Who is to Blame for the Deaths of Romeo and Juliet?

Victoria Morsley 10 Hewson 07/05/2007

uWho is to Blame for the Deaths of Romeo and Juliet?

Introduction

The tragedy of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ , written by William Shakespeare in the late 16th century is about how two young people from conflicting families meet and fall in love. ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is one of Shakespeare’s well known plays. In ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Shakespeare in the prologue stats that they will both die ‘A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life’ this shows that Romeo and Juliet will die in the end. Shakespeare does this to take the tension off if they would die or not onto the message in which William Shakespeare would like to put across about how all the fight against the opposing families are ended by the deaths of their children, Romeo and Juliet. In ‘Romeo and Juliet’ there are several characters that play a part in Romeo and Juliet’s death, some of the characters were more responsible then others. In this essay I will be looking at what parts these characters have in the deaths of Romeo and Juliet’s death these characters are; The Nurse, Tybalt, Romeo and Juliet themselves, The Parent, Friar Lawrence and Mercutio.

Section 1- The Nurse

The Nurse contributes to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet by giving Juliet what ever she wants, the nurse likes to make Juliet happy after loosing her own daughter Juliet is like she is her own daughter and wants to see Juliet married before she dies we know this by ‘thou wast the prettiest babe that e’e I nurs’d and I might live to see thee married once, I have my wish’ (Act 1, Scene iii). In ‘Romeo and Juliet’ the Nurse goes to meet Romeo on Juliet’s behalf because the nurse wants to see Juliet happy and married before she dies although the nurse did want Juliet to be married and allowed and was part of the secret wedding between Romeo and Juliet the Nurse did not intend for Romeo and Juliet to die. The Nurse attempts to ensure that Romeo is honourable by testing him on how he feels about Juliet ‘my young Lady bid me enquire you out what she did bid me say, I will keep to myself: but first let me tell ye, if ye should lead her in a fool’s paradise, as they say, it were a very gross kind of behaviour…’(To Romeo, Act 2, Scene iv), this shows that the Nurse is testing him on how he feels about Juliet and is warning him not so lead her astray. The Nurse also takes a part in the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, by helping the young couple to marry. She does this because she wants to see Juliet married as she is like the daughter whom she lost ‘Hark ye, your Romeo will be here at night, I’ll to him, he is his at Lawrence’s cell.’ (Act 3, Scene ii). So the Nurse although trying to make Juliet happy and see her married after she takes part in the marriage of Romeo and Juliet the Nurse take part in the marriage of Paris and Juliet with full knowing of that she was married to Romeo.

Section 2- Tybalt

Tybalt’s first appearance in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ shows that he is a fiery and violent character although people may argue that these characteristics and his actions are in any way responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet we can prove that his reaction to Romeo being at the Capulet party and his uncle’s refusal to do anything about it. After Tybalt’s uncle refuses to fight or do anything about this intrusion Tybalt’s way of thinking and his refusal to let this intrusion lie shows that Tybalt cause trouble at a later date ‘Patience perforce, with wilful choler meeting, Makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting: I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall, Now seeming sweet, convert to bitt’rest gall.’ (Act 1, Scene v). Once the party at the Capulet’s is over Tybalt decides to challenge Romeo to a duel ‘Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries That thou hast done me, therefore turn and draw.’ (Act 3 Scene i) Even though the Prince has warns both of the opposing families if they fought in Verona’s streets once more they would by killed ‘If ever you disturb out streets again, Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace’ (Act 1, Scene 1) Tybalt still requests a duel from Romeo. Tybalt’s actions in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ were violent he disturbed the streets of Verona and went against the prince’s warning. The sly way Tybalt killed Mercutio under Romeo arm when Romeo was trying to keep the peace as the name Capulet was as much to him as the name Montague ‘And so, good Capulet, which name I tender As dearly as mine own, be satisfied.’ Tybalt’s sly action shows how violent he can be and takes a huge part of the deaths of Romeo and Juliet as if he never requested the duel between himself and Romeo and if he never slyly killed Mercutio under Romeo’s arm when Romeo was stopping the fight Romeo would not have got banished as he got upset and angry and killed Tybalt for him killing Mercutio.

