Romeo and Juliet essay by William Shakespea. Essay question: Why did 'The pair of star-crossed lovers' take their lives?The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is one of the most dramatic and influential love stories of all time. The play, written by William Shakespeare in the late sixteenth century tells the anguishing tale of 'star-crossed lovers' taking their lives to be together in death. This essay will discuss three points that I believe to be partly a cause of their deaths. Was it the prolonged feud that caused them to die? Was Friar Lawrence at fault, or could it have been merely fate? I will discuss these topics in detail and evaluate what I think was to blame for their tragic deaths. ...view middle of the document...
Many believe this was to blame for their deaths but if they had been born enemies, why were they now lovers? Both 'star-crossed lovers' and line 9, 'death marked love' seem to say that their lives were set to end in a fatal disaster.''Dido a dowdy, Cleopatra a gypsy, Helen and Hero hidings and harlots, Thisbe a grey eye or so, but not to the purpose.'' This quote from Act 2 scene 4 mentions women who had a tragic ending to their life, or had to meet with their lover in secluded circumstances, similar to that of Juliet. In this section of the play, Shakespeare compares Juliet to these women as if he is already suggesting that their passion will end in disaster.Act 3 scene 1 is a very moving scene as Mercutio is slain by Tybalt. Some of his last words spoken were ''Help me into some house Benvolio or I shall faint. A plague on both your houses.'' Mercutio curses the Capulets and the Montagues for their fighting. All these quotes indicate how strongly fate plays a part in people's tragic lives.The third and final point I am going to deliberate is whether the Friar was at fault. Although he married them in secret, and planned the dangerous plot that was to bring Romeo and Juliet together after Romeo's banishment, he always made sure he was...