By Megan and Erin

 “Romeo and Juliet” written by William Shakespeare is a play in which various characters portray their view on love. The play centres around two families, the Montagues and the Capulets, who have been in a family feud for many generations. Despite their families history, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet fall in love and are determined to be together until their love ends in them both taking their life.

 o Throughout the play Shakespeare presents the reader with different representations of love. In Act One Scene One the characters Sampson and Gregory express their bawdy and smutty attitudes towards women and relationships: “ ‘Tis true, and therefore women being the weaker vessels are ever thrust to the wall: therefore I will push Montague’s men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall. “ o This crude conversation between the servants Sampson and Gregory conveys their perception of women - they only see them as sexual objects and can only see the relationship between men and women in the crudest terms. This contrasts with the real and powerful love which is to develop later between Romeo and Juliet. Sampson and Gregory

 o Shakespeare then introduces Romeo’s unrequited love for Rosaline. He is first shown to the audience as a melancholy and gloomy character who is yearning for Rosaline’s affection: “Why then, O brawling love, O loving hate, O anything, of nothing first create! O heavy lightness, serious vanity, Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms, Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health, Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is!” o Romeo is a very passionate character and is desperate to be loved. His love for Rosaline is an immature and naïve love and is more likely to be a signal that he is ready to be in love. Romeo’s Love for Rosaline

 o We are then introduced to the Nurse’s view of love. In Act One Scene Three she expresses her opinion on love and marriage to Juliet: “And then my husband…took up the child. ‘Yea,’ quoth he, ‘dost thou fall upon thy face? Thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit.” o The Nurse is a comic character who is a foil for Juliet, contrasting Juliet’s youthful innocence with her experience, age and courser outlook on life. Her speech is vulgar as it describes Juliet’s sexual development. The Nurse only views marriage as a physical relationship and sees it as a burden on women. The Nurse’s View of Love

 o In Act One Scene Four Shakespeare introduces Mercutio, a comic character who acts as a foil to Romeo. When Romeo refuses to dance at the feast because he is heartbroken over Rosaline, Mercutio is quick to mock him: “You are a lover, borrow Cupid’s wings And soar within above a common bound.” Mercutio directly contrasts love-struck Romeo as he is sceptical and hot-headed. He makes fun of Romeo’s depression over his unrequited love for Rosaline. He is crude and suggests that Romeo cures himself of love by having sex. Mercutio

  Lady Capulet has a contrasting view of love from other characters in the play. She has a pragmatic attitude as she explains to Juliet how marrying Paris would benefit her; “So you shall share all that he doth possess, By having him make yourself no less.” Lady Capulet has a cold and distant relationship with her daughter Juliet and expects her to agree when she suggests she marry Paris. She is superficial and only wants Juliet to marry him as it would benefit her financially. She views love as a way of benefiting your family through money and not an emotional relationship. Lady Capulet

  Romeo and Juliet have a real, passionate, exciting idea of love. After they see each other for the first time at the Capulet’s party, Romeo goes to Juliet’s house and expresses his love for her from underneath her balcony; “As glorious to this night, being o’er my head, As is a winged messenger of heaven Unto the white-upturned wondering eyes Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him When he bestrides the lazy puffing clouds And sails upon the bosom of the air.” Romeo’s use of celestial imagery conveys his spiritual love for Juliet. He refers to Juliet as a “bright angel” that is “glorious to the night” as she is graceful and beautiful. Juliet is worried that Romeo will be murdered because he is at the Capulet house but he is prepared to risk his life to be near her. Romeo and Juliet