| Romeo Montague | Basic: Good- Handsome, smart, sensitive, respected, idealistic Bad- Immature, impulsive, emotional/angstMaturing: Comic lover-inflated infatuation for Rosaline Traditional lover- intense and genuine love for JulietBlood feud view: not interested in violenceProving seriousness of feelings: Secretly marries Juliet Takes abuse from TybaltRather die than live w/o JulietGood friends w/: Benvolio, Friar Lawrence, MercutioChange: Maturity- 1.1: exaggerated feelings, love sick |
| Juliet Capulet | Basic: Beautiful, innocent, naiveLove view: Thought about little until meets RomeoRestraints: Daughter of aristocratic family -> no freedomCourage: Trusts life to R, doesn’t believe worst about him Turns away closest friend (Nurse) when she rejects R Defies parents & faces death twice |
| Friar Lawrence | Brother of Franciscan order, R’s confessor, advisor to R & JPersonality: kind, civic-minded, cautiousMarries J & R w/ hope of restoring peace between the familiesHelper: Gives J potion making her look dead for 42 hrs (avoid marrying Paris) |
| Mercutio | Personality: Quick-tempered, bawdy, talkative, Sees love as purely physicalLikes: wordplay, puns, double entendreNeither Capulet nor Montague but sides w/ Montague (kinsman of the Prince)Brave: Defends Romeo’s honor, killed |
| Nurse | Essentially Juliet’s mother: nursed her, much closer relationshipComic relief: talkative, bawdyLoyalty: Messenger for R & JBetrayal: Advises J to forget RView on love: Earthy & physical (contrasts w/ J’s intense & idealistic view) Thinks sacrificing oneself for love is incomprehensibleThinking traits: rambling mind, fascination w/ innuendo |
| Tybalt | Personality: Hot-tempered, strong sense of honor, vain, aggressiveLikes: Fights, defending his honorDislikes: MontaguesNickname: “Prince of Cats” |
| Capulet | Loves J but doesn’t understand her thoughts/feelings First asks Paris to wait until J is older for them to get married Thinks what’s best for her is marriage to ParisPersonality: cautious, wants respect & propriety (upset when gets neither) Possibly physically abusive (“My fingers itch”, lashes out) |
| Lady Capulet | Married young, wants J to do so as wellIneffective: Relies on nurse for moral & practical supportStrained relationship w/ daughter (J much closer to nurse) Ignores J’s pleas to have her not marry ParisVengeful: wants R to pay for Tybalt’s death |
| Montague | Concerned w/ R’s melancholy |
| Lady Montague | View on feud: dislikes violenceCares about R: Concerned about his depressed behavior, dies of grief after exile |
| Paris | Preferred by Capulet as J’s suitorCares about J but doesn’t really know herPresuming: Acts as though he & J were married after Capulet’s blessing Almost possessiveNice: Good intentions & attractive |
| Benvolio | Blood feud: Genuine effort to stop the violenceNot so good?: Mercutio claims he has a secret temperGood friend to Romeo: Tries to make him forget about RosalineTrusted: Montagues ask him about R’s sad behavior Prince asks him what happened in the fight |
| Prince Escalus | Tries to keep peace but can’t stop blood feud |
| Friar John | Sent by Friar L to send the message of J’s faked deathHeld up in quarantine so can’t reach Romeo |
| Rosaline | Beautiful & unattainable (took vow of chastity) |
| Sampson and Gregory | Late teens?Low ranking servants: employed by 1 of top families (well cared for, uniform)Limited rank but better off than others |
| Apothecary | The poor person that sells the poison to RomeoKnows that the consequence of selling poison is death, but because he is so poor, he is willing to take the risk (and Romeo offers him a really good deal) |
Romeo and Juliet Characters
August 10, 2019