Inside Shakespeare’s mind:

Rosaline – Romeo’s first love

The originality lies essentially in the writer's mind who at times forget the facts of his inner reality and not comprehend to what he intends in writing. In many of these instances such as these, Shakespeare forgot totally why he had to place Rosaline in Romeo and Juliet.

It took out the essence of first love in a character he painted with the purity of that scholars and readers, deemed as the first love of Romeo. Shakespeare also makes it so absurd with the first infinite first contact with Juliet and abruptly drop Rosaline as a hot potato.

Rosaline need not have come into the play at all because though is much talked about, the scenes are few in which she is found ... but Rosaline manages to stretch herself into dialogue, apart with Romeo, to Friar Lawrence and Mercutio who is Romeo's trusted friend.

She is Juliet's cousin with free access to the Capulet's home.

Shakespeare's efforts to disparage which animates the young lovers, is irreproachable but he manages to shake off Rosaline at the Capulets’ ball and overshoot reason of conscience. It stirs with moral emotion and once Rosaline is removed from the scene, the Bard is full concentration is on the young couple.

The exuberant Rosaline, Romeo’s first love, romps with the lusty Mercutio in a street scene

The poet is completely a master of himself in a whirlwind of passion and acquired temperament to move with speed in different directions of Capulets and Montagues. He plays down the Montagues for a moment while involving Romee with the Capulets. He plays to the Elizabethan audience and abandons Holinshed on whose inspiration he has depended upon on many a time. It is in this atmosphere that Romeo appear with the unpredictable Rosaline in a couple of scenes. He creates intrigue in the Capulets’ ballroom or in the moonlit balcony but with Rosaline breaking the untidiness whenever she appears such as crowded streets mingling with the Capulets and Montagues alike and always at cross-roads.

SYNOPSIS

Written in 1595-6 and sited in Verona and Mantua, it is the story of two powerful houses that are sworn enemies and takes the death of their innocent children to unite over their graves.

This is considered Shakespeare's greatest tragedy and love story and remains so.

While Shakespeare treats his main characters with excellence and care where it is due in all his plays, Rosaline in Romeo and Juliet is sorted out as the trees in the Forests of Arden, dropping and rustling, making much noise, savouring the love of Romeo and annoying Mercutio.

Rosaline's presence is felt for the first time in the play when Romeo meets up with the Franciscan Friar Lawrence; By this time he has abandoned Rosaline.

Romeo – Good morrow father,

Friar Lawrence – Benedicite;

What early toungue so sweet salute me. Young son, it argues a distemper'd head. So soon to bid good morrow to thy bed.

Care keeps his watch in every old man's eye and where care lodges

P.L – sleep will never lie. But where unbruised youth with unstuff'd brain doth couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign.

Therefore, thy earliness doth me assure. Thou art up-rous'd by some distemperature;

Or if not so, than here I hit right;-

Mercutio is killed by the fiery Tybalt. Romeo holds him close and vows to kill Tybalt which he does in a duel. Rosaline moves away from Romeo and the dying Mercutio.

Our Romeo hath not been in bed tonight?

Romeo – That last is true; the sweeter rest was mine

F.L – God pardon sin. Was thou with Rosaline?

R. - With Rosaline? Ghostly father I no.

F. L – That's my good son, but where hast thou been, then?

R. - I'll tell thee, ere thou ask it me again. I have been feasting with mine enemy; Where on a sudden, one hath wounded me, that's by me wounded both our remedies ....

F.L – Be plain good son and homely in thy drift....

R. - Then plainly know; my heart's dear love is set on the fair daughter of rich Capulets .....

But this I pray that thou consent to marry us today.

F.L. - Holy Saint Francis; What a change is here. Is Rosaline whom thou didst love so dear, so soon forsaken. Young men's love then lies. Not true in their hearts, but in their eyes.

Jesu Maria, what a deal of brine hath washe'd thy sallow cheeks for Rosaline .... ACT.II, Sce. IV.

In the meantime, his friends Benvolio and Mercutio are in search of Romeo.They have not seen him for the day and are worried:-

Mercitop – Where the devil should this Romeo be? Came he not home tonight.

Benvolio – Not to his father's I spoke with his man

- Why that same pale hard-hearted wench, that Rosaline. Torments him so that he will sure run mad. (continuing ACT. II, Sce. IV)

In performance – The poet is completely master of himself in a whirlwind of passion and acquire the temperamence to move with speed. He plays down the Montagues but with Rosaline, he creates the street scenes when she appears with Romeo. The whole world loves a lover as proved by Shakespeare in this famous tragedy. Over the centuries directors have boarded different versions. Some directors have highlighted the role of Rosaline but some also have put dialogue in her mouth to talk to Romeo.

This tragedy has been acted by famous thespians while movies featured famous filmstars. Ballet world had many choreographers directing while the most famous pair to dance were Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn as Romeo and Juliet.