Act Two Prologue, Scene 1 & 2
Another prologue, another sonnet ( Read the top note ) on page 41
In Romeo’s view, Juliet is far beyond Rosaline and “Now Romeo is beloved and loves
again.” (5) She is equally impressed with him.
It will be difficult for them to meet – go out – as their families are enemies.
“And she as much in love, her means much less
To meet her new beloved anywhere.” (11-12)
Scene 1 While Romeo is out of sight, but not earshot, Benvolio and Mercutio talk
about him and call out to him. They think he is still crazy about Rosaline. “ I conjure
thee by Rosaline’s bright eyes…) (19-23)
The double entendres (a word or expression used in a given context
so that it can be understood in two ways, especially when one
meaning is risqué ) continue. (28 + 36-40!) It’s interesting to see how the side
by side and our text are very different (40), but I’ll have you check it out if you’re
intrigued)
Romeo stays put, says nothing and they leave.
“Come, shall we go?
Go then, for ‘tis in vain
To seek him here that means not to be found.” (43-45)
Scene 2 The Famous Balcony Scene Assignment Before reading the scene
summary, on page 44 and the first 144 lines, read through and consider the
following article “My Favorite Unromantic Theories of Love “, compose a journal
titled Anticipation: The Dance of Romance and then take the test from the link under
the color wheel. You may use your phone, tablet or a computer to do this. If
necessary, we can provide you with a handout for the article.
My favorite unromantic theories of love
Posted by Juli
Source
Why are we drawn to certain people and not others? What
makes us fall in love - and stay in love? Poets delve into the
mystery of love with beautiful sonnets, musicians seek to
capture its subtle essence in song, and many others feel that
their love is divinely inspired. Social and personality
psychologists, on the other hand, break love down into simple
shapes, colors, and equations, the most popular of which are
described below. These theories may seem to reduce love to
something more mundane and unexciting, but they also have a
certain elegance of their own.
Source
1. The love triangle. According to Robert
Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love (2004), love consists of
three components, intimacy (emotional closeness), passion
(sexual and romantic attraction), and commitment. The ideal
form of love for a romantic couple (Consummate love)
involves all three components, but it is not easy to maintain, as
the passionate spark tends to fade over time. Sternberg also
describes six other combinations. Romantic love involves
intimacy and passion without commitment and is more
common in the teenage and young adult years. Companionate
love involves intimacy and commitment without passion and is
typical of close friends, and sometimes long-term marriages.
Infatuated love involves passion only and often occurs the
very beginning of a relationship. Empty love involves
commitment with no intimacy or passion, as in an arranged
marriage - but it may grow into other forms of love over time.
Finally, Fatuous love is like getting engaged after dating for
three weeks - it involves passion and commitment, but no
deeper intimacy.
Source
2. The color wheel. John Lee (1973) identified six styles of
love and referred to them as the "colors of love," although they
are do not correspond to actual colors. The first style, Eros, is
characterized by idealization of one's partner and strong
romantic feelings. Ludus is characterized by a need for
excitement and a view of love as a game - research suggests
that men are more likely than women to be ludic. Storge is
characterized by stability and friendship, similar to Sternberg's
companionate love. Pragma is characterized by practical
considerations, such as looking for a "checklist" of traits.
Storge and pragma are more common among women. Mania
involves obsession, jealousy, and extreme ups and downs.
Agape refers to selflessness and unconditional compassion. To
find out your love style, you can take a test here.
Source
3. The mere exposure effect. This is one of the most
memorable concepts from my first psychology class and is
probably the most unromantic theory of all. The mere exposure
effect, discovered by Robert Zajonc (1968), refers to our
tendency to like things that are familiar to us - that is, those
things and people that we are exposed to most often. The mere
exposure effect helps to explain propinquity, the idea that one
of the main determinants of interpersonal attraction is physical
proximity. In one famous series of studies conducted by Leon
Festinger and others (1950), the development of friendships in
an apartment complex was directly related to the distance
between apartments - people were more likely to become
friends with neighbors who lived even just slightly closer, and
those who they happened to pass more often on the way down
the stairs or to the mailbox. While there may be some degree of
randomness and luck in the attachments we form, this doesn't
mean that relationships based on proximity are any less
genuine and meaningful. But it does suggest that we might
have a whole different life if we'd just happened to live on a
different hall in college.
Source
4. The clone attraction. Do opposites attract, or do birds of a
feather flock together? Research suggests that the latter is more
often true. People are more attracted to those who are similar
to themselves in pretty much every way, ranging from
personality to religious beliefs to physical appearance, and
more similar couples tend to be happier. In one study,
participants reported being most attracted to morphed versions
of their own faces (though the interpretation of this finding is
controversial - see Michael's post for more on why we are
attracted to people who look like us). Although there are
advantages to genetic diversity, there may be social and
practical disadvantages. As a friend of mine recently pointed
out, the more similar a couple looks, the easier it is for the
father to recognize if a child is not his own, which could
support an evolutionary argument for attraction to physically
similar others. To see the effects of similarity in action, the
following website contains a slideshow of clone-like celebrity
couples. (Even Heidi Klum and Seal, whose ethnic
backgrounds are different, share surprisingly similar facial
structure.) You can also just open any newspaper to the
nupitals page.
5. The commitment equation. How committed are you to
your partner? Research suggests that it depends on three main
factors: 1) how invested you are in the relationship (i.e., what
you've sacrificed/ costs of leaving the relationship), 2) how
much you get out of the relationship, and 3) whether there are
attractive alternatives. Caryl Rusbult developed the Investment
Model by studying college students' relationship trajectories in statistical analyses, these three variables emerged as the
strongest unique predictors of commitment. Here is the
equation:
Commitment = investment + (rewards - costs) - attractive
alternatives
The investment model helps to explain why people might stay
in an abusive or unhappy relationship - there may be children
involved, financial dependence, or a lack of external social
support. It may also explain why people who have too many
attractive alternatives available sometimes have trouble settling
down.
Although it is unlikely that any single account will fully
capture what for most of us is a very personal and complex
experience, the scientific study of love need not diminish its
magic. If anything, it might help us love more wisely, with
greater appreciation for the social, biological, and cultural
forces that shape the choices we make.
Scene 2 continued…
The scene opens with another emphasis on light imagery.
Romeo says, to himself, although the audience hears him:
“… What light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!” ( 2-3 )
She doesn’t know he is below and speaks aloud, stating her
strong interest in him, but also that, “ thy name is my enemy “
(40) and then expanding on her own question, “What’s in a
name?” (45)
She warns him of a grave outcome if he is seen.
“If they do see thee they will murder thee.” (74)
and
there are also sea images, one for each, stating their huge love
for one another in hyperbole
Romeo
“I am no pilot; yet, wert thou as far
As that vast shore washed with the farthest sea,
I should adventure for such merchandise. “ (86-89)
Juliet
“My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
My love as deep. The more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite.” (139-141)
Find three references to birds in the lines from 167-20
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As the scene closes, Romeo plans to visit
“ … his ghostly father’s cell,
His help to crave and my dear hap to tell.”
What is his plan? Refer to page 48 for guidance in this area.
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