Romeo Montague Totally Explained

Everything about Romeo Montague totally explained

Romeo Montague is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

Name Origins

Arthur Brooke's poem The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet calls Romeo "Romeus" in all but one line. In line 253 his name changes to Romeo in order to rhyme with Mercutio in the next line.
Romeo's name was taken from a previous literary character, Romeo Montecchi. The Italian name probably comes from Greek Rhomaios, literally "glutes maximus", but actually meaning "from the Eastern Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire".

Distinguishing Characteristics / Character Analysis

Romeo is born into the Italian nobility - specifically, the eminent Montague clan. He has a personal servant, Balthasar, and is notably skilled with a sword and dagger.
At the beginning of the play, Romeo pines for an unrequited love, Rosaline. His friends include his cousin, Benvolio, and Mercutio, a kinsman to the Prince. When confronted by Benvolio, Romeo acknowledges his sadness:

"I have lost myself, I'm not here. / This isn't Romeo, he's some other where." (I.1.205)

Romeo feels alienated by the feud between his family and the Capulets:

"Why then, O brawling love, O loving hate, / O anything of nothing first create!...This love feel I, that feel no love in this." (I.1.181)

This becomes more pronounced when his family's hate denies him access to loving Juliet.

Role in the Play

In the beginning of the play, Romeo pines for an unrequited love, Rosaline. To cheer him up, his friends Benvolio and Mercutio take him to the Capulets' celebration — in disguise — where he meets and falls in love with the Capulets' only daughter, Juliet. Later that night, he and Juliet meet secretly and pledge to marry, despite their families' long-standing feud. They marry the following day, but their union is soon thrown into chaos by their families; Juliet's cousin Tybalt duels and kills Romeo's friend Mercutio, throwing Romeo into such a rage that he kills Tybalt, and the Prince of Verona subsequently banishes him. Meanwhile, Juliet's father plans to marry her off to Paris within the next few days, a local aristocrat. Desperate, Juliet begs Romeo's confidant, Friar Laurence, to help her to escape the marriage. Laurence does so by giving her a potion that puts her in a death-like coma. The plan works, but not soon enough for Romeo to learn of it; He genuinely believes Juliet to be dead, and so resolves to commit suicide. He kills himself at Juliet's grave, just as she awakes; she kills herself in turn.

Performers

A number of famous actors have portrayed the role of Romeo. A small sampling follows.

Stage
- Johnston Forbes-Robertson had one of his greatest successes as Romeo at the Lyceum Theatre in London in the 1880s.
- Basil Rathbone played Romeo opposite Katharine Cornell on Broadway in 1934.
- Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud alternated the roles of Romeo and Mercutio in a 1935 stage version.
- John Stride had a notable success as Romeo in Franco Zeffirelli's 1960 stage production.
- Sir Ian McKellen portrayed Romeo in 1976 with The Royal Shakespeare Company, although at 36 he concluded that he was too old for the part.
- David Tennant Romeo in 2000 with the The Royal Shakespeare Company.
Film
- Godfrey Tearle portrayed Romeo in a 1908 British black and white film, alongside his wife, Mary Malone, who played Juliet.
- Paul Panzer portrayed Romeo in J. Stuart Blackton's 1908 silent film short, Romeo and Juliet, alongside Florence Lawrence as Juliet.
- Leslie Howard portrayed Romeo in George Cukor's film, Romeo and Juliet in 1936, alongside Norma Shearer as Juliet.
- Laurence Harvey portrayed Romeo in Renato Castellani’s 1954 film, Romeo and Juliet, alongside Susan Shentall as Juliet.
- Leonard Whiting portrayed Romeo in Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 film, Romeo and Juliet, alongside Olivia Hussey as Juliet.
- Alex Hyde-White portrayed Romeo in William Woodman's 1983 film, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, alongside Blanche Baker as Juliet.
- Leonardo DiCaprio portrayed Romeo in Baz Luhrmann's 1996 version, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet, alongside Claire Danes as Juliet.

Television

Takahiro Mizushima voices Romeo in the animated series Romeo x Juliet by the Japanese animation studio GONZO, with Fumie Mizusawa voicing Juliet.

Further Information

Get more info on 'Romeo Montague'.

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