In Romeo and Juliet, who or what do you think is to blame for the tragic out-come of the play? The play Romeo and Juliet was thought
Romeo and Juliet
In Romeo and Juliet, who or what do you think is to blame for the tragic out-come of the play?
The play Romeo and Juliet was thought to have been written between 1595-1596 by William Shakespeare and has proved to be a popular play that captures the emotions and imagination of anyone who watches it. It is a tragic story of forbidden love and is said to have been based on two real lovers in Verona, who died for each other. The whole play, from beginning to end takes place over five days.
Romeo and Juliet are two star-crossed teenagers who fall in love but who's families are bitter enemies. They are married in secret by Friar Lawrence, they make every effort to conceal their actions, but in the end it all end in tragedy. Throughout the play many people die as a consequence of other people's actions: Tybalt provoked Mercutio into fighting and then killed him, because of that Romeo killed Tybalt. Romeo was banished for killing Tybalt, because of the banishment Romeo and Juliet get separated also Lady Dotage dies of grief. Juliet fakes her death with help from Friar Lawrence, Romeo finds out and thinks she is really dead; he then kills Paris and himself at the Capulets tomb. Juliet wakes to find Romeo dead and kills herself with Romeos dagger.
Many things are to blame for the tragic out-come of the play: the feud between the two families, most of the characters and fate.
The feud between two families, the Capulets and the Montagues is central to the tragedy in the play. It causes hate between the two families,
Tybalt: Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe
A villain, that is hither come in spite
To scorn at our solemnity this night.
This hate that Tybalt has later causes the death of Mecutio and indirectly the death of Lady Dotage. The feud also makes Romeo and Juliet's love for each other forbidden; this means that they have to get married in secret. Friar Lawrence only agrees to marry them because he believes that it will end the feuding between the two families.
Friar: In one respect I'll thy assistant be.
For this alliance may so happy prove
To turn your households' rancour to pure love.
Many of the characters are also to blame for the tragic out-come of the play:
Tybalt is partly to blame for the tragedy in the play because he tries to keep the hate between to two families going. When he sees Romeo at the ball he wants to fight but is stopped by Lord Capulet, he later seeks revenge on Romeo.
Tybalt: I will withdraw. But this intrusion shall,
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Friar: In one respect I'll thy assistant be.
For this alliance may so happy prove
To turn your households' rancour to pure love.
Many of the characters are also to blame for the tragic out-come of the play:
Tybalt is partly to blame for the tragedy in the play because he tries to keep the hate between to two families going. When he sees Romeo at the ball he wants to fight but is stopped by Lord Capulet, he later seeks revenge on Romeo.
Tybalt: I will withdraw. But this intrusion shall,
Now seeming sweet, convert to bitterest gall.
When Romeo does not retaliate Tybalt becomes angrier, Mercutio steps in to protect Romeo and Tybalt kills Mercutio. This leads to Romeo killing Tybalt, Romeo being banished, Lady Dotage dieing of grief and Juliet faking her death, which lead to the deaths of Paris, Romeo and Juliet. If Tybalt had forgot about seeing Romeo at the ball and had more control over his temper none of these deaths including his own would have happened.
Mercutio's attitude towards Tybalt also helped towards the tragic out-comes of the play and possibly caused his own death. If he had not enraged Tybalt with his words and had not interfered with Romeo and Tybalt he most properly would not have been killed.
Mercutio: And but one word with one of us? Couple it with something. Make it a word and a blow.
Romeo would have had no reason to kill Tybalt if Mercutio had not fought with Tybalt.
Friar Lawrence's actions play a part in the tragic out-comes of the play. He secretly married Romeo and Juliet in the full knowledge that their parents would not agree. He thought he was doing his best by the two youngsters and the marriage would help end the feud between the Montagues and Capulets.
Friar: In one respect I'll thy assistant be.
For this alliance may so happy prove
To turn your households' rancour to pure love.
