Journal 7

I think Romeo and Juliet are viewed as heroes at the end of Act 5. That's because when they died, the two families, Montague and Capulet, no longer hated each other and agreed to properly bury their kids properly. Lord Capulet says, "As rich shall Romeo's by his lady's lie— Poor sacrifices of our enmity!" Here he says that with Romeo and Juliet's dead bodies lie the hatred of their families.

Journal 6

I think Shakespeare characterizes the Capulets in a way that is more villainous than complex. In Act 4, Scene 5, Capulet says, "Death art thou, dead! alack, my child is dead, and with my child my joys are buried!" Capulet is very sad that Juliet is dead, but in the last phrase he says "MY joys are buried." He wanted Juliet to marry Paris for his joys, not hers. Friar then points out in lines 94-95 that the heavens have done this for the wrong the Capulets have done. He says, "The heavens do lower upon you for some ill; Move them no more by crossing their high will." Here, Shakespeare uses Friar to accuse the Capulets of sin against the heavens, making them villains.

Journal 5

I think Romeo and Juliet had very similar reactions to Romeo's banishment. In Act 3, Scene 2, Nurse tells Juliet that Romeo is banished from Verona because he killed Tybalt  (Juliet's cousin). At first Juliet is sad because she realizes the death of a family member, but is more sad that Romeo is banished. She says, "Wash they wounds with tears? Mine shall be spent, when theirs are dry, for Romeo's banishment."

Romeo was talking to Friar about his banishment. He was so upset that he would not be allowed to stay in Verona with Juliet. In Act 3, Scene 3, Romeo says, "Tis torture, and not mercy. Heaven is here, where Juliet lives; and every cat and dog and little mouse, every unworthy thing, live here in Heaven and may look on her; But Romeo may not. " He says that his banishment may as well be considered death because outside the Verona walls he is without Juliet and he is the only thing not worthy of seeing her.

Journal 4

I think that Romeo is over exaggerating when he says that his joy at the time is worth more than their lives. I don't believe that Romeo really loves Juliet. He seems to love with his eyes. He has only known Juliet for a handful of days. In Act 2, Scene 3 Friar Lawrence is making fun of Romeo's foolish love. He says, "Young men's love then lies not truly in their hearts but in their eyes." Here, Friar is calling Romeo out for loving Juliet for her looks. He doesn't really know her with his heart, but likes the way she looks. This is why I don't believe his joy is worth more than his life. He can fall in love with his eyes with any other girls, but the joy of that is not so great that he should just die.

Journal 3

I think Romeo's love for Juliet is shallow. They are very young and have only known each other for a few days. In Act 2, Scene 2 Romeo says "I swear my love by the moon..." which goes to prove that their love is shallow because as Juliet responded, "the moon is inconstant..."

Journal 2

I think Romeo is a foil character to Mercutio because Romeo is sad and sensitive, but Mercutio is blunt and encouraging. In Act 1, Scene 4 Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio are going to a party at the Capulet's house. In lines 15-16, Romeo says, "With nimble soles; I have a soul of lead so stakes me to the ground I cannot move. " Mercutio, being the encouraging friend that he is responds encouragingly. In lines 17-18 he says, "You are a lover. Borrow Cupid's wings and soar with them above common bound. " This conversation shows Romeo's sadness and how Mercutio encourages him to find new love.

Journal 1

I think that Romeo is like any other teenage boy who claims to be in love. He says "Tut! I have lost myself; I am not here: This is not Romeo, he's some other where"(189). He is so in love that he is not himself. He says that it is like he doesn't know who he is anymore and that he feels lost.