Essay On Rashness In Romeo And Juliet

First of all, Romeo’s major flaw is his rashness towards certain aspects of life such as love, because one day he is in love with Rosaline, and the next day he is in love with Juliet. In “Act 1, Scene 2”, Romeo complains how life would be meaningless without Rosaline and that he will kill himself: “When the devout religion of mine eye Maintain such falsehood, then turn tears to fires; And these who, often drowned, could never die, Transparent heretics, be burnt for liars. One fairer than my love! the all-seeing sun Ne’er saw her match since first the world begun.” (Shakespeare 23). Romeo’s tragic flaw is rashness; he shows the reader that he only cares about his lover and nothing else. He does not think ahead nor does he even think about the consequences. Next, in “Act 2, Scene 2”, Romeo turns his attention to Juliet and completely forgets Rosaline’s existence.

O speak again, bright angel, for thou art As glorious to this night, being o’er my head, As is a winged messenger of heaven Unto the white-upturned wond’ring eyes Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him, When he bestrides the lazy puffing clouds, And sails upon the bosom of the air.” (Shakespeare 55). A second ago, Romeo’s attention is fixated on Rosaline. Now, his attention has shifted to Juliet. In the play, Romeo falls in love with Juliet the second he sees her and immediately wants to marry her. Romeo’s rashness is one of his major tragic flaw in the play. Because of this tragic flaw, he rushes into situations without thinking. Shakespeare talks about this, saying that people that are in love rushes into situations without thinking of the