Literary Analysis Love Essay

Celine Wang
Mr. Johnson
English II, Block A
6 February 2015
Types of Love in Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet, a play by William Shakespeare, is arguably the epitome of love stories. Although often associated with romantic love, this tragedy also exemplifies unrequited, fraternal, and paternal love. One example of unrequited love is when Romeo mourns his love for Rosaline: ROMEO. Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs […] What is it else? A madness most discreet, A choking gall, and a preserving sweet […]
Well in that hit you miss. She’ll not be hit […] And, in strong proof of chastity well armed, From love’s weak childish bow she lives uncharmed. She will not stay the siege of loving terms […] Nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold (i.i. 216-222)
Romeo is madly in love with Rosaline. Romeo bewails how Rosaline cannot return the feelings that he has for her. The fact that Rosaline will not even accept rich gifts in exchange for her love emphasizes the one-sided love. This quote also indirectly characterizes Romeo as a foolish and masochistic boy. He believes that he is experiencing true love, even though it is unreturned. He also associates love with pain and enjoys it. This quote is important because it portrays Romeo as a boy whose head is in the clouds about love and is convinced that love is a euphoric and painful experience. Shakespeare also shows paternal love with the relationship between Prince Escalus and Verona. Escalus breaks up a fight between the Montagues and Capulets: ESCALUS. Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace […] By thee, old Capulet, and Montague, Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets And made Verona’s ancient citizens Cast by their grave-beseeming ornaments […] If ever you disturb our streets again, Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace. (i.i. 83-99) Prince Escalus loves Verona and all its inhabitants. He breaks up the fight because it is causing disruption in the streets and disturbing the citizens. Escalus’ love for Verona is shown to be strong because he goes out of his way to break up two houses highest on the social scale in order to preserve the calmness of the other citizens. Interestingly enough, Escalus does not kill the brawling Montagues and Capulets right away, even though he has the power to do so. Because even though they have disturbed other citizens, they themselves are still citizens of Verona. Escalus instead threatens to kill whoever starts another fight. This goes to show how Escalus still loves each and every citizen of Verona and tries to abstain from harming them whenever possible.
Lastly, Shakespeare demonstrates fraternal love with Romeo and Benvolio: BENVOLIO. Be ruled by me. Forget to think of her. ROMEO. O, teach me how I should forget to think! BENVOLIO. By giving liberty unto thine eyes. Examine other beauties. ROMEO. ‘Tis the way […] Farewell. Thou canst not teach me to forget. BENVOLIO. I’ll pay that doctrine or else die in debt. (i.i. 233-247)
Because he is close to Romeo, Benvolio knows of his friend’s infatuation with Rosaline. He beseeches Romeo to listen to his advice. This quote directly shows how persistent Benvolio is. Benvolio continually coaxes Romeo to listen to him even though Romeo’s decision-making skills are not functioning properly because he is in love. Romeo denies that Benvolio can make him forget about Rosaline, but Benvolio insists that he can and figuratively bets his life on it. Shakespeare cleverly showed the friends’ love for each other by making them share an iambic pentameter. He also made the last couplet rhyme. These three types of love are not romantic, yet they certainly influence the romantic love conflict in the play. If Benvolio did not love Romeo, then he would not have attempted to take his friend’s mind off of Rosaline by crashing the Capulet party. Consequently, Romeo meets and falls in love with Juliet, which is the main conflict in the play. Although not as spotlighted as their romantic counterpart, the unrequited, paternal, and fraternal love expressed in Romeo and Juliet contributes to what makes the title so illustrious today.