Friday, April 12, 2013

In Romeo and Juliet, how can you compare the love Romeo feels for Juliet as appose to the love he felt for Rosalind?

Very good question! When thinking about Romeo and his
infatuation with Rosalind, it is important to consider Act II scene 4, when Romeo tells
the Friar about his new-found love for Juliet and how it has superseded his former love
for Juliet. What is interesting is how the Friar talks about his former relationship
with Rosalind. Note how the Friar says to Romeo that he had chided him for "doting, not
for loving, pupil mine," which suggests that from the Friar's perspective at least Romeo
was completely infatuated rather than in love with Rosalind. Also let us consider what
Romeo himself says about his love for Juliet, and how he implicitly compares his love
for her with his love for Rosalind. Somewhat exasperatedly he says to the
Friar:



I pray
thee chide me not. Her I love now


Doth grace for grace and
love for love allow.


The other did not
so.



Although therefore he
does recognise that his affections have changed rather swiftly, at least he himself
identifies the difference with his relationship with Juliet. This relationship is one of
equals, where grace matches grace and love is wedded with love. He is able to state
categorically that his relationship with Rosalind, perhaps supporting what the Friar
said, did not allow for such a marriage of true minds.

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