Romeo is portrayed as extremely impulsive, immature, and passionate in several instances throughout the play. Romeo’s impulsive nature causes him to fall quickly in and out of love and also make rash decisions. The quick, and sometimes reckless, decisions he makes show his immaturity and passion. The play starts with a melancholy Romeo mourning Rosaline’s refusal of his love. He is convinced that he will never get over her as Benvolio and Mercutio try to tell him that there are plenty of other beautiful and available females. Romeo has an immature concept of love as he thinks he loves her, but the reader can tell that it is infatuation as he really doesn’t know her that well yet.
Later, when Romeo and his friends find out about the party at the Capulet’s household, Romeo agrees to go in hopes of seeing Rosaline once more. His immaturity is shown here as he thinks that even though Rosaline has made her decision to join a nunnery, he can convince her otherwise by seeing her at a party. At the party, he shows his true impulsive nature when he falls in love at first sight with Juliet. After days of expressing his extreme sadness over Rosaline’s rejection, he immediately forgets about Rosaline when he sees Juliet at the party. He even says, "Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! / For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night" (I.5.52-53). Here he is claiming that he has never loved before tonight and that he has never seen real beauty before either. This shows how quickly he changes his mind, showing his impulsive nature.
Throughout the play, Romeo also displays his passionate love and loyalty to those he cares about. Although he is not typically a violent person, he kills Tybalt to avenge the death of Mercutio. His passion for those important to him led to this rash action. Later, when he is told that Juliet is dead, he also shows his passion for Juliet as he begins to plan his suicide. His extremely passionate personality has led to him believing that he can’t live without her. Additionally, these actions show his impulsivity and immaturity because he does not think before he acts, and he lets his emotions control his actions.
These are just a few examples of how Romeo is portrayed as impulsive, immature, and passionate in the play Romeo and Juliet. These characteristics play a role in the tragic ending of the play.
William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet portrays Romeo Montague as impulsive and ruled by his emotions. At the beginning of the play he is completely head over heels and pining for a woman named Rosaline, but one glance at Juliet Capulet and he changes his tune. He allows this instant infatuation to rule him, making the impulsive decision to visit her at her window after the Capulet's party. Romeo and Juliet have the following exchange:
JULIET
How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore?The orchard walls are high and hard to climb,And the place death, considering who thou art,If any of my kinsmen find thee here.ROMEO
With love's light wings did I o'er-perch these walls;For stony limits cannot hold love out,And what love can do that dares love attempt;Therefore thy kinsmen are no let to me.
This is the first of many times throughout the play when Romeo will disregard danger and threats to his own life for the sake of love. Though his friend Mercutio teases him for his lovesick ways, calling him "Romeo! Humours! Madman! Passion! Lover!," and his adviser Friar Lawrence repeatedly advises Romeo to take caution and think before he acts ("Wisely and slow, they stumble that run fast"), ultimately Romeo will sacrifice his life because he is so unwilling to live without love.
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