Wednesday, October 23, 2019

What are three character traits of Romeo that prove his love for Juliet was real or superficial?

I don't think that it is possible to prove or disprove that Romeo was truly in love with Juliet or not. Different readers will feel differently, and they will be able to support their opinion with evidence. Personally, I don't think that Romeo's love is genuine. I think it is very much a superficial love. I think Romeo is in love with the idea of being in love with a beautiful girl/woman.
When we are first introduced to Romeo, he is sorrowful and whining about the fact that the beautiful Rosaline doesn't love him back. He's so bent out of shape that Rosaline would rather live a life of chastity than love him back that he's practically physically ill.

Well, in that hit you miss: she'll not be hitWith Cupid's arrow; she hath Dian's wit;And, in strong proof of chastity well arm'd,From love's weak childish bow she lives unharm'd.She will not stay the siege of loving terms,Nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes,Nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold:O, she is rich in beauty, only poor,That when she dies with beauty dies her store.

Of course, later that night, Romeo meets Juliet, and his feelings for Rosaline are completely gone. He has transferred all of his loving energies to a new target. This makes Romeo fickle, in my opinion. He's also very superficial, in my opinion. For example, he sees Juliet and within 14 lines of spoken dialogue they are kissing and deeply in love. I see him as being superficial because it is Juliet's physical appearance that he is attracted to and in love with at this point.

O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!It seems she hangs upon the cheek of nightLike a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear;Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows,As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows.The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand,And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight!For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

If Romeo can so easily throw off a previous "love" for another love, then I see Romeo as impulsive, immature, and indecisive. None of those things are character traits that I would associate with a person who is truly in love with another person.

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