The parents are to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet as they push for an arranged marriage, Paris is eager to marry Juliet and Old Capulet invites him to meet her at a family ball. Juliet’s parents are happy about Paris, making him the ideal husband for her and as Old Capulet will not tolerate disobedience “Hang thee, young baggage, disobedient wretch!” Juliet is willing to follow her parent’s orders. But as the night draws on at the family ball Romeo arrives and sees Juliet and immediately falls in love with her.
To a certain extent the feuding is directly responsible for the secrecy of the marriage because of Romeo being the enemy’s son, which is another reason to blame for the death of the two lovers. Also Paris is eager to marry her and her parents are happy, this then forces Juliet to marry Romeo quickly.
As the play draws on, the love of Romeo and Juliet increases and their passion towards each other are extremely powerful. Throughout the play Shakespeare uses may literary techniques including alliteration, for example “Love’s light wings” This is found in act 2 scene 2, Romeo states that he wants to fly over the wall just to see Juliet and does not care if anyone sees him. This is an example of Romeo and Juliet falling sincerely in love with each other. They also do not understand the hatred of the two household and why they are quarrelling, that also applies to the servants. They believe that they should keep the family honour but they do not know why the two households are quarrelling.
Romeo and Juliet can only turn to Friar Laurence for help throughout the play. He represents God, religion, moral guidance and support. As he is persuaded to marry Romeo and Juliet “I’ll tell thee as we pass, but I pray, that thou consent to marry us today.” He is motivated by the best intentions to make peace between the two families, he uses love to conquer hate.
But Friar Laurence is partially to blame for the deaths, he was the one to plot the scheme, but his good intentions to marry Romeo and Juliet and to make peace within the families goes wrong. It was him that gave the “poison” to Juliet.
It is also dramatic irony, as we the audience know that Juliet is not dead as she has taken the “poison” she is just sleeping.
“Myself condemned and myself excus’d” Here an oxymoron illustrates Friar Laurence, he blames himself for the calamity of what has happened.
Benvolio is one of Romeo’s friends, he is a serious and sensitive young man and he represents the role of the peacemaker. In the beginning of the play he has always questioned and persuaded Romeo to say why he is so depressed, he has the best intentions to make Romeo happy. “Tell me in sadness, who is it you love?” (Act1, Scene1)
In Act3 Scene1, Tybalt and Mercutio are fighting; they both want to honour their family, and again Benvolio wants peace. Romeo does not want to fight Tybalt because he wants to honour both families, as he is married to a Capulet. But as Mercutio is killed by Tybalt, Romeo changes immediately in character, he is infuriated about the death of his friend, he turns to violence. They both fight and he then kills Tybalt Juliet’s cousin. Benvolio is protective about his friend and he orders Romeo to go from Verona. Romeo believes in fortune and fate, he blames himself for what he has done. “O, I am fortune’s fool.”
As Romeo flees from Verona, the citizens, the officers of the watch, the Prince and the heads of the households appear, the Prince demands to know the truth.
“Benvolio who began this bloody fray?”
As Benvolio is meant to be on Romeo’s side he tells the truth to the Prince, he is loyal, but at the same time he is moderately to blame for the deaths. He was the one who told the Prince what exactly happened and it was him who told everyone that Romeo had killed Tybalt.
To some extent the Nurse is also to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet; early on she is quite caring and compassionate for Juliet but then she is insensitive and immoral. The Nurse respects the Friar but is bawdy with others. She often speaks in prose rather than in a poetic verse. She has little regard for Juliet’s feelings as she delays giving Romeo’s message. She often alters her mentality whenever the opinions in mind. For example, she supports Lady Capulet in praise of Paris and then she helps Juliet arrange the marriage to Romeo. She also warns Romeo and Juliet of the approach of Lady Capulet in Act3 Scene 5 and yet at the end she much prefers Paris saying, “Romeo’s a dishclout to him” and suggests Juliet should marry Paris. The Nurse is also prone to exaggerate
“I think it best you married with the County.
O, he’s a lovely gentleman!”
As Juliet and her parents have had a dispute she demands comfort from her Nurse, but she had no comfort to offer. The Nurse lets down Juliet at a crucial time in Act 3 Scene 5 and Juliet is infuriated by it. She is completely alone and isolated.
Old Capulet wants the best for his daughter, he believes that she grieves for the death of her cousin Tybalt, and thinks marriage to Paris will make her happy. This is why he agrees to the marriage without consulting her. “She shall be married to this noble earl.” (Act3 Scene 4) But as Juliet’s parents learn that she does not want to marry Paris they are outraged.
Romeo and Juliet believe strongly about fate and fortune. It is fate which determines that the lovers should be born of enemy families, that Mercutio should be killed by Tybalt, that Friar Laurence’s letter should not be delivered. This is what destroys them. Romeo blames himself “O, I am fortune’s fool.” And later on he speaks of himself of his “betossed soul” suggesting that he is blown all over by fate.
Juliet exclaims that she is a weak victim of fate’s schemes “Alack, alack, that heaven should practise stratagems/Upon so soft a subject as myself!”
Overall no one in particular is to be blamed for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Everyone had a contribution and a part to play in their deaths. It was a remarkable turning point for both families as they are joined together at the end, but they are told by the Prince that their deaths are “bitter-sweet” Shakespeare uses an oxymoron as indeed their deaths were bitter and united in death, their love is sweet.
