I agree with the statement that has been made, for a number of reasons. Firstly, they were the ones who physically killed themselves. They were not murdered by anyone and they did not kill each other, “Here’s to my love. O true apothecary: Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die”. Romeo saying this shows that he took the potion himself and was not killed or forced to drink it. Juliet also killed herself, as she says: “Yea noise? Then I’ll be brief. O happy dagger. This is thy sheath, there rust and let me die” Juliet knew exactly what she was doing and was not in any way influenced by anyone. She was the one who drove the sword into her chest and therefore is responsible entirely for her own actions.
However, Romeo killed Tybalt, after Tybalt killed Mercutio. Romeo having killed Tybalt was banished to Mantua. If Romeo had managed to control his anger and not sort revenge from Tybalt, there would have been no reason for him to be banished and maybe they might not have been forced to take such extreme methods. Also, Romeo did not receive the letter. If he had received the letter, then there would have been no need for Romeo to have to go and see the apothecary to buy the potion that gave the drinker instant death.
Then again, Juliet did not make sure that Romeo received the letter. This jeopardised the plan, as Romeo had no idea what was happening.
They are both to blame however, as they didn’t tell anyone apart from Friar Laurence and the nurse that they were married. If the families had known, they may have come to an agreement and stopped the feud before they both took their lives.
On the other hand, this statement is incorrect, as there were underlying factors that contributed to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. One of these factors is Friar Laurence. Friar Laurence was well aware of Romeo and Juliet’s situation yet he still agreed to marry them. On the day he marries them, he says: “These violent delights have violent ends, And in their triumph die like fire and powder: Which as they kiss consume. The sweetest honey Is loathsome in his own deliciousness, And in the taste confounds the appetite.” Friar Laurence, saying this obviously thinks that the moment that Romeo and Juliet kiss as husband and wife, will put to an end all of the arguments and ancient grudge. However, it is obvious as the story unfolds that what he has actually done is worsen the situation. He also gave Juliet the potion that will make her appear dead whilst in fact she is just sleeping. When he did this, he knew that everyone would hear about her death including Romeo. This is when he promises Juliet that Romeo will receive a letter informing him of the plan. In a way, we can blame Friar Laurence for the death of Romeo and Juliet, as the factors mentioned above are really important.
Another character we could say is responsible for their deaths is Juliet’s dad, Capulet. He had the authority to put the feud to the end, yet he chose to keep it going. If there was no feud then Romeo and Juliet could have told everyone they were married and also there would have been no need for Romeo and Tybalt to fight. Additionally, Capulet forced to Juliet to accept that she had to marry Paris and that if she didn’t she would be disowned, as he tells Juliet: “To go with Paris to Saint Peter’s Church: Or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither. Out you green-sickness carrion, out you baggage, You tallow-face.” This gives Juliet very little choice, and so after being told this by her father she faces no other option but to go and see Friar Laurence.
Finally, one other character is mainly to blame. This is the nurse. I say this as she knew right from the beginning what was happening and yet she didn’t say anything to anyone. When Romeo mentioned getting married the nurse said “Good heart and i’faith I will tell her as much: Lord, Lord, she will be a joyful woman.” Even though she knows that the marriage would never work when everyone found out, she still let it go ahead. She could have put an end to the marriage, and she also could have said something to Juliet’s mum or dad so that they had an idea what was happening and either stop the feud or stop Juliet from seeing Romeo. I feel that the nurse knew full well what she was doing and thought that it would bring an end to the feuding families. However, she could never have foretold the events that would actually unfold due to this marriage.
At the time William Shakespeare wrote this play, the Elizabethans would have strongly believed in fate and fortune. William at the beginning of the play portrays Romeo and Juliet as having fate on their side and that they are destined to be together. Romeo by chance reads the invitation that was intended for Benvolio and decides to attend the party. There is also a hint of chance, as they meet each other at the party by chance. However, it all goes wrong from the moment they are married. Fate in this section has manipulated the events to make sure that Romeo and Juliet could not deal with the circumstances thrown at them. They are either not destined to be together or are not allowed to have the happiness that they desire the most in the world. This was shown in the Elizabethan times as the “wheel of fortune”, where one minute you are at the top of the wheel and fortune favours you greatly and then the next minute you are at the bottom of the wheel where fortune does not favour you at all. Fate is first mentioned in the prologue, “A pair of star-crossed lovers”. This shows that the lovers lives together are not written in the stars and that no matter how hard they try their lives are not meant to be together.
Overall, I feel that Romeo and Juliet are responsible for their deaths. I say this as they were the ones who physically killed themselves and also they knew from the start that they shouldn’t be together and that what they were doing was wrong. They should have known that their relationship was doomed from there on.