许多文学爱好者将蒙塔古家族的罗密欧加冕为浪漫王子。其他人则认为他是一个荷尔蒙分泌紊乱、近视的笨蛋，在遇见一个漂亮女孩四天后自杀。一位教师同事目前正在执导莎士比亚的《罗密欧与朱丽叶》，他的主要目标是将该剧带到南加州的学校，以展示一个关于非理性和致命决策的故事，而不是一个经典的爱情故事。当然，如果我们只看完全理智的角色，剧院就不会再有悲剧了！

所以，也许我们都同意，罗密欧是致命的冲动。然而，问题依然存在：罗密欧恋爱了吗？还是只是痴迷？看看罗密欧最重要的独白也许能帮助你对他的角色下定决心。

罗密欧错过罗莎琳

在这一幕的独白中，罗密欧哀叹自己在爱情上的失败。他被罗莎琳抛弃了，现在表现得好像他的心永远不会好起来似的。（当然，在短短的几场戏中，他会遇到朱丽叶并改变他的看法！）

Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still, Should, without eyes, see pathways to his will! Where shall we dine? O me! What fray was here? Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all. Here's much to do with hate, but more with love. Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate! O any thing, of nothing first create! O heavy lightness! serious vanity! Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms! Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health! Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is! This love feel I, that feel no love in this. Dost thou not laugh?

（注：罗密欧和本沃里奥交换了几句台词，独白继续。）

Why, such is love's transgression. Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast, Which thou wilt propagate, to have it prest With more of thine: this love that thou hast shown Doth add more grief to too much of mine own. Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs; Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; Being vex'd a sea nourish'd with lovers' tears: What is it else? a madness most discreet, A choking gall and a preserving sweet.

一见钟情？

当罗密欧和他的伙伴们闯入卡普利特派对时，他窥视着美丽的年轻朱丽叶。他立刻被迷住了。这是他从远处凝视时要说的话。

What lady is that, which doth enrich the hand Of yonder knight? O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear; Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows. The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand, And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand. Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

阳台下

然后是《罗密欧与朱丽叶》中最著名的演讲。在这里，罗密欧偷偷溜进卡普利特庄园，凝视着阳台上的美丽女孩。

But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief, That thou her maid art far more fair than she: Be not her maid, since she is envious; Her vestal livery is but sick and green And none but fools do wear it; cast it off. It is my lady, O, it is my love! O, that she knew she were! She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that? Her eye discourses; I will answer it. I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks: Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, Having some business, do entreat her eyes To twinkle in their spheres till they return. What if her eyes were there, they in her head? The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven Would through the airy region stream so bright That birds would sing and think it were not night. See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O, that I were a glove upon that hand, That I might touch that cheek!