Question

[Romeo:] Dost thou not laugh?

Benvolio: No, coz, I rather weep.

Romeo: Good heart, at what?

Benvolio: At thy good heart's oppression.

Romeo: Why, such is love's transgression.

Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast,

Which thou wilt propagate to have it press'd

With more of thine: this love that thou hast shown

Doth add more grief to too much of mine own.

—Romeo and Juliet,
William Shakespeare

What inference can be made about Romeo from this dialogue?

Romeo wants to laugh, but he cannot.
Romeo is determined to give up on love.
Romeo cares about his cousin’s feelings.
Romeo enjoys everyone else feeling his pain.

Answer 1

The most accurate inference that can be made about Romeo from this dialogue is that Romeo cares about his cousin's feelings. In the dialogue, Benvolio expresses his sadness, to which Romeo responds with concern, asking him why he is sad. This shows that Romeo is attentive to Benvolio's emotions and genuinely cares about his well-being, indicating his empathy and compassion towards others.