English Literature: Romeo and Juliet - Character of Romeo

LORD MONTAGUE: Adding to clouds more clouds with his deep sighs:

The first time the audience hears about Romeo, he is portrayed as solitary and wistful. When he is in love with Rosaline, he's full of self-pity, which contrasts with later on in the play as when he is in love with Juliet he's wild and passionate. He is shown to be easily swept up by his emotions.

MERCUTIO: Romeo! Humours! Madman! Passion! Lover!

This line pretty much sums up Romeo - he's unpreditable, impulsive and passionate, and this is also how others see him.

FRIAR LAWRENCE: For doting, not for loving, pupil mine.

The Friar says Romeo's feelings for Rosaline were over the top. This emphasises how impulsive and changeable Romeo's emotions are.

MERCUTIO: Now art thou sociable, now art thou Romeo;

Mercutio suggests Romeo's playful side is the real Roemo. Rosaline made him sad and glum but Juliet has made him happy again.

Romeo steps between them

ROMEO: Hold Tybalt! Good Mercutio!

In this scene, we see a rapid change in Romeo's behaviour based on his emotions. At first, Romeo is desperate to stop the fight between Mercutio and Tybalt, he was trying to protect his best friends and a part of his new family. However, when Mercutio dies, Romeo is angry and starts a fight with Tybalt anyway, inspite of himself.

ROMEO: And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now! 

ROMEO: Thou canst not speak of that thou dost not feel:

Romeo childishly lashes out at Friar Lawrence. Romeo suggests that because Friar Lawrence can't marry, he can't really understand what Romeo is going through. This once again shows his impulsiveness and how he doesn't really think before he acts, and lets his emotions take precedence. This is later emphasised when Romeo threatens to kill himself - he's impulsive and reckless, he doesn't consider the effect his suicide would have on Juliet.

ROMEO: But that a joy past joy calls out on me,

By the end of the scene, Romeo's mood has changed dramatically - he's now excited about seeing Juliet. It shows how erratic his behaviour can be.

ROMEO: Famine is in thy cheeks,

               Need and oppression starveth in thine eyes,

Romeo's determination to commit suicide is made clear by the way he takes advantage of the apothercary's poverty in order to get the poison. It shows he can be cunning and manipulative to get his own way