How does Shakespeare present Lord Montague and Benvolio as concerned?

Benvolio and Lord Montague are clearly worried about Romeo—and with good reason, too. For one thing, he's regularly taken to wandering round the sycamore grove on the West side of the city first thing in the morning for no apparent reason. When Benvolio approached him one time, he hid in the forest. It's obvious that Romeo wants to be alone, but why? What is the cause of such strange behavior? Benvolio's more than happy to leave Romeo alone if that's what he really wants, but it's obvious that there's something not quite right, all the same.
As for Montague, he observes how Romeo returns home as soon as the sun comes up, hoping to escape the sunlight. By anyone's standards, this is not normal behavior, not even for a lovesick adolescent. Montague doesn't understand why his son locks himself away in his bedroom all day, shutting out the sunlight. Clearly, there's something eating the young man, but neither Montague nor Benvolio know what it is, and that's causing them no little concern.


Benvolio and the Montagues have a conversation about Romeo, each expressing their concern over his recent behavior. Romeo's mother asks Benvolio if he has seen Romeo today, and he tells her that he did see Romeo that morning, walking very early in the sycamore grove. When Benvolio went toward him, however, Romeo "stole into the covert of the wood" (1.1.115). Obviously his cousin didn't want to talk to him, and so Benvolio left him alone.
Lord Montague says that this is typical behavior for Romeo to walk early, crying and sighing, only returning home at sunrise as if to escape the light. Once home, "private in his chamber [he] pens himself, / Shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out, / And makes himself an artificial night" (1.1.128-130). He just wants to be alone and sit in the dark. Neither Lord Montague nor Benvolio knows the cause of Romeo's despondence; Lord Montague has tried to encourage Romeo's confidence in him, but to no avail. Benvolio finally offers to speak to Romeo and try to find out what's bothering him so much.

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