Romeo and Juliet, the world's most famous "star-crossed young lovers", have been seen as the model of "true love" since their first roles graced the stage of the Globe Theatre. But were the couple really in love? Were they simply in love with the concept of being together? Did the two even understand what it meant to be in love with someone? There is no way that Romeo and Juliet could have fallen in love with each other, instead, the couple was infatuated. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Before understanding what “being in love” and “infatuation” mean for Romeo and Juliet, you need to understand these definitions without the context of the screenplay. What does it mean to be infatuated? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, infatuation is a senseless or obsessively strong feeling of love, admiration, or interest in someone or something: strong and unreasonable attachment. Being in love, however, is very different from infatuation; Extremely different in all honesty. Being in love means caring a lot about someone in a romantic way. At first glance, these definitions appear to work together, hand in hand, but in reverse. Infatuation is often based only on physical attraction. Being in love is about the depths of one's psyche and the unity of two souls. Because infatuation is typically based on an initial physical attraction, the infatuated couple tends not to think about the world around them but instead focus on their newfound chemistry. This is a common theme in the story of Romeo and Juliet as a whole. We first see Romeo heartbroken over Capulet's Rosaline, his former lover who has decided to become a nun, in Act I, Scene I. Romeo quickly forgets Rosaline in Act I, Scene V when he lays eyes on Juliet at a party in the Capulet hall. The speed with which Romeo falls out of love with Rosaline, for whom he was crying in the woods, further proves that he is simply infatuated with Juliet, just as she is with him. “Infatuation is childish. Love is mature." Romeo is known to have been around sixteen or seventeen when these events occurred. Juliet did not even turn fourteen, the common age for marriage in the 14th century, during these events. That said, the reader must ask himself: “Are two children capable of being mature enough to truly fall in love?” While some may answer yes, the reality is that Romeo, considered a young adult in this time period, is more mature than Juliet, who is still known for being a mere child. Their "love" is too passionate to know each other for just a few days. This dynamic is clearly reminiscent of a stereotypical high school relationship depicted in classic American teen films, such as Mean Girls, Can't Buy Me Love, and Thirteen Going On Thirty. The characters experience a simple "crush," a brief but intense infatuation with someone, especially someone unattainable or inappropriate. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Because Romeo and Juliet knew about each other for such a short period of time, there is no way the couple could have fallen in love. Seeing as the couple was simply two teenagers, one more mature than the other, who mistook their "crushes" for love. "Infatuation makes you act irrationally or 'crazy'." This theme is constant throughout the story. Considering that the basic plot involves the couple meeting, "falling in love", secretly getting married, and dying because their love wasn't accepted by others, it all seems too intense to be real..