Romeo is seen as a courtly lover

At the start of both plays neither Romeo nor Claudio shows signs of obvious pride. In a tragedy the main character is a victim of fate and Shakespeare directs the reader’s attention to the important part fate plays in the lives of the lovers. Romeo is portrayed a hopeless romantic. At first he is depressed about his one sided love towards Rosaline, his love is ‘brawling’ as if love were his enemy and his hate is ‘loving’ because he’s in love with Rosaline despite her indifference. This string of paradoxes shows that Romeo knows that love is both sweet and painful. He uses the ‘fire sparkling in lovers eyes’ to symbolize the passion you feel in love and the ‘loving tears’ to symbolize the pain. He also admits that love can make you mad, even if you are discreet about it. Here he shows signs of a mature man, whose heart knows how to love. The theme of fate in the lives of Romeo and Juliet is shown in Scenes 3, 4, and 5. Romeo was persuaded by Benvolio to attend the ball. He consent to go only to watch Rosaline, not knowing that he will meet his only true love, Juliet. Both Romeo and Juliet fall instantly in love with one another. It is also fate that Lord Capulet refuses to allow Tybalt to vent his anger against Romeo, and even allows Romeo to remain at the ball. Romeo is awe-struck by her grace and beauty, and he completely forgets Rosaline. His signs of maturity seem to fade and the fact weather he really knows what love is. One glance of another woman makes him forget about the one he grieved and believed was the most beautiful in the world.
Throughout the play there is a contrast between light and dark images. Rosaline becomes associated with darkness and Juliet with lightness. The imagery of light is illustrated by such comparisons as Juliet’s beauty to the brightness of ‘torches’, ‘ jewels’ , and a ‘snowy dove’. The white key colour symbolises Juliet’s purity. The first conversation between Romeo and Juliet uses religious overtone to clearly imply that