Romeo Montague
Encyclopedia
Romeo is one of the fictional protagonists in Shakespeare
's Romeo and Juliet
. Romeo is the son of old Montague and his wife, who secretly loves and marries Juliet
, a member of the rival House of Capulet. Forced into exile by his slaying of Tybalt
, Juliet's cousin, in a duel
, Romeo commits suicide
upon hearing falsely of Juliet's death.
The character's origins can be traced as far back as Pyramus, who appears in Ovid's
Metamorphoses, but the first modern incarnation of Romeo is Mariotto in the 33rd of Masuccio Salernitano's
Il Novellino (1476). This story was adapted by Luigi da Porto
as Giulietta e Romeo (1530), and Shakespeare's main source was an English verse translation
of this text by Arthur Brooke. Although both Salernitano and da Porto claimed that their stories had historical basis
, there is little evidence that this is the case.
Romeo is one of the most important characters of the play, and has a consistent presence throughout it. His role as an idealistic lover has lead the word "Romeo" to become a synonym for a passionate male lover in various languages. Although often treated as such, it is not clear that "Montague" is a surname in the modern sense.
' Ephesiaca, whose hero is a Habrocomes.The character of Romeo is also similar to that of Pyramus in Ovid's
Metamorphoses, a youth who is unable to meet the object of his affection due to an ancient family quarrel, and later kills himself due to mistakenly believing her to have died. Although it is unlikely that Shakespeare directly borrowed from Ovid while writing Romeo and Juliet
, the story was likely an influence on the Italian writers who the playwright was greatly indebted to. The two sources which Shakespeare most likely consulted himself are Brookes' translation of de Porta and W. Painter's The goodly historye of the true, and constant Love between Rhomeo and Iulietta.
. His cousin Benvolio, wishing to distract him from his romantic plight, takes him and his friend Mercutio, uninvited and disguised, to a feast at the house of the Capulets. There he meets and falls in love with Juliet
, the daughter of Lord and Lady Capulet. Romeo again meets her after the feast, as she laments her love for him from her balcony. Through a meeting with Juliet's Nurse
, Romeo arranges for them to be married secretly by Friar Lawrence
. When Tybalt
, Juliet's cousin, insults Romeo in the streets the next day, he is prevented by his now familial relation with Tybalt from defending his honour. His friend Mercutio, exasperated by this, fights Tybalt, and is killed by him. Romeo, seeking revenge, kills Tybalt, which results in him being exiled from the city by the Prince. He leaves the next morning, having consummated his marriage with Juliet. Juliet, whose father intends to marry her to an aristocrat, Paris, unbeknownst to Romeo takes a potion, provided by Father Lawrence, which places her in a death-like coma. She is therefore buried, and a messenger is sent to Romeo to tell him that Juliet is in fact alive, who unfortunately is unable to reach him to due to the plague. Romeo, genuinely believing Juliet to be dead, travels to her grave, where he meets and kills Paris. When he sees her body, he kills himself, moments before she awakes; when Juliet sees that Romeo is dead, she kills herself in turn shortly thereafter. The tragedy leads to the end of the feud between the two families.
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
. Romeo is the son of old Montague and his wife, who secretly loves and marries Juliet
Juliet
Juliet is one of the title characters in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet, the other being Romeo. She is the daughter of old Capulet, head of the house of Capulet. The story has a long history that precedes Shakespeare himself....
, a member of the rival House of Capulet. Forced into exile by his slaying of Tybalt
Tybalt
Tybalt is a fictional character and the main antagonist in William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. He is Lady Capulet's nephew, Juliet's hot-tempered cousin and Romeo's rival. Tybalt shares the same name as the character Tibert/Tybalt the "Prince of Cats" in Reynard the Fox, a point of...
, Juliet's cousin, in a duel
Duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
, Romeo commits suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
upon hearing falsely of Juliet's death.
The character's origins can be traced as far back as Pyramus, who appears in Ovid's
Ovid
Publius Ovidius Naso , known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who is best known as the author of the three major collections of erotic poetry: Heroides, Amores, and Ars Amatoria...
Metamorphoses, but the first modern incarnation of Romeo is Mariotto in the 33rd of Masuccio Salernitano's
Masuccio Salernitano
Masuccio Salernitano , born Tommaso Guardati, was an Italian poet.Born in Salerno or Sorrento, he is best known today for Il Novellino, a collection of 50 "novelle" or short stories, each prefaced by a letter of dedication to a famous person and with an epilogue containing the "moral" of the...
