Premium Essay

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

In: English and Literature

Submitted By clancey04
Words 1185
Pages 5
The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

William Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet,” is a very well known play. This play is known for its romance and its tragic ending. One question that is often asked is who is responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s death? This topic is very debatable, but there are a few people that can be held responsible for their death. The people to blame for Romeo and Juliet’s death are the Capulets and Montagues, Friar Laurence and Romeo and Juliet. The feud between the Capulets and Montagues could have possibly led to the death of Romeo and Juliet. This play starts off with a fight between the Capulets and Montagues to show the audience that these families do not get along. The biggest problem is that Romeo, a Montague, and Juliet, a Capulet, are in love. Do to the fights between their families, it would be impossible for Romeo and Juliet to be married if their parents knew. Therefore, they felt it was best to keep their love a secret. Juliet’s parents had basically set up an arranged married for Juliet, which is hinted by her mother, Lady Capulet, in Act I, Scene III. When Romeo and Juliet first met, they instantly thought they were meant to be together. Because of Juliet’s arranged married, they were caused to speed their relationship up and they got married as soon as possible. If Romeo and Juliet could have been honest with their families then maybe the feud would have ended. In Act III, Scene I; Romeo’s cousin, Mercutio, and Juliet’s cousin, Tybalt, decide to fight. They never got along from the beginning. At the end of this scene, Mercutio ends up being killed by Tybalt and Tybalt is killed by Romeo. Because of what has happened between Romeo and Juliet’s family members, the Prince of Verona decides to banish Romeo. If the fight never occurred between Mercutio and Tybalt then this would have never happened. Therefore, Juliet and

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Romeo & Juliet - a Tragedy

...In William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, the character that showed the most integrity was Benvolio. Persons who display integrity are honest, trustworthy, and responsible. Benvolio is all of these things. Throughout the entire play Benvolio demonstrated time and time again these qualities. He is truly a person who demonstrates integrity in everyday society. You may ask where is the proof that Benvolio has demonstrated honesty, yet it is as plain as day. Honesty is telling the whole truth in any situation. Benvolio will tell the truth even when trouble could brew because of it. One example is when Romeo’s parents inquired of his recent activities and Benvolio willingly told the truth and spoke of his cousin’s whereabouts and his actions at that location. Another example of this is after Romeo had just slain Tybalt, and then the Prince of Verona came, and he asked what did happen this night. “O noble prince, I can discover all the unlucky manage of this fatal brawl: There lies the man, slain by young Romeo, That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.”(3/1/133 – 136) Benvolio told the prince of his cousin’s deeds even though Romeo could have been put to death for it. Even in the face of trouble Benvolio doesn’t shirk away from the truth. This dedication to honesty shows his integrity. Trustworthiness is the result of honesty. Benvolio was trusted by many characters and they confided in him as well. When Romeo confided the information of his love for Rosaline in Benvolio, he trusted...

Words: 620 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Who's Responsible For The Tragedy Of Romeo And Juliet

...Who’s Responsible for the Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet? We all know Shakespeare wrote it, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. Who is really responsible (play wise) for all of the hardships Romeo and Juliet had to face? I’d say it’s Romeo who’s to blame. He should’ve thought about what a relationship with a Capulet might lead to. In the play, it does state “Being held a foe, he may not have access/To breathe such vows as lovers use to swear,” (Shakespeare, 401). If the solution of avoiding her altogether truly wasn’t an option, he could’ve at least avoided killing himself. If he had really cared for Juliet, he would have stayed alive for her. He would’ve lived on to tell of her beauty and magnificence. More depth on my first...

Words: 602 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

What Is The Tragedy Of Romeo And Juliet Essay

...The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, is an unusual story of two young lovers coming from rival families. Their love is portrayed by Shakespeare as being forbidden and complicated, though the couple risks consequences just to be together. Throughout their story, the intensity of their relationship increases immensely to the point where they die for each other. These actions would be taken as a sign of true love because no one would go this far to be with someone they just crossed paths with a few days ago. The relationship appears to be very desperate with many commitments being made but audiences have made up the idea that this tragedy was in fact cheesy and over exaggerated, thus making it a comedy as much as it is a tragedy....

Words: 946 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

The Nurse Is To Blame In The Tragedy Of Romeo And Juliet

...Did you know that there where over 5 lives lost in The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare? The play was about a feud between two families that led two star-crossed lovers to end their own life. Romeo met Juliet and they intently fall in love at first sight even though they were enemies. They made a plan to run off together but sadly the plan fails due to miscommunication. It ended up with Romeo and Juliet committing suicide. Some people may think that the nurse is ultimately to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. They may think the nurse is guilty because she kept secrets from everyone about the wedding and told Juliet to marry Paris. However, this claim is invalid because the nurse was only trying to help her. She practically...