Section 3- Romeo and Juliet Themselves

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Section 3- Romeo and Juliet Themselves

People may argue that, as Romeo and Juliet commit suicide they themselves must take some, it not all of the blame for their own deaths. It would be unfair to argue that the fact that they kill themselves excludes all others from blame; it is certainly true that the mistakes made by the lovers themselves certainly contribute to their downfall. Romeo and Juliet rush into this we know this because after meeting each other 2 hours of meeting each other they are planning to get married the next day. We already know that Romeo falls in love very easily as when he falls in love with Rosaline but once he sees Juliet at the Capulet’s party he forget all about Rosaline and starts to fall in love with Juliet. Although it seems the same as his love for Rosaline, but as we find out Juliet starts to fall in love with Romeo as he does with her. Even when Romeo and Juliet found out that they were each other enemies ‘Is she a Capulet? O dear account! My life is my foe’s debt.’ (Act 1 Scene v, Romeo speaking about Juliet) ‘My only love sprung from my only hate, Too early seen unknown, and known too late,’ (Juliet Act 1 Scene v) they still carried on seeing each other knowing that there would be consequences to come when the truth came out. When Tybalt comes to request a duel with Romeo, Romeo refuses ‘I do protest I never injur’d thee, But love thee better than thou can’st devise:’ by the time Tybalt requests to duel with him Romeo is already married to Juliet so Tybalt is family as Tybalt is Juliet’s cousin. After Romeo was banished, and Juliet was persuaded to marry Paris, Juliet went and to Friar Lawrence who gave her the poison that makes her look dead for 24 hours, in which time he would have told Romeo what was happening and where to meet Juliet. Unfortunately Romeo didn’t receive this notice and when Juliet was buried Romeo had heard the news and had rushed to get a poison to kill him self with in the arms of Juliet. When Romeo kills him self he speaks the words of truth ‘Here’s to my love. O true apothecary: Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.’ (Romeo, Act 5 Scene iii) Romeo shows how much he cares and loves Juliet and would die to be with her, because they will be together in death if not in present. When Juliet awakes from the poison she find Romeo dead by her side by this time she sees the dagger in which Romeo has brought with him and to be with Romeo, Juliet use the dagger to kill herself and says ‘O happy dagger. This is thy sheath, there rust and let me die.’ (Juliet, Act 5,Scene iii) by this she means that because Romeo is dead there is no reason for her to live so she kills herself to be with the one she loves. Romeo and Juliet take a big part in their own deaths as they rush into things and get married the next day after meeting each other, even after finding out that they are enemies Romeo and Juliet still carry on seeing each other in secret and knowing the consequences for this.

Section 4- The parents

In ‘Romeo and Juliet’ the parents of Romeo and Juliet take sum it not most of the blame for the deaths of their son and daughter. If the parents of these young people hadn’t started the feud in the first place, these two young people wouldn’t have to carry on their love for each other in secret. The parents of Juliet are more to blame then the Montague’s although the Montague’s are still to blame for the deaths of their children. But the Capulet’s play a much more important role by threatening to disown Juliet if she does not marry Paris, ‘Hang thee young baggage disobedient wretch, I’ll tell thee what, get thee to church a Thursday. Or never after look me in the face.’ (Capulet to Juliet- Act 3, Scene v) Capulet had threatened that Juliet will be disowned as a daughter if she does not marry Paris although only Juliet and the Nurse know that she is already married so she has to take the drastic measure of faking her own death. When there is a disagreement between the younger people of their families the parents turn up not ready to spilt it up but encourage it on ‘My sword I say, old Montague is come, And flourishes his blade in spite of me’ (Act 1 Scene i.) The Capulet and the Montague’s are the ones that started this feud and has pass it down the family to their younger generation, wherever there is a fight the parent of the two houses will turn up and make the problem even bigger both the Capulet and the Montague’s are as bad as each other as they both challenge to fight each other. ’I would not for the wealth of all this town, Here in my house do him disparagement.’ (Capulet to Tybalt- Act 1, Scene v), although Capulet hates the Montague’s he does not want a fight in his home and demand Tybalt leaves and forgets about the Montague’s crashing their party. The parent’s extent in which they take part in of the death of Romeo and Juliet is more important part as if there was no feud Romeo and Juliet wouldn’t have to have resorted into killing themselves to be together. And it was only when they lost there son and daughter when the feud was broken because of the love of Romeo and Juliet.

Section 5- Friar Lawrence

In ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Friar Lawrence plays a major part in the story of the two lovers. When Romeo came to see the Friar to talk about marrying Juliet, he thinks that he has been with Rosaline he gives the advice of forgetting about her and then he is please to hear that he has and is in love with Juliet ‘Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear, so soon forsaken? Young men’s love then lies Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes:’ (Act 2, Scene iii), the Friar is talking about how young people fall in love to quickly and Romeo is one of these people who falling in love and out of love quickly. Although the Friar agrees when Romeo tells him about how much they both love each other and they want to get married. ‘In one respect, I’ll thy assistant be: For this alliance may so happy prove, To turn your households’ rancour to pure love.’ (Act 2 Scene ii), after Romeo persuades the Friar that they both love each other the Friar agrees with the plan that these two people from the younger generation will bring the houses together and end the feud. When Juliet comes to see the Friar after she is forced to marry Paris or be disowned by her parent the Friar who knew about the marriage of Paris and Juliet when he married Juliet and Romeo and made up a plan to fake her death to be with Romeo, ‘In the mean time against thou shalt awake, Shall Romeo by my letters know our drift,’ (Act 2, Scene iii) although when the plan of Romeo and Juliet being together went wrong Friar Lawrence became worried ‘The letter was not nice but full of charge, Of dear import, and the neglecting it, May do much danger:’ (Act 5,Scene ii.) Friar Lawrence takes a major part in the deaths of Romeo and Juliet as he knew about Juliet were soon to be married to Paris although he still continued and agreed to marrying Juliet to Romeo, as his plan was to marry the younger generation of the family together so the feud between the Montague and the Capulet’s to and end.

