Unrequited Love In Romeo And Juliet

In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, he has explored love in a variety of ways, not only romantic. For instance, in the prologue, it emphasises that fate and astrology influences love by referring to Romeo and Juliet as ‘Star-Cross’d lovers.” This phrase illustrates a pair of lovers that cannot be together or are doomed to fail. Throughout the play and especially in the prologue, Shakespeare perpetuates the conception of fate being influential against Romeo and Juliet’s relationship. In 14th century Italy and during Elizabethan England, many believed that stars were associated with fortune and fate and that they could predict human events. It was common for everyone to believe that both good and bad fortune were a component of life. Additionally,

The language he uses seems to be coerced to sound poetic and his initial attraction to Rosaline is derived from her physical appearance. In Act 1, Romeo repeatedly depicts her as alluring, which is revealed by the series of quotes: "One fairer than my love! The all-seeing sun Ne’er saw her match since the world begun.” “She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair.” The repetition of fair and the comparison of her beauty to that of the sun depicts his infatuation with her image as well as presenting his love as impulsive and deeply zealous. Although being captivated by her, he does not comment on her personality, justifying that his love for her is predicated primarily on physical attraction. Rosaline clearly does not reciprocate Romeo's feelings which may provoke Romeos unconscious desire to pursue unavailable women, highlighting him a Petrarchan lover. The concept of a Petrarchan lover stems from Petrach’s sonnets, an Italian poet, where he admires a woman named Laura. Petrach’s attitude towards Laura mirrors Romeo's demeanour, as it is unrequited and juvenile. Romeo uses similar language and themes as Pertrach to convey himself as lyrical and romantic, which stimulates the impression of it being recited from his