Wang 2
Ella Wang
Ms. Turnbull
English 10 B
April 29, 2017
Who should take responsibility for the deaths
Romeo and Juliet is a tragic drama written by William Shakespeare. In the play, there are many events that lead to the deaths of the two main characters, Romeo and his wife, Juliet. Romeo and Juliet belong of two opposing families, the Montagues and the Capulets. The families hate each other and treat each other as enemies, so the town cannot keep the peace. As a consequence, their hatred results in five deaths, those of Mercutio, Tybalt, Paris, Romeo, and Juliet. There are many people responsible for the deaths of these characters, and several causes of the deaths: Nurse, Friar Lawrence, the social standpoint, and the two lovers themselves.
One of the most important causes of Romeo and Juliet's deaths is the lovers themselves. They are immersed in love with each other, which is too foolish and self-willed. The two youth choose a wrong way to prove their love to each other, so their choice results in their deaths. Age and their identity are the problems for this pair of lovers, who love and want to marry each other, but always seem to be dogged by misfortunes. This can be seen when they fall in love with each other before they find out they are in love with their respective family's enemy. Having discovered they are in love with someone their family will not like does not stop Romeo and Juliet from pursuing each other. Romeo overhears Juliet saying, "O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I’ll no longer be a Capulet” (3.2.33-36). What Juliet says is an ignorance thing only spoken by a little child in middle school. Girls like Juliet should always remember what things they are able to do and can not to touch, just like her mother. The youthful characters in the play do not think things through before they act. With characteristic impetuosity, they are always doing something wrong, things like the fight between Tybalt and Mercutio that causes their deaths. Their identity problem is more like a history thing. The Capulets and Montagues have been enemies since a time even before the begins. However, if these two families were not enemies THEIR ignorant and capricious behaviors would not bring them bad luck. IF THEY HAD BEHAVED DIFFERENTLY, Romeo probably would not have had to marry his lovely Juliet in secret, SO ROMEO and Juliet are responsible for their own deaths.
Old Capulet and his wife also push another extra pressure on Juliet that also contributes to the lover’ death. Depending on the different situation, people change their behavior with different people. Old Capulet ceaselessly follows the social role of the father, which is his job as the man of the house to protect his family. This emotions had changed since Tybalt’s death, and Romeo had been banished. At a first meeting, Capulet disagrees that Paris should marry his daughter, Juliet. He prefers waiting for two or even more years, letting his daughter get ready for a new life as another young man’s wife. Shortly after Tybalt’s death, Juliet is too sad, and is coming near to a breakdown, as a consequence of the fight between Mercutio and Tybalt. “I tell thee what: get thee to church o' Thursday, Or never after look me in the face. Speak not. Reply not. Do not answer me” (3.5.161-163). The Capulets change their opinion quickly, and decide that marriage is the best way to counteract the sadness over Tybalt’s death, and is punishment for Romeo. The marriage pressure and family issues are responsible for all the deaths in this play.
Nurse and Friar Lawrence as Romeo’s and Juliet’s close friends, also help cause the bad ending for this pair of lovers. Nurse helps Juliet marry the young man whom she had just met once, and quickly fell in love with. She then betrays Juliet after Romeo has been banished. "I think it best you married with the county" (3.5.217). However, Nurse does not think that she has betrayed Juliet, but her advice becomes partly responsible for Juliet’s death. Friar Lawrence, as a bishop does not fulfill his obligation as he should. Friar Lawrence promises Romeo to marry him to Juliet in secret, but this decision is for parents to make, not for a bishop. If Friar Lawrence had not promised this to Romeo, he would not have had to make the poison and made the secret plan for Juliet. The things that Nurse and Friar Lawrence do to help, become part of what ends the youths’ lives. They should take part of the responsibility for the deaths of Romeo and his Juliet.
The responsibly for the death in William Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet written is the main idea of this essay. The perile of youth under pressure from society, and Romeo and Juliet’s own choices, lead to an unhappy endings. Everyone has responsibility for the choices they make. Lots of choices cannot change anything in your life but some choices you make can change your life from head to foot. Take care. Romeo’s and Juliet’s deaths are the costs for what they choose.
Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet online. Don Mills ON: oxford. 2011. Print
