Romeo and Juliet, were they really in love? This essay details the romance between the two.

love

1 : strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties

2 : affection and tenderness felt by lovers

infatuate

1 : to cause to be foolish : deprive of sound judgment

2 : to inspire with a foolish or extravagant love or admiration

Dinner and a movie, the discussion on the car-ride home, and the seemingly endless kiss goodnight - this is the typical "date" for teenagers these days. The couple probably thinks they are serendipitously in love, when in reality, it is a case of infatuation. Infatuation is prevalent among teens and especially those who lack a firm grasp on who they are and the necessity of having someone to "love". When people become infatuated with another individual the relationship then becomes primarily physical. Qualities or traits of an infatuant's partner may be idealized and romanticized just to fill this empty void in their life.

Mass-produced colour photolithography on paper for...

Romeo and Juliet with Friar Laurence

Romeo and Juliet, Act I-Scene_3. Lady Capulet and ...

People who think they have just found the love of their life are only playing a psychological "game" with themselves. This "game" can cause changes in mood, personality, and attitude. It is usually not until a tragic event or break-up, that this person will realize all the lies and deceptions they were living through. Romeo and Juliet are a perfect example of this. They were both teenagers struggling for meaning in their lives who found refuge in one another. The couple had just met when they shared their first kiss and a mere five days later committed suicide. Their romantic episodes were very typical of infatuated teens. They rushed into a relationship which turned out to be primarily physical.

In Scene I Romeo "loves" Rosaline, he cannot get enough of Rosaline - even though she obviously does not return his affection. Shakespeare makes a point of describing how everyone...