The love story of Romeo and Juliet is well known to most people, but one might forget that Romeo was initially not in love with Juliet; he met her later. His first love was a girl named Rosalina, who, like Juliet, was from the Capulet family. To see Rosaline, Romeo came to the Capulets’ house for a masquerade ball, and it was there that he first met Juliet. At the beginning of the play, the hero behaves like an immature romantic; he desires to conquer an inaccessible girl:
“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs,
Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers’ eyes,
Being vexed, a sea nourished with loving tears” (Shakespeare 1.1.180-185).
In this way, it is clear that love is not always soft but sometimes harsh, heartbreaking, and distressing. Romeo understands that this emotion is not easy; it can bring hardship and disappointment. He uses the metaphor “love is a smoke”, thus demonstrating that feelings obscure his eyes and mind. Romeo interprets love as the result of the countless heartaches that one endures, which leads to despair and sadness.
The metaphor in Romeo’s monologue conveys all the emotions and experiences of the hero. His love is impulsive, reckless, and spontaneous in its emergence, which so profoundly embraces the whole being of the hero that it becomes difficult for him to continue his ordinary life. Meetings with friends recede into the background, for his only goal is to win the heart of his rebellious lover. The head character is so excited in his wild passion that he is like lightning looking for a place to strike. Therefore, it becomes clear that the love and tragedy of Romeo and Rosaline’s love are intertwined in Act I. Romeo’s discouragement with true love suddenly turns into a budding love for Juliet, who comes from a lineage with which Romeo’s family has had a long-running feud.
Work Cited
Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Dover Publications, 1993.