was Romeo really in love with Juliet or was it just lust?
2007-11-26 09:56:42 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Theater & Acting
I think it had to be love. You don't kill yourself over lust.
2007-11-26 10:02:03 · answer #1 · answered by redunicorn 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Great question! I hate to rain on everyone's "love" parade--yes, the poetry is amazing and R & J's first lines to each other DO form a perfect sonnet--but if Shakespeare really wanted us to believe in Romeo's true love, why would he start the play with Romeo obsessed over...not Juliet, but Rosaline?
He's very poetic describing Rosaline's beauty and swears he'll never love again...and then meets Juliet that same day and says "Did my heart love 'til now? Forswear it, sight! For I never saw true beauty 'til this night." Even Friar Laurence makes fun of him for so quickly forgetting Rosaline, whom he was DYING for earlier in the day! He's poetic and sincere, but he's also a totally hormonal teenager.;-)
I think the REAL theme of this play is the danger of acting too rashly, being too impulsive. Every step of the way, R + J act on their first whim--like getting married after one conversation! The irony is that they never HAD to die! Romeo decides to kill himself and--guess what?--RUSHES to the tomb to do it as quickly as possible, yet if he had waited ONE minute more he would have found out the truth and they would have lived happily ever after.
At least Juliet had an excuse for rushing...she was about to be forced to marry Paris. What was Romeo's excuse?
2007-11-27 02:58:32 · answer #2 · answered by shksprinlove11 1 · 3⤊ 1⤋
It was Love for sure:
ROMEO:
But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?
It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou her maid art far more fair than she.
Be not her maid, since she is envious.
Her vestal livery is but sick and green,
And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off.
It is my lady; O, it is my love!
O that she knew she were!
She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that?
Her eye discourses; I will answer it.
I am too bold; 'tis not to me she speaks.
Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
Having some business, do entreat her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars
As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night.
See how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!
2007-11-26 18:20:25 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Shakespeare would like for you to believe that it is love. Their first lines to each other create a sonnet; this is an attempt to show how like-minded they are; they can complete each others thoughts like couples who've been together awhile and are in love. This shows more than just lust.
2007-11-26 18:17:42 · answer #4 · answered by actormyk 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That is a good question. I never thought about it, but now that I do, I think it was lust. They just chose to believe it was love.
2007-11-26 18:01:20 · answer #5 · answered by Ashley 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Love...the truest case of love at first sight. Like the others said you don't kill yourself over lust. They realized their love for each other was beyond what even their parents could comprehend. Love all the way.
2007-11-26 23:04:26 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It was Love ALL the way! You don't kill yourself over lust!!!
2007-11-26 19:35:34 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Both were about 14 years old- so it probably was a combination of Both.
2007-11-26 18:07:08 · answer #8 · answered by Joseph, II 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
definetly love.
2007-11-26 18:11:59 · answer #9 · answered by MacBeth 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
LOVE
2007-11-26 18:06:40 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