Who or What Caused the Deaths of Romeo and Juliet?

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WHO OR WHAT CAUSED THE DEATHS OF ROMEO AND JULIET?

The catastrophic tragedy, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ written by Elizabethan playwright William Shakespeare tells the story of two ill-fated teenagers living in the hostile city of Verona although the language used reminds us of seventeenth century England. Born as one another’s foe, the two hapless strangers meet and instantly fall in love igniting a chain of events ultimately leading to calamity. Romeo and Juliet are born to families who have been feuding with each other for many years. There are many reasons which amount to cause the melancholy conclusion but some are more responsible that the others. It is perceptible that fate, puerile passion and the ferocious feud between the Montague and the Capulet families are hugely to blame for the death of the adolescent couple but there are some less apparent factors, which are equally to blame.

‘Romeo  and  Juliet’ is as play filled with characters from many different classes that made up contemporary society. These range from servants to nobles and even a prince. In order to identify social class and also to establish the individuality of each character, the playwright varies the language they use. The complexity of the words and the imagery employed will also indicate role, class, intelligence, education and status.

Romeo, a Montague, is an amorously apt young man desperately in love with a lady called Rosaline to whom he has never met, until he meets Juliet and finds himself longing for her affection. His parents are very much active in the feud and do not converse or look after their son. Benvolio, Romeo’s best friend is an intense and insightful young man, whose name meaning ‘good will’ indicates his pacifying role. Romeo’s other friend Mercutio is in complete contrast to Benvolio, he is aggressive and his belligerence, which is shown in both his dialogue and his action, incites a swordfight, which has a critical and disastrous consequence affecting every character in the play.

Although Juliet is a Capulet, sworn enemy of the Montague’s, she does not participate in or support the feud, which divides Verona and causes havoc on the streets of the fair city. She is nearly fourteen years of age and appears to be content with obeying her parent’s requests, until she encounters her one true love, Romeo. Her character changes abruptly and her behaviour and attitude regarding her parents seems less deferential than before. Juliet’s parents are anxious Juliet is married soon. Juliet’s father despises disobedience and her mother seems to want to get rid of Juliet rapidly. Juliet’s cousin Tybalt is a very sophisticated and smart young man who is proud of his endeavours and envious of the family honour. He is an antagonistic character much like Mercutio. Juliet has a nurse whose actions mean well but result in the main tragedy of the play. She treats Juliet, as if she were her own daughter having lost her own child at the same time as Juliet’s birth. The nurse breastfed Juliet when she was young, this shows the strong relationship between these two characters.

Friar Lawrence is impartial to the warfare and simply anticipates that it will end immediately. In hope of this, he agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet without parental consent. Although his intentions were virtuous, he precipitates the affront adversity of the play.

The play begins with a prologue, which is used as a preface and explains the play to the audience. This was necessary as there were no special effects in the Elizabethan times to help do this. The chorus appears on stage and explains that the play is set in Verona and that it is a city separated in two due to a civil war between two households. The spectators are told that the quarrel is one that has continued for many years. Although the cause of the argument is never forecast, the audience is warned of the cure. This is ironic as cures are thought to be good and to be warned about one suggest that there is a huge price to pay if the feud is to be settled. The prologue hints at the outcome of the play and the death of Romeo and Juliet. The prologue consists of fourteen lines and is written as a sonnet. This reminds us of love poem and reminds us that behind all the tragedy of the play there is contentment and adoration. The play commences with,

“Ancient grudge”,

This shows that the feud is already apparent and Shakespeare makes it clear to the reader that the feud is to blame.

However, in line six of the prologue he introduces a new instigator to the play,

“A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life”

By the use of the words,

“A pair of star cross’d lovers”,

The audience gets the impression that there are two lovers to whom tragedy and misfortune befalls. The use of the word,

“Cross’d”,

Insinuates at their death and the terrible misfortunes that will be faced in order to conclude the play. Shakespeare uses the word,

“Star”,

In order to capture the luminous love of Romeo and Juliet. In the Elizabethan period, people believed that the stars held their destiny, an equivalent to modern horoscopes. This makes the audience think about the future and therefore what is mapped out for the young lovers and what will happen at the end of the play. This leaves the audience questioning the free will of the doomed duo.

In line nine of the prologue, Shakespeare continues the play with,

“The fearful passage of their death-mark’d love”,

 This emphasises that the futures of Romeo and Juliet are mapped out beforehand and that the pair have to go down a route prepared by heaven in advance. This ultimately gives the audience an impression of the play and its forthcoming events. The use of the phrase,

“Death-mark’d”

Highlights to the audience that the lovers have very little free will and that their futures are foretold.

Already in the opening stages of the play, the reader is told about fate and how it is to blame for the death of the two young lovers. The audience are informed of their providence before the play establishes and this hints at the remainder of the drama. Already, in the introduction of the play we are aware of two factors, which are to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. The audience are aware that both the ongoing feud and the couple’s destiny facilitate the grave outcome of this poignant play.

As the play begins, the reader is immediately given the notion of the running row. In the first scene of act one, we are introduced to servants of both houses. The language used is sexual and coarse; this is in contrary to Romeo and Juliet as their language is innocent. This shows the reader their character and how it is different to that of the servants.

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Shakespeare opens the play with the introduction of the servants of the Capulet dynasty. Gregory and Sampson enter the scene bearing heavy swords and shields. They also wore badges to identify their masters. They continually criticise the Montague’s. This gives an impression of what is to come in the concluding stages of this scene. When two serving men, Abram and Balthasar, from the Montague family tensions rise and a feud fires up. Although Benvolio attempts to stop the fight from continuing, his pacifying role only ignites Tybalt’s anger further.

“What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds?

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