Romeo and Juliet – Who is to Blame for the tragic events of the play?

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Romeo and Juliet - Who is to Blame for the tragic events of the play?

In order to state whether the play "Romeo and Juliet" is a Romance or a tragedy I decided that I would have to find out the true meanings of those two words.

Romance- 1. An Imaginative story, literature of this kind, medieval romances.

2. A romantic situation or event or atmosphere

3. A love story, a love affair resembling this.

4. A picturesque exaggeration of falsehood - v. to exaggerate or

Distort the truth in an imaginative way.

Tragedy- 1. A serious play with unhappy events or a sad ending.

2. The branch of drama that consists of such plays.

3. An event that causes great sadness, a calamity.

The play contains both Romance and Tragedy. It is a tale of two lovers who are forced apart by their families (romance), but it is also a story or murder, fights, battles, feuds, arguments and disagreements (tragedy). However the story is viewed, as romance, tragedy or even comedy, it involves the deaths of five young people. The story consists of killings, suicides and unnecessary injuries all caused by an age-old grudge between the Capulets and the Montagues. It is not the romance, which plays the biggest part in this story. The romance did not start the feud between the families, which is the main focus point and theme running through the play therefore I believe that the tragedies of the play are far more important to the story line than the romance between Romeo and Juliet is.

Tybalt is a fiery argumentative character. He is upholding a grudge between the Capulets and the Montagues. Known as the Prince of Cats, he is the leader of his gang and has many loyal followers. He appears in the first act of the play. In this act, Tybalt shows us what type of person he is and what kind of part he is going to play overall. In Act 1, scene 5, at the Capulet's party, Tybalt finds out that Romeo, a Montague, is present at the party. He is very quick to react and becomes aggressive and ready to fight. It is the first thing Tybalt says when he discovers Romeo.
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"This by his voice, should be a Montague. Fetch me my rapier boy. What does that slave come hither, cover'd with an antic face, To fleer and scorn at our solemnity? Now, by the stock and honour of my kin

To strike him dead I hold it not a sin"

This quote, I believe, shows Tybalt's readiness to fight and to kill which is a major cause of many tragic events that occur throughout the play. The grudge between the two families was very old and almost irrelevant. It is not worth upholding and this is ...

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