The meeting between Romeo and Juliet works well as they both fall in love with one another before they find out that they are supposed enemies. When they later find out they still love each other, which is ominous knowing of the hatred between the families.
Romeo and Juliet get married in secret because if the families knew they wouldn’t let it happen. By the two lovers being married in secret it does make you think that it will end in tragedy. Friar Laurence thinks that by marrying Romeo and Juliet it might bring the two families together “to turn your households rancour to pure love.” By keeping their marriage a secret from everyone, they add to their problems. Because of the secrecy Juliet falls out with her father and is pushed into accepting Friar Laurence’s dangerous plan.
Another key moment in the play is when Tybalt challenges Romeo. It combines the hatred of the families, and Tybalt’s desire for revenge.
When Mercutio is killed it shows us the true love for Juliet as Romeo initially refuses to fight his enemy. This means that Romeo is sacrificing his honour to protect his lover, Juliet. This however ends in tragedy as Romeo blames himself for Mercutio’s death and this leads to his fight with Tybalt.
The situation is made worse because of the prince’s decree. As Romeo killed Tybalt on the public streets of fair Verona he should be put to death. Shakespeare builds up the tension because we wonder if this will be the point where the tragedy occurs.
When the play tells us that Romeo’s punishment for killing Tybalt is banishment it immediately tells us that the marriage is going down the drain as if Romeo is banished he cannot go and see Juliet anymore. Romeo says, “There is no world without Verona walls,” which means that they couldn’t possibly have a good marriage without seeing each other. Juliet’s response to Romeo being banished is the same and she thinks that it’s the same as death as she could no longer see him. By Romeo being banished it does a clue that it will end in tragedy, as it is ominous that they both would rather die than never see each other again.
When they were saying goodbye to each other they thought that they would never see each other again which is true as they both die.
When they say goodbye Juliet has a sense of coming doom as she sees Romeo’s body as though he’s in his tomb. It foreshadows the actual events as the next time Juliet sees Romeo he is indeed dead in the Capulet tomb. It is another hint of the tragedy that will follow.
When Lady Capulet tells Juliet about her future marriage with Paris Juliet automatically tells her that she would not marry him. This makes you think that it will end in tragedy as if Juliet doesn’t marry she will be disowned and thrown out onto the streets, but Juliet can’t marry as she is already married to Romeo. Lady Capulet says “I would the fool were married to her grave.” The words are ironic because Juliet will soon be dead and Lady Capulet words will come back to haunt her.
Friar Laurence has a desperate plan for Romeo and Juliet to be together and live together. It is for Juliet to drink a potion that will make her appear dead but that only sends her into a very deep sleep. This choice is very tempting for Juliet as it’s the only way she can escape marrying Paris and also being with her true love and husband Romeo. But this could lead to disaster: the potion might not work and then Juliet would end up being married to Paris or she could be locked in the Capulet’s tomb and go mad from fear. From this potion a number of problems could occur. It is a moment of tension in the play and keeps the audience captivated.
Romeos response to finding out the supposed death of Juliet is bad He says, “I defy you stars.” Another factor of fate is when Romeo doesn’t get the letter from Friar Laurence explaining about the plan. Romeos immediate response is to go to Verona and, where Juliet’s body lies he will also lie. If Juliet’s dead his life isn’t worth living anymore. This is the factor of turning point the plan so nearly works if Romeo hadn’t been so hasty then he wouldn’t have ruined the whole plan and him and Juliet would have been together.
If Romeo goes to see Juliet and then poisoned himself there could be a small chance that Juliet is awake but as he goes too fast it makes you think that it will end in tragedy.
Friar Lawrence’s letters to Romeo are very important “Of dear import, and the neglecting it may do much danger.” As it explains what Juliet is going to do. As Romeo doesn’t receive the letters he thinks that Juliet is actually dead.
At the end of the play when Romeo and Juliet are both dead lying side by side, Friar Lawrence feels guilty that they are both dead. Friar Lawrence’s idea and potion makes the play end in tragedy. When the prince finds out what has just happened he sees it as strange justice as there is a Capulet and a Montague lying side by side together in peace. He later finds out about Juliet and Romeo and says, “For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.” It is ironic that both families are punished by fate for their hatred and only by the deaths is the hatred and feuding resolved.
