Lord and Lady Montague run into Benvolio after the fight in act I, scene 1. Lady Montague asks Benvolio if he knows where Romeo is. Benvolio says he doesn't know but adds that he is concerned, as Romeo has been moping around lately. Benvolio asks his parents if they know what is wrong. Lord Montague says he doesn't know but that Romeo has developed a pattern of being up all night and then sleeping in a dark room all day. Lord Montague often sees him at dawn, before he goes to bed, crying in the sycamore grove.
Benvolio promises Lord Montague he will find out what is wrong. He says he will pester Romeo until he tells him. When he finds out that Romeo's unrequited love for Rosaline is driving his behavior, Benvolio urges Romeo to go to the Capulet's party that night. He tells Romeo that Verona is renowned for its beautiful girls and suggests Romeo may find another girl there who will take his mind off of Rosaline.
Romeo only agrees to go after the Capulet's servant Peter approaches him on the street in act 1, scene 2 and asks Romeo to read him the guest list for the party. Romeo sees Rosaline's name on the list and so decides to attend in the hopes of seeing her.
Romeo oh Romeo, why so whiney Romeo? When the audience first meets Romeo, he's in the most depressed funk ever. The love of his life, Rosaline, has just told Romeo that she would rather live a celibate life than be with Romeo.
BENVOLIO
Then she hath sworn that she will still live chaste?ROMEO
She hath, and in that sparing makes huge waste,
Those lines crack me up every time. I would have loved to have seen Romeo's face when she told him that.
Benvolio tries very hard to console Romeo, but eventually Benvolio gives Romeo the "there's plenty of fish in the sea" talk. He tells Romeo that there are plenty of other beautiful women for Romeo to woo and fall in love with.
ROMEO
O, teach me how I should forget to think.BENVOLIO
By giving liberty unto thine eyes;
Examine other beauties.
During the next scene, Romeo and Benvolio encounter an illiterate servant that is supposed to deliver Capulet party invitations. He asks Romeo to read the list to him. Romeo quickly discovers that fair Rosaline will be there. Romeo decides to go to the party in order to lay his eyes upon her some more. Benvolio, on the other hand, tells Romeo to go to the party so that Romeo can see way more beautiful women than Rosaline.
Go thither; and, with unattainted eye,
Compare her face with some that I shall show,
And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.
So what happens? Well, Benvolio winds up being correct, because Romeo spies fair Juliet and is married to her two days later. Never a thought of chaste Rosaline again.
Romeo had considered himself in love with...
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Rosaline, but now that they are no longer together, he is very depressed. Benvolio wants Romeo to get out of his funk and wants him to have fun. When the Capulet's servant asks for help in reading the list for the invitation to the ball, Romeo helps the man. In exchange for his help, the servant invites him to the party. Romeo sees Rosaline's name on the list, so he agrees to go to the party with Benvolio.
Romeo goes to the party to be able to see Rosaline, but the minute he lays eyes on Juliet, he is instantly in love with her. His intention for going to the party was to watch the woman he thought he loved, but by being there, he found his true love. Some say that Romeo was fickle. He considered himself to be in love with Rosaline, but when he sees Juliet, he is instantly in love with her. However, the thought of love at first sight, is a thought we all would like to believe in. Although the story of Romeo and Juliet is a tragic one, it is also a story of love and the lengths one will go to for the person they love. Romeo and Juliet will forever live on as the case for true love.
In Act 1, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Romeo and Benvolio encounter a servant on the street. The servant was asked to deliver invitations to a list of people, but being illiterate, cannot read the list. Romeo agrees to read the list and in exchange for the favour, the servant invites Romeo to the party. Benvolio, hearing that Rosaline will be at the party, suggests that Romeo accept the invitation. Because Romeo is in love with Rosaline, he agrees to go to the party in order to watch Rosaline.
Romeo's friends try hard to talk him into going to the Capulets' party. Mercutio tells him, "we must have you dance" (1.4.13). He accuses Romeo of being a spoilsport, as well as being overly cautious and "Up to the ears" in a love that is not fulfilling for him (1.4.43). Mercutio goes on a long rant about dreams, and that seems to shake Romeo up, changing the whole mood of the conversation. At this point, Romeo says,
my mind misgivesSome consequence yet hanging in the starsShall bitterly begin his fearful dateWith this night's revels, and expire the termOf a despised life closed in my breastBy some vile forfeit of untimely death.But he that hath the steerage of my course,Direct my sail. On, lusty gentlemen. (1.4.107-114)
In other words, Romeo has a feeling that the party will set his fate into motion and that it will initiate a sequence of events that will end in his own death. However, he says, whoever is in charge of his life's course urges him to go. And so he calls to his friends to depart, altogether, for the Capulets' house. Thus, it seems as though it is Romeo's premonition of his tragic fate that urges him toward the party; he feels as though he must go there.