The Friar was responsible for the marriage of Romeo and Juliet, he knew they were both still very young and were not full capable of taking responsibility for themselves. The Friar was naive in believing that the marriage would settle the feud between the two families. Friar Lawrence also gave Juliet the poison to make her seem dead and was responsible for getting the information of Juliet's fake death to Romeo.
The Nurse had her pat to play in Juliet and Romeos deaths. The Nurse saw Romeo and Juliet kissing at the ball and did not tell her employers about it. If she had all of the trouble and tragedy could have been prevented. The Nurse went and found Romeo to find out if he intended to marry Juliet. The Nurse went behind the Capulets back again and she acted as a messenger between the two lovers. As Juliet was so young and still very naive the Nurse should of warned Juliet of the consequences instead of encouraging her. When Romeo is banished and the Lord and Lady Capulet want Juliet to marry Paris the Nurse disregards Juliet's feelings for Romeo and takes the easy option of telling Juliet to marry Paris.
Nurse: I think you are happy in this second match,
For it excels your first.
Juliet despises the Nurse for this and ends their friendship. The only person Juliet has to turn to is Friar Lawrence. The Nurse should not have gone behind the backs of her employers, she should not have encouraged Juliet as she was still very young, naive and not fully responsible for he actions.
The parents, Lord and Lady Capulet, Lord and Lady Montague are partly responsible for keeping the feud going, they had responsibility over their households and could of stopped the quarrelling. The Capulets especially Lady Capulet are ignorant to Juliet's feeling about her marriage to Paris.
Lady Capulet: Talk not to me, for I'll not speak a word.
Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee.
Because of this Juliet feels she has no way out except to fake her death. Lady Capulet is also party responsible for Rome being banished
Lady Capulet: I beg for justice, which thou, Prince, must give.
Romeo slew Tybalt. Romeo must not live.
Because Romeo was banished Lady Dotage died of grief and if Romeo had been allowed to stay Juliet would not have faked her own death and therefore Paris, Romeo and Juliet would not have died.
Romeo was party responsible for his and others deaths he acted hastily throughout the play. He asked Juliet to marry him after only knowing her for a few hours; I think that he was not in love with Juliet, but the idea of being in love.
Romeo: Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight!
For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.
This caused him to act rashly. Romeo was also very hotheaded and this caused Tybalt's, Paris's, Juliet's and his own death. If Romeo had kept calm and not sort revenge on Tybalt all but Mercutios death could have stopped and Mercutios death may have been prevented if Romeo had not intervened in their fight.
Juliet could have prevented most of the deaths if she had obeyed her parents from the beginning of the play and married Paris.
Juliet: Now by Saint Peters Church, and Peter too,
He shall not make me there a joyful bride!
I believe that she was to young to take responsibility for her actions; she could not confide in her parents, the Nurse did not give her good advice and Romeo was older than her therefore he should have been more responsible.
Benvolio and Paris are the only characters that did not contribute to the tragedy of the play. Benvolio seems to realise the potential dangers the other characters action could hold. He tries to stop Mercutio from brawling with Tybalt.
Benvolio: I pray thee, good Mercutio, lets retire.
The day is hot, the Capulets are abroad.
And if we meet we shall not' scrape a brawl,
For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.
Fate has to have the biggest part in the tragedy, even from the beginning the two lovers seem to be doomed.
Prologue: their deaths bury their parents' strife
Fate seems to be the cause of the letter being delayed, which in turn caused Paris's, Romeos and Juliet's deaths. It was also Fate that Romeo and Juliet ever met, if they had not most probably no one would have died. Although Fate caused the tragedy it also resolves the two families feuds. Fate plays a big part in the play because in Elizabethan times it was more acceptable to believe in fate.
Who or what was to blame for the tragedy? I believe that the blame dose not rest with any one character or thing e.g. if Tybalt had not been so hot-tempered, if Romeo had not been hasty, if the Nurse had gone to her employers then maybe none of the death would of happened. This play not only teaches that we are all responsible for our actions, but that fate will always have a part to play in the consequences.
