What era in western classical music is generally associated with nonmetrical music?

Read the excerpt from act l, scene i of romeo and juliet. what is the cause of romeo's despair? benvolio: groan! why, no; but sadly tell me who romeo has wronged benvolio. romeo misses his friends and family romeo wants to fight the capulets. romeo is in love with a woman romeo: bid a sick man in sadness make his will: ah! word ill urg'd to one that is so ill. in sadness, cousin, i do love a woman save and exit