Romeo And Juliet Infatuation

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is one of the most famous ‘love stories’ of all time, but does that title truly fit this tragedy? Was Romeo and Juliet’s love written in the stars? Was it love or was it simply fervent infatuation? Throughout the play, although Romeo and Juliet did show quite strong feelings for one another, it was not enough to call it ‘love’. Two teens caught up in their own small world, blind not to see what consequences their actions would create. Their bond could not be classified as love because of Romeo’s shallowness, their lack of emotional intimacy, and Romeo’s selfishness. Romeo was a shallow character. The second he laid his eyes upon Juliet, he claimed he fell in love. He went on a whole spiel concerning her beauty, comparing her to the candles and how she lights up the room by saying, “O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!” (1.5. 49). However, earlier that day
They declared their feelings without knowing a single thing about the other person. Juliet tells Romeo, “If that thy bent of love be honorable/ Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow,” (2.2. 157-158). They had no deep, personal connection. That is not love. Love is knowing every little thing about the other person, the good as well as the bad, and still accepting them. Romeo and Juliet knew close to nothing about one another. So why did Romeo and Juliet call it ‘love’? Juliet was young and impressionable. She was not in love, she was in love with the feeling he gave her. When Romeo confessed his feelings, she mistook her infatuation for love. She thought if Romeo ‘loved’ her, she had to love him back. The reason Romeo pronounced his love, conversely was to get Juliet to marry him. Even though they may have made each other happy, that does not mean it was love. They were only trying to convince themselves they were in love to justify their reckless actions. However, you cannot force