Words: 307 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Comparing Juliet In William Shakespeare's The Tragedy Of Romeo And Juliet

...The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is a play directed by “fate”, according to the characters. Although the events of the play are definitely conducted by the characters influencing them, one being Juliet. Juliet’s defiance to her parents, reliance on other people, and her terrible plan to reunite with Romeo set the stage for the calamity to occur. The main dilemma in the play The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is that Romeo and Juliet are “secretly” married. It is “secret” because Juliet’s brilliant mind believes it’s a good idea to tell her parents they’re married about half way through the play. “I will not marry yet; and when I do, I swear it shall be Romeo…” (Shakespeare, Act III, Scene V). The point of having a secret marriage is to keep it a secret, but this does not translate to Juliet. This did not directly kill anyone, but it was still a idiotic decision since it raised the tension for Juliet to marry Paris....

Words: 586 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Comparing Tragedy In Romeo And Juliet And Sure Thing

...When we hear the words tragedies and comedies we can reference them to death and jokes; however, there is more to these concepts than can come to one’s mind especially in drama. In tragedies there is often the downfall of a tragic hero whereas in comedies the unexpected rise of the comic protagonist is to be laughed at due to the wit and humor used. Tragedies end in catastrophe as seen in the death of Romeo and Juliet unlike in comedies where the conflicts are to be made fun of, for example in Sure Thing, Bill the comic protagonist, makes every possible mistake when trying to pick up a girl in a café, but somehow still ends up getting the girl after many attempts. Tragedies and comedies are mostly defined by the emotions they evoke in the public...

Words: 1001 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Comparing Shakespeare's The Tragedy Of Romeo And Juliet And The Hunger Games

...stories end with “happily ever after,” some end in death or unfortunate situations. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, is about two lovers from enemy families, face many great obstacles to be together but results in multiple deaths from both families. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, is about a teen named Katniss who volunteers as a tribute in the Hunger Games, where competitors kill one another to be last one standing. Katniss gets paired up with Peeta and together, they pretend to stand out from the rest through romantic story, gaining attention and a higher chance of survival. Romeo & Juliet from...

Words: 1228 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

The Analytical Essay: The Tragedy Of Romeo And Juliet

...The protagonists Romeo and Juliet take their lives because of the many characters involved in the journey that leads to their fatal end. Thus, ultimately it is other characters and the climate of animosity and hatred that the feud creates that leads the characters to act as they do.The meddlesome nurse wishes to see Juliet get married as part of an adventure for herself, but quickly changes her views once things turn upside down. Friar Lawrence wants to marry Romeo and Juliet because he thinks that this will end the incessant feud between the Montagues and Capulets. The fiery Tybalt wants nothing but to fight Romeo and to stand up for the Capulets, as Romeo is spotted at the ball. Troublesome Mercutio wants to fight the Capulets and be faithful to the Montagues. However, no matter what any of these characters do to contribute to the fiasco, Romeo and Juliet still take their dear lives and in this they assume some of the responsibility for the tragic climax. The feud between the Capulets and Montagues causes havoc on the streets of Verona. The play...

Words: 814 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

How Does Shakespeare Use Irony In The Tragedy Of Romeo And Juliet

...The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Critique The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, set in the city of Verona, Italy, was written in the 1500's by William Shakespeare where two young people fall in love in rebellion to their parent's rules because of a feud that has lasted many years between their two families. In the play, Juliet's furious cousin Tybalt wants to kill Romeo, and in the process ends up killing Romeo's cousin Mercutio. In this series of events, Romeo kills Tybalt for revenge of his cousin's death and is banned from the city. This causes bad communication between the lovers and Romeo kills himself thinking Juliet is dead, which makes her kill herself because she is grieved by the loss of her beloved Romeo.By using irony, Shakespeare's...

