Romeo has been passively moping over Rosaline since the opening of the play. We do not know how difficult it is for him to see and speak to her but, since Juliet is the only daughter of his family's greatest enemy, presumably Rosaline would be easier for him to approach than Juliet is. When he sees Juliet, however, Romeo suddenly becomes dynamic and active. His approach is one which would be brusque and even obnoxious if he were not sure of his ground, suddenly grabbing her hand and offering to kiss her, but he is perfectly sure, as he never is with Rosaline, that his love will be reciprocated.
The formation of a perfect sonnet between the two lovers with the first words they exchange is a brilliant symbol of the reciprocity of their love, the way in which these two people can talk to each other in a way they have never been able to talk to anyone else. When Romeo next spars with Mercutio in act 2, scene 4, he is more than a match for his wit, since his love for Juliet invigorates him rather than making him dull and sullen, as his feelings for Rosaline did.
Romeo's certainty and courage, as well as his benevolence toward Tybalt show that this love is completely different from the conventional romantic love he professed at the beginning of the play. It has made a new man of him.
I think an argument can be made that Romeo's essential character does not actually change in act 1, scene 5. He's still very much the same person he was before—with many of the same traits. The only thing that has changed is the subject of his infatuations.
When Romeo is introduced, he is already deeply infatuated with Rosaline, and as we see in his conversations during these earlier scenes that his emotions tend to be deeply intense and all-consuming. Later, in act 1, scene 5, we find out that nothing truly changes on this account. The only real change is that the object of his affections is transferred from Rosaline to Juliet. And note, furthermore, that these emotions are transferred at a distance: he spies her from across the room and almost instantaneously falls in love.
Note, additionally, that Romeo never really does learn to control his passions. This is a factor which will play a key role in shaping the misfortune which follows in the play.
I might argue that Romeo does not change at this point in the play. He is a Petrarchan lover. He is in love with the idea of being in love with a beautiful girl. It is an all consuming passion of his and when the girl doesn't reciprocate his feelings, he is almost literally sick. This is Romeo's problem in the first few scenes of the play. He is desperately in love with Rosaline, but she would rather be a nun than return his feelings. Then Romeo sees Juliet, and the dear beautiful Rosaline is forgotten. He says less than 100 words to Juliet, and then they are kissing. He is still a Petrarchan lover and Juliet just happens to be his current fascination. I don't believe that Romeo truly changes. The big change is who he is in love with and the fact that Juliet reciprocates his feelings. Therefore, Romeo stops whining and being sick.
Up until this point, Romeo has been mooning around, suffering from unrequited love (or lust) for Rosaline. His father is worried about him, because he wanders around at night and stays in his room by day. His friend Benvolio persuades Romeo to go in disguise to the rival Capulet family ball, saying there will many beautiful ladies there to take his mind off of Rosaline. Romeo says that won't work, and he will never find anyone to replace Rosaline, but agrees to go anyway.
At the ball, in Act I, scene 5, Romeo meets Juliet and instantly falls in love, forgetting all about Rosaline. He changes from a moping, lovesick creature pining for Rosaline to a young man overjoyed, on top of the world, and ecstatic to have found Juliet.
No comments:
Post a Comment