Although Romeo may seem mature, in many ways he is not. Consider, for example, how Friar Laurence admonished him earlier for falling in and out of love so quickly. He is still just a boy. So, when he sees his best friend Mercutio and his enemy/new cousin Tybalt at the beginning of Act III, scene i, he wants to be "a man" in the eyes of his friend, but he wants to keep the piece for Juliet's sake. One part of him really does want to fight, and the other part of him doesn't. Hence, he has an internal conflict.
Of course, that conflict is resolved when Mercutio fights Tybalt and is slain, and Romeo in turn kills Tybalt. Therefore, Romeo becomes "fortune's fool" because fate ("fortune") took away everything in his life in a matter of moments. He has now lost his friend, his wife, and most likely, his life. He was enjoying the greatest moment of his life, and that moment -- the marriage to Juliet -- has turned into the greatest tragedy of his life. He really is "fortune's fool."
No comments:
Post a Comment