In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, what are some quotes that show that Romeo has anger issues?

Like many teenagers, Romeo has a lot of angst. He argues with his friends and loses his temper quickly. Most importantly, he becomes so enraged at the death of Mercutio that he fights with Tybalt without thinking about the consequences. You can read the , along with modern translation and explanations of some of the confusing words/phrases. 

In the following exchange from Act I scene I, Benvolio is talking to Romeo about his unrequited love for Rosaline. Benvolio gives Romeo some good advice, but Romeo just snaps at his friend:

BEN: Be rul'd by me: forget to think of her.

ROM: O, teach me how I should forget to think!

BEN: By giving liberty unto thine eyes.
Examine other beauties.(230)

ROM: 'Tis the way
To call hers, exquisite, in question more.
These happy masks that kiss fair ladies’ brows,
Being black puts us in mind they hide the fair.
He that is strucken blind cannot forget(235)
The precious treasure of his eyesight lost.
Show me a mistress that is passing fair,
What doth her beauty serve but as a note
Where I may read who pass'd that passing fair?
Farewell. Thou canst not teach me to forget.(240)

     Romeo asks Benvolio to teach him how to forget to think of Rosaline, but then he argues with Benvolio's advice and in the last line, tells Benvolio to go away ("Farewell.")

     In Act I scene IV, as they make their way to the Capulet ball, Romeo and Mercutio talk about love. Again, Romeo snaps at his friend and says angry words when his friend is merely trying to give him good advice:

MER: And, to sink in it, should you burden love—
Too great oppression for a tender thing.(25)

ROM: Is love a tender thing? It is too rough,
Too rude, too boist'rous, and it pricks like thorn.

     Romeo argues with Mercutio and in this quote, says a string of angry observations about love ("too rough, too rude, too boisterous..."). Later on in the same scene, Mercutio gives his Queen Mab speech, which is meant in fun, and Romeo basically tells him to shut up: "Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace! / Thou talk'st of nothing." Today we would say, "Shut up, Mercutio! You're just babbling nonsense." This seems angry for someone whose friend is just trying to cheer him up.

     Romeo really blows up in Act III scene I, after Tybalt kills Mercutio. Until Mercutio's death, Romeo has refused to fight Tybalt because he is now married to Juliet and therefore they are family, but when Tybalt kills Mercutio, Romeo loses his temper. He says,

Alive in triumph, and Mercutio slain?

Away to heaven respective lenity,

And fire-ey'd fury be my conduct now!(125)

By line 125, he means he will conduct himself according to extreme anger now. Then he shouts at Tybalt, "Either thou or I, or both, must go with him." (130) By this, Romeo means that Mercutio has gone to heaven and he will not give up fighting until either Tybalt, himself, or both of them have joined Mercutio in heaven.

     After he kills Tybalt, Romeo realizes that his anger has put him in a terrible situation. He says, "O, I am fortune's fool!" in line 138, meaning that Fate is playing with him and caused him to make a bad decision in his anger. By killing Tybalt, Romeo has signed his own death certificate, as far as he knows, because the Prince has earlier said that anyone else who fights in the streets of Verona will pay the penalty of death. At this point, Romeo is likely angry with himself for letting his anger get the better of him and control his actions.

     I hope this helps. You can read more about .