Rosaline is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet. She is a Capulet, specifically Juliet's cousin and the niece of Lord Capulet. At the beginning of the play, Romeo is infatuated with Rosaline, who has sworn to live a life of chastity and does not return Romeo's love. This unrequited love causes Romeo great sorrow and sets the stage for the events that follow. Romeo's desire to see Rosaline leads him to sneak into a Capulet party, where he instead meets Juliet and falls in love with her at first sight, which drives the main plot of the play

. Though Rosaline never appears onstage and has no speaking lines, she plays an important role as a plot device. Her rejection of Romeo motivates him to attend the Capulet feast, where he encounters Juliet, thus initiating the tragic romance. Scholars often contrast Romeo's superficial and fleeting love for Rosaline with his profound and genuine love for Juliet, highlighting Romeo's impulsive and passionate nature

. In summary, Rosaline is Romeo's original love interest, a Capulet who remains unseen and silent in the play but is crucial in propelling the story forward by indirectly bringing Romeo and Juliet together