Romeo and Juliet is considered by most to be a love story, but are the lovers' actions motivated by love or lust?
Romeo pines over Rosaline as the play begins and he complains, "She'll not be hit with Cupid's arrow. She hath Dian's wit, / And, in strong proof of chastity well armed." (I, i, 199-201). The mythological allusions to Cupid, the Roman god of (physical) love, and Diana, the Roman goddess of chastity, allude more to hormonal acceleration than true feelings of love.
Romeo's "love" for Juliet is love at first sight (I, v, 43-52), more a sign of infatuation than love. He loves her, in fact, based solely on her beauty before even meeting her. The same is true for Juliet.
In Act II, scene 2, Romeo and Juliet agree to marriage. They've known each other for a little over an hour. And you wonder why fathers with beautiful daughters go bald?
Both Romeo and Juliet act rashly--they marry quickly and they react quickly. Love
is patient. Lust is always in a hurry.