Romeo

• 'Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous and it pricks like a thorn' - Romeo


  Romeo is questioning loves intentions. This illustrates how rosaline has changed him. The use of asyndetic listing builds tension, and the climax of the list being the simile of 'pricks like a thorn' has a double meaning, literal pain but also beauty like a rose
• 'But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east and Juliet is the sun, Arise fair sun and kill the envious moon' - Romeo


  As he approaches Juliets bedroom, he describes her with astrological imagery, suggesting that he believes their love is not earthbound but transcendent. Juliet is a force as powerful as the sun, the centre of the universe. However astrological imagery also reminds the audience of the prologue where they are fated to die.
• 'I defy you stars!' - Romeo


  Romeo refuses to accept Juliets death. He decides to return to Verona to defy the 'stars' (fate) but only succeeds in bringing about his fate, which illustrates that the lovers destiny are inescapable. Callback to the prologue, 'Star-crossed lovers'
• 'Alas that love, whose view is muffled still, should without eyes see pathways to his will.' - Romeo


  Reference to Cupid who is blindfolded but had the ability to make people fall in love. Less mature love for Rosaline. This couplet combines two cliches 'love is blind' and 'love will find a way' these expressions and the rhyming would've been ridiculous to a contemporary audience and Benvolio and Mercutio repeatedly mock him for this.
• 'I fear too early, for my mind misgives; some consequence yet hanging in the stars, shall bitterly begin' - Romeo


  Romeo agrees to go to the capulets ball but fears it may start a chain reaction ending in tragedy. Throughout the play, we get a sense that the lovers fate is inescapable. The astrological imagery reminds the audience of the prologue. 'Too early' is dramatic irony as the audience are aware the lovers will die young. 'Hanging' connotes death and executions
• 'O me, what fray was here? Yet tell me not for I have heard it all. Here's much to do with hate, but more with love' - Romeo


  Romeos first appearance, establishing he stands for less fighting over centuries-long feuds. He compares the fights to his love for rosaline, establishing the close connection of love and violence during the play.
• 'O sweet Juliet, Thy beauty hath made me effeminate and in my temper softened valours steel!' - Romeo


  Romeo regrets not fighting Tybalt himself, and letting mercutio die. This is a turning point, up until now, Romeo has been trying to free himself from the generational feud and the masculine code of honour that keeps it alive. When he blames Juliet's love and beauty for making him 'Effeminate', he embraces the masculine code again.
• 'O brawling love! O loving hate!' - Romeo


  -Talks in oxymorons throughout act one, until he meets Juliet.

  -Love for rosaline is brawling because it feels like an internal battle for him - he cannot stop himself from loving her and feels physical pain due to the strength of his love.

  -'loving hate' as he hates the situation he is in, yet he loves rosaline.
• 'O, I am fortune's fool' - Romeo


  -Romeo sees himself as controlled by a predetermined fate

  -puts the idea of fate back into the audiences mind and reminds them of the plays outcome
• 'Did my heart love till now... For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night' - Romeo


  -immediately forgets Rosaline and realises what he felt for her wasn't love, but lust

  -Pinpoints the moment Romeo falls for Juliet

  -hyperbole to comment on Juliet's beauty, and saying he has fallen in love with her due to that

  -could suggest he is still very immature at this point
• 'Good Capulet - which name I tender as dearly as my own - be satisfied' - Romeo


  -contrasts the central theme of the feud, Romeo is the first character to push these grudges aside

  -uses the adjective 'good' to describe Tybalt, in an attempt to calm him down. It only aggravates him more.

  -Highlights Romeo's growing maturity at this point in the play
• 'Mercutio's soul is a little above our heads... either you, or I, or both must go with him' - Romeo


  -looses control of his emotions and attacks tybalt to get revenge

  -Shows how Romeos personality changes in an instant

  -suddenly becomes obsessed with vengeance

  -Cares very little for himself or Juliet at this point
• 'Nothing can be ill, if she be well' - Romeo


  -Completely obsessed with his love for Juliet even in exile

  -Jovial tone contrasts the news he is about to receive (Juliets 'death')
• 'Wilt thou provoke me? Then have at thee, boy!' - Romeo


  -He tried to avoid conflict with Paris, but Paris wanted to fight

  -shows that Romeos personality has changed since act 1

  -Uses the insulting noun 'boy' to disrespect Paris

  -Paris is used to display a different type of love to Romeos, a more mature, adult love that is more serious.
• 'Shake the yoke of inauspicious stars from this world-wearied flesh' - Romeo


  -He feels that fate has made him weary of life

  -The only way to take control of his fate is to commit suicide

  -Final reference to the 'stars' seals the lovers fate from the beginning

  -small aspect of dramatic irony as the audience are already aware of the outcome