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Infatuation In Romeo And Juliet

Decent Essays

Credibility of Romeo’s Love
Love is an emotion many-if not all- desire for in their life, but should a person’s past flings call that love into question? Romeo had strong feelings for two different people in Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, one being Rosaline and the other being Juliet. Romeo’s feelings for Rosaline were more of an infatuation than love, but this does not weaken the credibility of his love of Juliet. There are three reasons that must be taken into account when talking about the connection between his infatuation with Rosaline and his love for Juliet. Many people have infatuations at some point in their lives before they meet someone they truly love, he learns many things from his infatuation that help to deepen his …show more content…

Moreover, Romeo through his infatuation with Rosaline learned valuable lessons that help him come to appreciate and understand the feelings he experiences with Juliet. Romeo felt rejection, sorrow, and misery from his infatuation with Rosaline which is seen when he is talking to Benvolio, “In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman” this particular quote shows the sadness or sorrow he feels from the feelings for Rosaline (1.1.201). Also when he says “She hath forsworn to love”, the words Romeo speaks allow it to be inferred that his feelings for her have been rejected (1.1.220). “At the opening of the play [Romeo] is maundering about like an erotic woman novelist, sighing and groaning because Rosaline will not listen to his tenders of affection” revealing that Romeo’s love was rejected and was upset because of this, allowing him to learn these feelings and what it is like to be rejected by the one he had feelings for (Northwood 19). Due to having felt these emotions from his infatuation, when he finds his love for Juliet and receives love and acceptance from her. Since he went so long, feeling sorrow and rejection when he finally finds Juliet, he can fully appreciate the love and acceptance he is given which intensifies his love for her and does the opposite of weakening the credibility of his love. Through his infatuation with Rosaline, he was able to grow as a person and become able to fully commit to his love for Juliet.

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