How does Shakespeare show different attitudes to love Essay Example

that Romeo is not in love with Rosaline, just in love with the idea of being in love with her. He is besotted with her, and the fact that she does not feel the same about him only makes him long for her even more.

"Romeo: Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health!"

With Romeo combing two seemingly contradictory ideas to describe what his love feels like, it is becoming even more apparent that Romeo is confused and unsure of his feelings for Rosaline.

The next attitude to love is where the Capulet's demonstrate their love for their daughter, Juliet.

"Capulet: My child is yet a stranger to the world;

She hath not seen the change of fourteen years,

Let two more summers with in their pride,

Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride."

The discussion between Capulet and Paris, about Juliet shows that he is more than just the "Doting Dad". It is evident that he is willing to bend the rules of society for his daughter, and allow her to stay unmarried for two more years, which shows that he has her best interests at heart.

"The earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she,

She is the hopeful lady of my earth."

This strong form of unconditional love Capulet has for his daughter is proven in both quotes. The word "hopeful" is important because it can be interpreted in two ways. The first being that he holds high hopes for Juliet, and wishes her to go far in life, and other being that when ever anything bad has happened, Juliet has always bought hope back into his life.

Despite the evidence that Capulet dearly loves Juliet, there is confirmation

that Lady Capulet shows little maternal instinct towards her daughter.

"Lady Capulet: Nurse, where's my daughter? Call her forth to me.

[ . . . ]

Juliet: Madam, I am here. What is your will?"

The way Lady Capulet asks Nurse to call her daughter shows that she is not interested in being a mother. The formal way Juliet responds to her mothers' commands, by calling her "Madam" indicates that they do not spend much, if any, time together, and their mother/daughter relationship is non existent.

Nurse, on the other hand, is very caring and motherly towards Juliet, and it appears to the audience she actually cares more than Lady Capulet.

"Thou wast the prettiest babe that I e'er nursed"

This further reveals my previous point, that Nurse cares more for Juliet than her own mother does. The fact that, although Nurse once had a daughter, she said Juliet was "prettiest babe I e'er nursed" meaning she loved her more than any other baby she ever cared for.