Il Novellino (1476). This story was adapted by Luigi da Porto
Luigi Da Porto
Luigi Da Porto was an Italian writer and storiographer, better known as the author of the novel with the story of Romeo and Juliet, later reprised by William Shakespeare for his famous drama....
as Giulietta e Romeo (1530), and Shakespeare's main source was an English verse translation
The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet
The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet is a narrative poem, first published in 1562 by Arthur Brooke, who is reported to have translated it from an Italian novella by Matteo Bandello...
of this text by Arthur Brooke. Although both Salernitano and da Porto claimed that their stories had historical basis
Fact
A fact is something that has really occurred or is actually the case. The usual test for a statement of fact is verifiability, that is whether it can be shown to correspond to experience. Standard reference works are often used to check facts...
, there is little evidence that this is the case.
Romeo is one of the most important characters of the play, and has a consistent presence throughout it. His role as an idealistic lover has lead the word "Romeo" to become a synonym for a passionate male lover in various languages. Although often treated as such, it is not clear that "Montague" is a surname in the modern sense.
Origins
The earliest tale bearing a resemblance to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is Xenophon of EphesusXenophon of Ephesus
Xenophon of Ephesus was a Greek writer. His surviving work is the Ephesian Tale of Anthia and Habrocomes, one of the earliest novels as well as one of the sources for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet....
' Ephesiaca, whose hero is a Habrocomes.The character of Romeo is also similar to that of Pyramus in Ovid's
Ovid
Publius Ovidius Naso , known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who is best known as the author of the three major collections of erotic poetry: Heroides, Amores, and Ars Amatoria...
Metamorphoses, a youth who is unable to meet the object of his affection due to an ancient family quarrel, and later kills himself due to mistakenly believing her to have died. Although it is unlikely that Shakespeare directly borrowed from Ovid while writing Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
, the story was likely an influence on the Italian writers who the playwright was greatly indebted to. The two sources which Shakespeare most likely consulted himself are Brookes' translation of de Porta and W. Painter's The goodly historye of the true, and constant Love between Rhomeo and Iulietta.
Role in the play
Romeo first appears in the play in the first scene, shortly after the brawl between the Montagues and the Capulets. He is infatuated with Rosaline, who is uninterested in him due to her commitment to chastityChastity
Chastity refers to the sexual behavior of a man or woman acceptable to the moral standards and guidelines of a culture, civilization, or religion....
. His cousin Benvolio, wishing to distract him from his romantic plight, takes him and his friend Mercutio, uninvited and disguised, to a feast at the house of the Capulets. There he meets and falls in love with Juliet
Juliet Capulet
Juliet is one of the title characters in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet, the other being Romeo. She is the daughter of old Capulet, head of the house of Capulet. The story has a long history that precedes Shakespeare himself....
, the daughter of Lord and Lady Capulet. Romeo again meets her after the feast, as she laments her love for him from her balcony. Through a meeting with Juliet's Nurse
Nurse (Romeo and Juliet)
The Nurse is a major character in William Shakespeare's classic drama Romeo and Juliet. It is revealed later in the play by Lord Capulet that the Nurse's real name might be Angelica . She is the personal servant, guardian of Juliet Capulet, and has been since Juliet was born...
, Romeo arranges for them to be married secretly by Friar Lawrence
Friar Lawrence
Friar Laurence is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet.-Role in the play:...
. When Tybalt
Tybalt
Tybalt is a fictional character and the main antagonist in William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. He is Lady Capulet's nephew, Juliet's hot-tempered cousin and Romeo's rival. Tybalt shares the same name as the character Tibert/Tybalt the "Prince of Cats" in Reynard the Fox, a point of...
, Juliet's cousin, insults Romeo in the streets the next day, he is prevented by his now familial relation with Tybalt from defending his honour. His friend Mercutio, exasperated by this, fights Tybalt, and is killed by him. Romeo, seeking revenge, kills Tybalt, which results in him being exiled from the city by the Prince. He leaves the next morning, having consummated his marriage with Juliet. Juliet, whose father intends to marry her to an aristocrat, Paris, unbeknownst to Romeo takes a potion, provided by Father Lawrence, which places her in a death-like coma. She is therefore buried, and a messenger is sent to Romeo to tell him that Juliet is in fact alive, who unfortunately is unable to reach him to due to the plague. Romeo, genuinely believing Juliet to be dead, travels to her grave, where he meets and kills Paris. When he sees her body, he kills himself, moments before she awakes; when Juliet sees that Romeo is dead, she kills herself in turn shortly thereafter. The tragedy leads to the end of the feud between the two families.