Physical Attraction Between Romeo and Juliet Essay Example

The book Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare focuses on the tragic story of Romeo and Juliet. Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet meet and instantly fall in love. It is true love at first sight, an amazing love story, but, throughout the story, Romeo makes little comments on Juliet's appearance, which proves how love at first sight does not exist.

The first time Romeo meets Juliet is at the party that the Capulets are throwing. He goes to see his love interest, Rosaline. During the party he sees Juliet and instantly changes his feelings towards Rosaline, "Did my heart love till now? Forswear it sight!/ For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night",(1.5.52-53). Romeo claims that he has never loved before. He denies the idea that he has ever loved Rosaline and instantly forgets the woman he was lovesick over, as soon as he sees Juliet. He then states that he has never seen ‘true beauty’. At this point, he has never even spoken to Juliet. She is just some girl whom he has looked at once. So the idea that he loves her solely based on looking at her is impossible. It is based on physical attraction which has nothing to do with love. He likes Juliet according to her looks and nothing else. It is not love at first sight; it is, hey, this girl is pretty, I wanna marry her.

After this, they meet up and kiss. This was very bad during the time as it made women less valuable. Romeo then meets her again and they plan to get married when Romeo goes to plan the wedding and ask Friar Laurence, a priest who is close to Romeo, to plan the wedding he explains what happened, "We met, we woo'd, and made exchange of vow",(2.3.62) It is quick. Everything about this line explains how quick it was. He got to speak to her, they kissed and now they are going to get married. Love, at first sight, seems great but the idea that you can look at someone and then two days later plan to get married does not make sense. Romeo likes Juliet and he has expressed that before, but love. In two days he is fully in love. Even Friar Laurence seems surprised by this information, "Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here!"(2.3.65). It is quick and he knows this. Friar Laurence just heard about Romeo loving Rosaline and now there is someone else. In two days. He has every right to be surprised. Most people wait quite a while to get married so that you can get to know them. Their flaws, their imperfections, not just the things you like. So this relationship has progressed very suddenly and Friar Laurence makes his opinion on that clear.

The next day Romeo and Juliet get married in secret. A few hours later Romeo goes into town and a bit of an issue arises. Montague and Capulet, Juliet, and Romeo's families have a feud going on that has been going on for a very long time, and Romeo runs into some friends. Benvolio Montague and Mercutio(friend of Romeo) are enjoying themselves in Verona when Tybalt comes. Tybalt is a Capulet and he does not like the Montagues very much. Benvolio and Mercutio are bickering with Tybalt. When Romeo sees this he tries to calm them down explaining how he now cares about Tybalt but cannot tell him why (because he married Juliet, Tybalt's cousin). Tybalt who takes this sarcastically starts to fight, He kills Mercutio, and then Romeo fights Tybalt but as he begins he states, "O sweet Juliet,/ Thy beauty has made me effeminate",(3.1.112-113). Juliet, the girl who is not there, is getting blamed for Romeo’s actions of violence, even after Romeo kills Tybalt. Juliets beauty more specifically looks, is getting blamed. Again you could say it is her personality but they don't know each other that well. When this takes place, being feminine was a bad thing. It was weak and not something you wanted to be. So Juliets looks have made Romeo weak. He did not say his love for her or her personality, he said her looks. This line shows how much her beauty matters to him. Why love, at first sight, is based on appearance, you can not fall in love with someone by one look. But you can think they look good. The idea that even after they are married, Juliets looks are the most important thing to Romeo makes it clear why love, at first sight, is not a thing. 

Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet are kids who love the idea of love. The idea that they are destined to be together they can make this horrible situation work through the power of true love. But through Romeo's words and emotions towards Juliet, this proves how love, at first sight, does not exist and is solely a physical attraction.