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Grace Tiongco

Ms.Price

English 1

May 31, 2019 Bipolar Mental Disorder in Romeo Montague

“​Bipolar disorder affects approximately 5.7 million adult Americans and about 2.6% of

the U.S. population age 18 and older every year” (National Institute of Mental Health). Romeo is

the son and heir of Montague and Lady Montague. He is seen as impulsive, immature, and not

interested in violence, only love. In the beginning of the story, Romeo fell in love with a woman

named Rosaline. As soon as Romeo spots Juliet, he falls madly in love with her and forgets all

about Rosaline. Romeo is caught expressing signs of manic and depressive episodes throughout

Romeo and Juliet. Examples include, the feeling of hopelessness and being miserable, within a

blink of an eye feeling happy and full of life. ​Romeo is a victim of a mental disorder called

bipolar. Romeo experiences symptoms like increased sexual desire, feelings of hopelessness,

suicidal thoughts and an impulse to self-harm.

When experiencing bipolar disorder a person will experience manic cycles, one including

a depressive episode. During the play Romeo and Juliet, Romeo’s heart has been shattered based

on the fact that the women he desires, Rosaline, does not desire him back. Romeo begins to

open up to Benvolio about how he is feeling and says, “Tut, I have lost myself. I am not here.

This is not Romeo. He’s some other where.”​ ​(Shakespeare 1.1 205-206). ​As you can see, Romeo

is experiencing depresive symptoms and not acting completely like himself. Romeo is a person

who is not interested in violence but would rather keep love.​“A depressive episode is

characterized by extreme sadness, a lack of energy or interest in things, an inability to enjoy

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normally pleasurable activities, and feelings of helplessness and hopelessness” (Psych Central)​. 

Romeo is feeling more than just disappointment, he is feeling hopeless and extreme sadness. He

believes that if he is not desired by Rosaline he is not himself, which is not healthy nor normal.

Romeo is experiencing a depressive episode, not only one symptom but multiple which includes

symptoms of extreme sadness, a lack of energy, and feelings of helplessness or hopelessness, this

is only a part of bipolar disorder.

Throughout the story Romeo’s mood drastically changes at an abnormal rate. Just

recently Romeo was completely heartbroken and believed he would never love again, but hours

later from just one glance, Romeo is convinced he is in love with Juliet of the Capulets. “O, she

doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night As a rich jewel

in an Ethiop’s ear— Beauty too rich for use, for Earth too dear. So shows a snowy dove trooping

with crows As yonder lady o’er her fellows shows. The measure done, I’ll watch her place of

stand And, touching hers, make blessèd my rude hand. Did my heart love till now? Forswear it,

sight, For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night”(Shakespeare 1.5. 51-60). ​Romeo “falling in

love” with Juliet is a major mood change. Romeo not only believed he had lost himself, but he

believed he lost all will to love anyone else which put him in a depressive state of mind.​“​People

with bipolar disorder experience unusually intense emotional states that occur in distinct periods

called "mood episodes." Each mood episode represents a drastic change from a person's usual

mood and behavior. An overly joyful or overexcited state is called a manic episode, and an

extremely sad or hopeless state is called a depressive episode” (Treatment advocacy center).

Romeo is experiencing a Manic episode, his mood changed in just a short couple of hours

drastically and this feeling soon becomes all consuming to Romeo. All Romeo thinks about is
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Juliet. ​Romeo has not only fallen in love, but he has completely changed his mood from a

depressive state to joyful and in love. This change is not a normal change in moods, but is him

experiencing a manic episode.

Despite the evidence against Romeo Montague having a bipolar mental disorder many

people believe he is just going through the regular mood changes a teen faces but they fail to see

he’s going through manic and depressive episodes. He represents these by expressing suicidal

thoughts, extreme hopelessness, and extreme happiness. Those who believe Romeo is just going

through normal teen emotions may believe this because they see Romeo’s depressive episode as

a normal way for a teen to express themselves. For example, when Romeo learns he has been

banished from Verona some may believe he is expressing his emotions in a normal matter. “And

sayest thou yet that exile is not death? Hadst thou no poison mixed, no sharp-ground Knife, No

sudden mean of death, though ne’er so mean, But “banishèd” to kill me? “Banishèd”? O friar,

the damnèd use that word in hell. Howling attends it. How hast thou the heart, Being a divine, a

ghostly confessor, A sin absolver, and my friend professed, To mangle me with that word

“banishèd?” (Shakespeare 3.3. 45-54). Those who believe this is “normal teen behavior” would

be wrong, this is proving that Romeo is going through a depressive episode, he is saying that a

life without Juliet is worse than death, suicidal thoughts are a symptom of a depressive episode.

Although aspects of this argument are enticing, it ultimately fails to be a stronger argument

because Romeo is expressing signs of a depressive episode by expressing his suicidal thoughts.

“Situational indicators, ​Loss of a relationship via rejection or separation, Death of a loved one”

(Kimberly Read). These are warning signs of a Suicidal Bipolar patient, and are clearly signs that

Romeo was expressing when talking about himself being banished from Verona. Romeo is
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expressing very extreme emotions that are not “normal” and are not what a teen normally

experiences from hormones.

Romeo Montague exhibits many symptoms that a bipolar patient would express, which

includes strong feelings of hopelessness and strong feeling of joyfulness in a short period of

time. Symptoms of a Manic episode are “​elevated or irritable mood, increase in energy, acting

silly in an unusual way, quick to become angry or irritable, risky behaviors such as substance use

or sexual promiscuity, trouble concentrating, needing less sleep, talking quickly and changing

topics frequently, grandiose sense of self-esteem” (Kathleen Smith). Romeo experiences at least

4 of these symptoms, meaning he might as well be a victim of this disorder. Romeo is not only

switching moods at an extreme pace but is experiencing very strong emotions that are not being

expressed normally. By being aware of the symptoms of a Bipolar patient, it is easy to identify

that Romeo is a victim to this disorder.

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Citations

“Bipolar Disorder in Teens: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment.” ​PsyCom.net - Mental Health

Treatment Resource Since 1986​, ​www.psycom.net/bipolar-disorder-teens​.

“Bipolar Disorder Statistics.” ​Bipolar Lives​,

www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-disorder-statistics.html​.

SparkNotes, SparkNotes, ​www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/characters/​.

Poncelet, Barbara. “Why Your Teenager Is Moody or Grumpy.” ​Verywell Family​, Verywell

Family, 4 Nov. 2018, ​www.verywellfamily.com/why-is-my-teen-so-moody-3200842​.

Read, Kimberly. “Warning Signs to Be Aware of in Suicidal Bipolar Patients.” ​Verywell Mind​,

Verywell Mind, 20 May 2019,

www.verywellmind.com/red-flags-warning-signs-of-suicide-379034​.

Grohol, John M. “Bipolar Disorder: Symptoms, Types & Treatments.” ​Psych Central​, 26 May

2019, ​https://psychcentral.com/bipolar/

Administrator. “Bipolar Disorder – Fact Sheet.” ​Treatment Advocacy Center​,

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www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/evidence-and-research/learn-more-about/463-bipolar-disor

der-fact-sheet​.