Romeo

• Romeo 

  AO1 - Romantic/ Petrarchan lover
• Romeo 

  AO1 - Romantic/ Petrarchan lover

  'It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.'
• AO2: Metaphor to show Romeo needs Juliet. Connotations of sun- warm, bright (to symbolise hope and purity), basic human need. BUT their ‘death mark’d’ love is foreshadowed as the sun can be dangerous
• AO3: Petrarch’s ideas of love were clichéd: “Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs” (1.1.). Lovers’ “sighs” feature often in Petrarch’s sonnets. When Romeo sees Juliet for the first time, however, he begins to make original and striking comparisons: “she hangs upon the cheek of night / As a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear” (1.5.). Nothing in this line is a cliché, and the comparison of Juliet to an earring is quite unlikely.
• Romeo has also punned on Juliet’s name, because “Jule,” pronounced “Jewel,” was a common short form of Juliet at the time. This indicates his love for Juliet is genuine.
• Romeo 

  AO1 - Irresponsible

  “I fear too early, for my mind misgives;

  Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars,

  Shall bitterly begin ” - He's about to enter the Capulet party
• • AO2: Reference to the stars implies he blames fate instead of his own impulsive actions, such as killing Tybalt. Shakespeare also presents him as a victim of fate, however, through dramatic irony, as the audience heard he and Juliet were ‘star cross’d lovers’ in the prologue and so Romeo’s words foreshadow the tragedy.
• • AO3: Romeo, like many Elizabethans, believed in the power of fate and thinks he is ‘fortune’s fool’, controlled by a greater force. Both societies, scarred by tragedy, subscribed to the philosophy formulated by the imprisoned Roman statesman and philosopher Boethius who said that Fortune—both good and bad—is part of life and, along with God, controls human destiny. Further, he insisted that Fortune is random and that adverse fortune is a greater teacher than good fortune.
• Romeo 

  AO1 Reckless

  “fire-ey’d fury be my conduct now”
• AO2: Romeo is presented as a dynamic character. Alliteration draws attention to the ‘fury’ which contrasts with the ‘soften’d’ character we see with Juliet. He is strong and passionate in duels as well as love.
• AO3: Like many Elizabethan young males, he is prepared to fight to the death to avenge Mercutio’s death, which shows he is loyal and has a violent side.
• Romeo Presented as

  • Respected: “a virtuous and well-governed youth” 

  • Witty: his humour is described as “most sharp” by friends