Section 6- Mercutio

In ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Mercutio is believed to play a fairly major part in the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. The fact that he persuaded Romeo to go to their enemy’s party is asking for trouble. Mercutio has to persuade Romeo to go as Romeo is unsure and wary about this and what will happen if they go. ‘Nay gentle Romeo we must have you dance.’ (Act 1, Scene iv), Mercutio on one hand is trying to help Romeo to get over Rosaline but he is also at the same time causing trouble, he is ready for a fight and is using Romeo as an excuse. We know that Mercutio always wants to fight as he refuses to take Benvolio’s to avoid a fight with Tybalt because of the prince’s speech about being banished. ‘More than Prince of Cats. O he’s the courageous Captain of compliments: he fights as you sing Pricksong,’ (ridiculing Tybalt- Act 2, Scene iv), by ridiculing Tybalt Mercutio is hinting that he is asking for a fight he causes trouble this is the way Mercutio goads Tybalt into fighting him he makes reason for Tybalt to fight him and destroy the peace. After Mercutio as to stabbed under the arm of Romeo Mercutio blames the Houses for the reason on why he was stabbed ‘A plague a’both houses!’, Mercutio is being hypocritical about this as he is the one who as caused the trouble and has taunted Tybalt into fighting him, even after Romeo had refused to fight Tybalt Mercutio jumped in and started to criticize Tybalt even more to make Tybalt fight with him. When Tybalt kills Mercutio Romeo goes after Tybalt to kill him ‘ My very friend hath got this mortal hurt In my behalf, my reputation stan’d By Tybalt’s slander,’ (Romeo, Act 3, Scene i), Romeo wants to get back at Tybalt on behalf of Mercutio as Tybalt has killed Mercutio so Romeo will kill Tybalt. When Romeo killed Tybalt ‘…, for Mercutio’s soul Is but a little way above out heads, Staying for thine to keep him company:’ (Romeo, Act 3, Scene i) Romeo is saying that now Tybalt is dead Mercutio’s soul has company of Tybalt and can rest in peace. All in all Mercutio plays another major part in the deaths of Romeo and Juliet as he is the one that starts causing trouble and taunting Tybalt and the others Capulet’s.

Conclusion

Many people are responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, although the most major parts who are responsible are Tybalt, Mercutio, Friar Lawrence, the parents and Romeo and Juliet themselves. Friar Lawrence is one of the major parts of the deaths because he agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet when fully knowing that the Capulet’s were planning to Marry Juliet to Paris. The Friar also helped Juliet fake her own death to be with Romeo. He has his own plans when he agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet although he is only thinking of how he can end the feud between the two houses, although the Friar isn’t thinking of the consequences of marrying them as this could make the feud even stronger. Tybalt is also a major part of the deaths because Tybalt is always trying to fight and duel with the Montague’s when Tybalt sees the Montague at their party Tybalt was going to start a fight on Romeo and disturbed the party although Capulet order Tybalt to forget about it and leave it although Tybalt did not leave it he waited till after when Romeo was Married to Juliet and challenged him to a duel. Tybalt started Romeo off when he killed Mercutio who is another person who plays a major role in the deaths of Romeo and Juliet are he is the one that taunts the Capulet’s and shows off to make them want to fight him. When Mercutio was killed her blame the two houses and says that he was nothing to do with everything. Romeo and Juliet are major part are because after they found out who they were they still carried on and married each other, they knew the consequences and they still carried it on in secret. The Parents takes another major part because if the parent of Romeo and Juliet hadn’t started the feud there wouldn’t have been a problem and Romeo and Juliet wouldn’t have had to carry out their relationship in secret. Also is the Capulet’s hadn’t threatened Juliet to marry Paris or else they would disown her if they hadn’t had threatened Juliet would have resorts into faking her own death in which Romeo believed was true and killed himself to be with Juliet who awoke to find Romeo dead beside her so she killed herself Although the Nurse are responsible she is only a minor part in the deaths of Romeo and Juliet as she only does what she did because she loves Juliet like she is her own, The Nurse is only being a friend to Juliet, Juliet’s helper and the servant to the Capulet’s. The Nurse only wants to make Juliet happy so she does whatever Juliet wants.

English Romeo and Juliet Essay