moves away from these conventions of these Petrarchan lovers, as his language becomes more sincere as he transfers his feelings of love to Juliet, however his love clouds his judgement, as he makes drastic decisions for the love he feels Juliet. Romeo is originally distant from the feud but by the end of the play he is also embroiled, allowing Shakespeare to highlight how quickly violence spreads for the sake of male bravado within Verona. Furthermore despite his rash decision to commit suicide, Shakespeare uses Romeo as a sacrificial figure as his death marks the reconciliation of the feud, allowing the two families to finally understand the futility of the feud.
Effect on the indirect introduction of Romeo
We re first introduce to the eponymous character of Romeo through Lord Montague and his cousin Benvolio, as they wonder where Romeo is. Shakespeare does this so that Romeo is not associate directly with the feud and violence but rather with love, however later on we know he also becomes embroiled into the feud.
‘The grove of sycamore’
Shakespeare presents Romeo as a physical embodiment of Petrarchan desire. Romeo’s actions are dissected by supporting characters, namely Benvolio and Mercutio, who function as critics of Petrarchan discourse, and satirise the insecurity and immaturity of Romeo’s infatuation with Rosaline. Which is reflected in the setting described by Benvolio ‘the grove of sycamore’, a sycamore tree is typically associated with melancholy lovers. Pun on ‘sick-amour’ emphasising how Romeo is sullen and morose as he pines over his unrequited love for rosaline.
‘O brawling love, O loving hate’
Mimics Petrarchan sonneteers as it’s the only love that he is familiar with as he grew up in a world full of violence and thus had to turn to literature to explore examples of love. Lack of positive, loving role models on hate-fuelled Verona for Romeo to look up to, leaving him little option but to resort to mimicking the poetry he read.
The use of the juxtaposition in the exclamation infers the confusion and disappointment Romeo feels as a result of an unrequited love.
Through the character of Romeo, Shakespeare incorporated distinctively Petrarchan notions of unattainable and unrequited love in order to illustrate distance between beloved object and lover, as well as the consuming despair of unreciprocated love.
Utilisation of dichotomy ‘love’ and ‘hate’, used by Shakespeare to show how love and hate are closely integrated.
Expresses extreme emotions over a women he knows little of, showing his immaturity and insincerity.
Uses Romeo as a critique of Petrarchan love.
‘Fair’ ‘she hath dians wit’
He fixates on ‘fair’ Rosalindes physical beauty and chastity, making the mythical allusion to the elusive Godess of virginity Diana through the the phrase ‘she hath Dian’s wit’
‘Where shall we dine’
His insincerity is evident when he loses his train of though and asks the question, which implies his interest in Rosaline is fickle and fleeting, as well as lustful.
‘Feather of lead’
He speaks in oxymoronic and romantic cliches, emphasises his heavy heartedness and the immer turmoil he is experiencing
‘O she doth teaches the torches to burn bright’
Emphasises her beauty and radiance, which outshines everyone else in the room,
Verb ‘teach’ implies that Juliet is a prime example of brightness that others will strive to imitate but also alludes to the lessons she will ‘teach’ Romeo about the true nature of love.
Use of hyperbolic language emphasises his impulsive nature - as he is instantly overwhelmed by his adoration of Juliet,
Further emphasises by verb ‘burn’ motif of fire reiterates to the audience joe all consuming and therefore destructive, love can be.
The fickle nature of his affection is evident when romeo instantly forgets rosaline and instead fixates on Yh beauty of Juliet
‘Did my heart love till now’
Shakespeare comically emphasises hoe quickly Romeo forgets Rosaline and traders his affection to Juliet. This may make the audience question his sincerity, particularly in many ways his soliloquy remains in keeping with a Petrarchan lover who fixates in the beauty and chastity of a distant, silent muse.
‘Make blessed my rude hand’
Implying that he sees Juliet as his salvation - possessing an almost divine power to redeem Romeo from his past indiscretions
‘So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows’
Sees Juliet as a dove which has connotations of peace, and the crows represent her family,
Foreshadowing the future of death and foreboding
‘By yonder blessed moon I vow’
Ostensibly we see that Romeo is willing to marry Juliet however bellow the surface we find that he isn’t being lustful, which is seen through the reference to the ‘moon’, suggesting that Romeo isn’t being as sincere as he should be
The exchange of thy loved faithful vow for mine’
This contrasts to when he was pining over an unrequited love through Petrarchan poetry, deeper connection through reference to ‘vows’ no longer superficial. Demonstrating the start of the growth of the fledging love
Love devouring death
He recognises and foreshadowed to the death, suggesting that being consumed by love leads to pain.
‘I have to love thee’ ‘Villain I am none therfefore farewell’
Romeo is calm, composed and rational which juxtaposes to his earlier impulsiveness. Attempts to defend himself but cannot say why. He attempts to remove the situation and stay clear of the toxic masculinity for the sake of male bravado