Words: 383 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

The Tragedy Of Friar Lawrence In Shakespeare's 'Romeo And Juliet'

...Lawrence knew that Romeo and Juliet’s relationship was bad all along. So if he didn’t stop it shouldn’t he be guilty too? Well, Romeo and Juliet is a tragic story of that ends with the couple suiciding themselves, although, everybody wonders who are guilty for Romeo and Juliet’s death. I think Friar Lawrence is responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s death because he married them when he knew it was wrong, he could have told the families what was happening, but instead he kept it all secret, his plans were not thoughtful and he ruined everything. One of the non wise choices that the Friar Lawrence did was to marry Romeo and Juliet. ”Go wisely and slowly. Those who rush stumble and fall.”This quote shows us that Friar Lawrence knew that Romeo and Juliet’s relationship was bad all along. Friar knew that Romeo was desperate for love and wanted to rapidly wanted to marry Juliet. ”I love rich Capulet’s daughter. I love her, and she loves me. We’re bound to each other in every possible way, except we need you to marry us. I’ll tell you more later about when and where we met, how we fell in love, and how...

Words: 702 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

The Tragedy Of Friar Lawrence In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

...play, Romeo and Juliet, two "star crossed lovers" (Romeo and Juliet) kill themselves because of many actions of the people around them. Friar Lawrence is most at fault for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Throughout the play, Friar Lawrence's plans all seem to fail: he married Romeo and Juliet even though the families hate each other, he didn't tell Romeo about the plan to rescue Juliet, but he went through with it anyways and, finally, he did nothing to prevent Juliet's death. As the audience can see, his plans were flawed. Friar Lawrence's first big mistake happened early in the play. The Friar married Romeo and Juliet, even though the families hated each other. He said that he wanted the families to get along: "I'll thy assistant be; For this alliance may so happy prove, To turn your households' rancour to pure love." (Act 2, scene 3). If...

Words: 579 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Hate In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

...Within the tragic story of Romeo and Juliet, we see two houses both emanating hate for one another. Multiple events arose along with every different possible outcome and within these situations, had Romeo chose to act differently and thought more rationally than impulsively, perhaps his seed of love with Juliet could’ve blossomed into a magnificent flower. If Romeo has chosen to realize that time is the only barrier to love, not to spite the Capulets, and to have truly understood Juliet’s heart, this tragedy may have averted. Different events and contributions led to the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, yet some factors stand out better than the others like a beacon in the midst of the dark night. Romeo may have been a Montague, but he did not hate nor despise the Capulet. He proposed marriage upon their second meeting disregarding their parental relationship. He spent less than 3 nights with Juliet and has not yet acquired the knowledge of Juliet’s thoughts. He acted irrationally choosing marriage despite the conflict revolving around the two houses, the Capulets and the Montagues. With this in mind, he should have known that any form of involvement...

Words: 646 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Darkness In Romeo And Juliet

...Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy because at the beginning of the story, the main ideas were lighthearted and comic, but after Tybalt’s death, many characters such as Mercutio, Romeo, and Juliet died. An abundant amount of the deaths were resulted because of heavily played emotions throughout the book. For example, Juliet pretended to be dead so Romeo can save her by drinking a potion that makes her asleep for 42 hours. If the potion does not work as she hoped, then she will kill herself. Moreover, Romeo was supposed to receive a message from Friar Laurence, but instead it was never sent to him. Romeo considers Juliet is dead and poisons himself because he couldn’t bear to be without Juliet. He states, “ Here’s to my love. O true apothecary. Thy drugs are quick. Thus, with a kiss, I die. “ (Shakespeare 5.3) This establishes that the book had a theme of darkness that led to tragedy....

Words: 395 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Romeo And Juliet's Impulsive Decisions

...“A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life” / Whose misadventured piteous overthrows / Doth with their death bury of their parents’ strife” (Shakespeare 377). In The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, there are many conflicts that had happened during the love of Romeo and Juliet. As they fall in love at first sight at a hall in Capulet’s house, they realize that they are their greatest enemy. Due to the feuds between the two families, Romeo and Juliet decide to keep their love as a secret. Romeo’s and Juliet’s impulsive decisions, they are responsible the tragedy of themselves. First of all, Romeo’s murder of tybalt has a huge effect on the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. “This day’s black fate on moe days doth depend; /...

Words: 431 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Should Romeo And Juliet Be Punished Research Paper

...pardoned? It seems to be the question everyone wants the answer to. Romeo and Juliet were from two different families who hate each other. Friar Lawrence thought that it would be ideal for Romeo and Juliet to be married . He thought that the marriage would bring together the two families. Friar Lawrence should be punished for helping Romeo and Juliet get married. Friar Lawrence plans led to tragedy. He should've known better than to marry them , and he made both families grieve. Friar Lawrence was the grown up in this situation and should’ve known better than to marry Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet are from two families who hate each other. The marriage would've brought more tension between the families....

Words: 433 - Pages: 2