Why did Romeo and Juliet fall in love so fast?

Question:I was re-reading my copy of the play the other day, and I decided to watch the movie again (the 1968 version, of course!). It struck me how fast they seemed to fall in love.

Why is this? Did Shakespeare have some meaning or purpose for this? Were the really in love, or was it infatuation?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I was re-reading my copy of the play the other day, and I decided to watch the movie again (the 1968 version, of course!). It struck me how fast they seemed to fall in love.

Why is this? Did Shakespeare have some meaning or purpose for this? Were the really in love, or was it infatuation?

I can see two points for this. First off, Shakespeare may have been trying to say that passion and/or youth make you do crazy things, like believe you're in love when it's really just lust.
Or, he could have been trying to say that true love is instant and pure, and that once it happens nothing can break it - even if you've only met a few hours ago. It really depends on how you want to look at it, since I guess we'll never really know.

I always wondered the same thing. Maybe to show that true love have no bounds? Idk. If you ask me, I think it was rather stupid. The whole thing happened in less than two weeks. =/

ever heard of the term love at first sight

It's fiction

They were young and disobedient little rats!

explains the inner workings of why shakespere decided to do things in his story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7Zuu...

i think it was supposed to be meant like love at first site. also i think it was an attraction

Young love, also to put on a play where they went thorugh every love detail would take absolutley forever, it was poetic liscence, and it jus makes the story good, it is fiction

ya i'm reading that right now...most people say infatuation or attraction...but i think that both were feeling depressed, looking for something more in life. THey wanted something more so bad, that upon seeing each other, assumed that the other was the blessing they were in need of.

I think it was a youthful, rebellious infatuation. They were young (and so often, young = impulsive) and it was forbidden, which may make it lots more appealing for a young couple. They weren't in love - they didn't know anything about each other and only got to spend small, fleeting amounts of time together. Sure, they liked each other, but it seems that it would have just been a really intense, passionate infatuation.

plus, Romeo was totally rebounding

You see shakespear was a very lonely man. No one wanted to go out with him because he sat up in his room all day writing poetry.

It was a very strong infatuation. The same thing happens to all young lovers. In reality, though, most young lovers will just move on with their lives instead of killing themselves.

Some people just hit it off very fast and back in Shakespeare's days it was definatly like this. Shakespeare had many great plays and they all have a deeper look and thought when you watch them and think about the lyrics etc.

It was most definaty love however, I do not really know and none of us know for sure it was love but by judging by their actions i would say most definatly so.
I personally do like the movie however alot of people will tell you "Shakespeares gay!!!" and stuff and since I know they probably are, I will tell you why they say this, back in his period of time they only had guys working jobs. His storys made people fall in love and kiss etc. Pointing out that only males worked no females were on stage so guys had to kiss guys for generations and many people now a days say that Shakespeare was gay because so. Many of his fellow play writers looked down on William considering he was not highly educated like him, his plays actually did not become famous until he died like many other famous writers.

Edit: Some one said William Shakespeare was lonely because he sat up in his room all day writing poetry, however HE WAS MARRIED TO A WOMAN!!!!

They're young. Juliet is 13 and Romeo is 14/15. Kids tend to mistake lust for love.

romeo and juliet were both teenagers when they fell in love and juliet was engaged there are three possibilities one juliet might have been running away from her engagement and forced herself to love romeo since he was a bad boy ya know two she might have teenage syndrome where you only think your in love and three she might have actually really liked him however i refuse to believe she was in love i think she was just running away from marring a man she didn't evan like and romeo as a man it was the same thing however as a teen boy he might have liked the thrill of being with a girl he wasn't allowed to be you know as a male he wanted what he couldn't have and that happened to be juliet

People are drawn towards "things they cant have", I think not only did they get that euphoric feeling of loving each other but they also had that wonderful rush you get when you are breaking the rules. I bet it felt wonderful.