Naive Romeo

Romeo is seen throughout the play as naive and aloof. He doesn't seem to fully grasp consequences, and the way his moods change are childish. Romeo seems to live for drama, and this gets him into trouble time after time.

The first time the aduience is introduced to Romeo's naivety is in the beginning of the play when Romeo is depressed over losing his love, Rosaline. He is naive to the world of love, and completely overdramatisizes the matter, acting like he will never love again.

"What doth her beauty serve as but as a note. Where I may read who passed that passing fair? Farewell. Thou canst not teach me to forget (Act I, i, 244-246)," Romeo whines after going on and on about Rosaline's beauty.

Although Romeo stated hours earlier he could not forget about Rosaline, he goes to a party at the Capulet estate that night and proves his naevity once again when he "falls in love" with Juliet before he even speaks with her. The very next day, he says to his friend Friar Lawrence when confronted about Rosaline, "I have forgot that name and that name's woe."

This really shows Romeo is naive because he does not yet have the adult capabilities to feel deep emotion and think of the consequences to his actions.

Understanding Friar Lawrence

Friar Lawrence can be best described as understanding and helpful. He is very sympathetic towards both Romeo and Juliet considering their situation. For example, when Romeo asks Friar Lawrence to marry him and Juliet, he responded, "In one respect I'll thy assistant be" (Shakespeare II. iii. 97). He, unlike Romeo's parents would, disregards the families Romeo and Juliet come from. Instead of rejecting the two lovers, he agrees to marry them, seeing the true love Romeo has shown for Juliet. Another way the priest has displayed his sympathetic views was towards Juliet. She came to him in a desperate mode looking for help. She had wished to not marry Paris. Her parents, specifically her father, try to force her to marry him. Friar Lawrence sees from her point of view and understands the struggle she is going through. He then devises a plan for her and Romeo happily away from their families. Although this plan turned disastrous and tragic, Friar Lawrence was only hoping for the best. In three words, Friar Lawrence is understanding, helpful, and caring.

Daydreamer Juliet

Juliet is undoubtably a dreamer, as supported by her various soliloquies, which delve into her innermost desires. One such passage is this:

"...Come, gentle night; come, loving black-browed night,

Give me my Romeo, and when I shall die,

Take him and cut him out in little stars,

And he will make the face of heaven so fine

That all the world will be in love with night..." (III.ii.21-26.)

A daydreamer is someone who is often absorbed in their own thoughts. These thoughts are usually fantastical or romanticized projections of what another person's interaction with the daydreamer may be. In this passage, Juliet is anxiously awaiting the arrival of her husband. Instead of doing something useful such as reading or sewing to occupy her time, she dwells on the thought of his arrival. She wonders at the thought of their joining, and then follows that train of thought to join his beauty with that of another beautiful thing: the heavens. These musings of hers can only be defined as daydreams, as they are both fantastical and romanticized.

Cantankerous Capulet

The main man in the Capulet house is very Cantankerous

"Hang thee, young baggage, disobediant wretch!
I tell thee what: get thee to church o' Thursday
or never after look me in the face.
Speak not; reply not; do not answer me"
(III.v.166-169)

"Or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither.
Out, you green-sickness carrion!Out you baggage!
You tallow face"
(III.v.160-163)

In these scenes Capulet is being very cantankerous. Cantankerous means that somone is ill-tempered and difficult to control. In this scene Capulet is threatening to throw Juliet, is thirteen year old daughter out of his house if whe refuses to marry Paris on Thursday.
He does not seem to care if Juliet will be happy or not with Paris. He does not seem to be a happy guy in general. He also calls his daughter baggage, which means a good for nothing women. On top of all this, in the movie, Capulet hits Juliet as well as his wife making his rage immpossible to control. This definatly makes Capulet Cantankerous.

Trait blog -The Nurse

Juliet's nurse reminds me of a grandmother. She is very kind-hearted, tender, and loving. In Juliet’s life, she is an important motherly figure.

“That shall she, marry; I remember it well.

‘Tis the earthquake now eleven years;

And she was weaned (I never shall forget it),”

(I.iii.22-24)

“My Lord and you (Lady Capulet) were then at Mantua.

Nay, I do bear a brain. But, as I said,

When it did taste the wormwood on the nipple

Of my dug and felt it bitty, pretty fool,

To see it tetchy and fall out with the dug!”

(I.iii.27-32)

“She (Juliet) could have run and waddled all about;

For even the day before, she broke her brow;

And then my husband took up the child.”

(I.iii.37-39)

These are just snippets of the dramatic monologue when the Nurse speaks as if she was Juliet’s own mother. She reminisces on all the times of when she was caring for little Juliet. It's almost as if she is bragging to Lady Capulet about all the great times her and Juliet had together throughout Juliet's childhood. She even speaks about when she breastfed Juliet. I think it is very sweet how attentive and thoughtful the Nurse is. I imagine her to be a very cute little old lady that is a bit like Juliet's partner in crime. After all, she is trying to help her out because she loves her and wants her to be happy. Romeo and Friar share a very similar relationship.

