The first time we are introduced to Romeo is when Benvolio asks him why he has been acting so sad lately. We soon find out that his reason for his sadness is that he is in love with Rosaline, but the love is not returned. Romeo quotes without using her name, "Out of her favour where I am in love". Romeo also complains that she refuses to marry. In this scene when we first meet Romeo we learn that he is very immature and juvenile. We know this because in one of his speeches he says, "Love is smoke made with fumes of sighs." This means that love is also full of sadness and hurt as well as happiness. At the end of the opening scene Benvolio tries to persuade Romeo to look at other girls, but he is not convinced. .
In the next few scenes, Romeo is asked to go to the Capulet's ballwher he is assured by Benvolio he will see women more beautiful than Rosaline. But the only thing Romeo is won over by is the fact that Rosaline has been invited to the party. Mercutio, Romeo's companion, tries to give him some advice by telling him,.
"If love be rough with you, be rough with love". Mercutio means by saying this, to take love into his own hands and to be decisive.
Despite Romeo's great declaration of love for Roasline, his feelings are actually short lived, as shown the moment when he sees Juliet. Romeo is excited at first sight describing her as, "Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!". This language is in direct contrast to how he speaks of Rosaline. Rather than objectifying Juliet as he does with Rosaline, he holds Juliet in amazement. .
"Did my heart love till now?.
For swear it sight!.
For I ne"er saw true beauty till this night.".
With this speech Rosaline is now forgotten and Juliet becomes Romeo's focal point. Despite learning Juliet's identity as a Capulet, Romeo ignores the feud and commits himself to Juliet.
Romeo as a character can and does vary throughout the play, for example in act 2 scene 4 when the male bonding moment is reaching it's height of hilarity, the nurse and Peter appear.