Juliet is equal to decieving

Juliet is deceiving. While at Friar Lawrence's cell to disscuss wedding plans with Paris, Juliet in-directly tells him that she is actually married to Romeo; she has no desire to be wed to Paris.

Paris: Happily met,my lafy and my wife!
Juliet: That may be, sir, when I may be a wife... (IV.i.18-19)
Paris: Come you to make confession to this father?
Juliet: To answer that, I should confess to you.
Paris: Do not deny to him that you love me.
Juliet: I confess to you that I love him... (IV.i.23-26)
Paris: Thy face is mine,and thou hast sland'red it.
Juliet: It may be so, for it is not mine own... (IV.i.35-36)

Here is when Juliet gives Paris three distinct clues that she is already married. However, she words herself in such a way that it is hard for Paris to pick up on this. The whole time she is talking to him she is saying how she is already married to Romeo, and that he has no buissness in going forth with the wedding plans. Paris being self-absorbed and anxious to make Juliet his wife, is completley oblivious to what she is really saying, thinking that she is talking about him the whole time. By chosing how she words what she wants to say very carefully, Juliet is able to throw Paris off track of what she really thinks of him; she decieves him into thinking that she is actually in love with him when she is not really at all, her heart belongs to Romeo.

Trait Blog--Citizens of Verona

Select one of the characters from the streets of Verona and explain his or her most salient character trait. Provide at least one passage from the story to demonstrate this. Here is an example for Paris.

Pompous Paris
"Happily met, my lady and my wife" (IV.i.18)


Paris thinks that Juliet is very excited and happy to be marrying him. He thinks that Juliet should be gratful for being able to marry him. In some ways Paris is narcissistic, he is very full of himself. When Juliet replies to Paris's comment, she says,"That may be, sir, when I may be a wife" ( IV.i.19) Juliet statement was directed towards Friar Lawerence, but Paris thought she was talking to him. Paris goes on about how happy she will be once they are husband and wife, not even considering what Juliet has to say. He is narcissistic, he it is always about him and how wonderful he is. Paris does not realy care what Juliet thinks, he looks at thier marriage as a business deal--a business deal that will benefit him. He truly is Pompous Paris.

Trait Blog--House of Capulet

Select one of the characters from the house of Capulet and explain his or her most salient character trait. Provide at least one passage from the story to demonstrate this. Here is an example for Tybalt.


Tybalt; a daring troublemaker
“What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word,
As I hate hell, all Montagues and thee:
Have at thee, coward!”
(I.i.62-64)


It is safe to say that most who read Shakespeare's renowned play, Romeo and Juliet, think of Tybalt as being an intolerable and combative characater. This quote that is said in the streets of Verona clearly illustrates the type of person he is. This personality that Tybalt possesses is essential in the plot of Romeo and Juliet. Many fights spark becuase of his belligerant qualities and his knack for setting people into a mad rage. Not only is he willing to fight at the drop of a hat but he also makes a concerted effort to discrace the Montague nameat the same time. This unfortunate ability to set people off leads to the death of Mercutio and himself. Becuase of TYbalt's death, Lord and Lady Capulet both attempt to rush Juliet into a marriage with Paris. He has ways of transitioning from one tragic event to another.

Trait Blog--House of Montague

Select one of the characters from the house of Montague and explain his or her most salient character trait. Provide at least one passage from the story to demonstrate this. Here is an example for Benvolio (a rather detailed example at that!).

Benvolio; you are Benevolent
…The passive and honorable Benvolio was one to be respected until the end.

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"I Pray thee good Mercutio, let’s retire:
The day is hot, the Capulets abroad,
And, if we meet, we shall not scape a brawl:
For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring."
(III.i.1-2)
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A poor and troubled man torn between his family and what he knows is right. A man that is pulled by his will to do good and the honor of his family. Obviously, this man is confused but the supremacy of right is top quality in his skull. This quote along with anon quotes to come, Benvolio is portrayed as a soft spoken type of man, who would much rather speak with his brains than his weapon. He respects the reputation of his family and his guilt. He sees the truth in killing a man over his last name, the reasoning filled to the brink of stupidity. It is craven and purely insane that they seek such a public place for their ruff housing, and between the belligerent other males Benvolio truly shows his peaceful mind throughout scene III. He does respect their lethal choices but would much prefer that they didn’t act upon them. In a few sections he casually suggests a private place, or a conversation or two to settle things through something else, rather than murder. Throughout most of the book he takes a back seat to other plots, but in this area is where he truly proves his personality. Perhaps, if someone had taken the time to listen to his sensible words, two (even a few more) would be animate.

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“We talk here in the public haunt of men:
Either withdraw unto some private place,
And reason coldly of your grievances,
Or else depart, here all eyes gaze on us.”
(III.i.14-17)
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All in all, Benvolio truly has all human kind on mind, instead of his selfish drive to exterminate elderly foes. Cheers to the Benevolent Benvolio.