Shakespeare deliberately foregrounds the speed at which all the events of the play unfold (five days in total) to show the reader (or spectator) the incredible irresponsibility of the characters: the first day two young people fall in love, the next day they are married, and four days later they have both killed themselves: surely something went wrong!
First, let us define irresponsibility. People take irresponsible actions when they do not think properly or in enough detail. They decide things off the top of their heads and often these decisions are the wrong ones.
Almost every character in the play is there to show their irresponsible behaviour. For example, Friar Lawrence.
At first, Friar Lawrence is shown to be the backbone of the city of Verona, and to be wise and good. When Romeo first talks to him, he criticizes him about his love life. When it comes to Romeo asking him to marry him and Juliet, he is first surprised but then decides to “act the hero”: he thinks that by doing this he would be the one to bring the two rival families together! This is obviously very irresponsible.
Another example is Juliet’s nurse: she is supposed to be a mature adult woman, but she is not. She goes along with anything that Juliet has in mind. She agrees to help her get married with Romeo but when it becomes difficult to maintain her relationship with him (when he is banished from Verona) she becomes hypocritical and tells her to accept to marry Paris and all would be fine.
One final example is the Apothecary that sells Romeo when he is coming back to Verona. He plays a minor role but it is still interesting to take notice of it. He knows that the laws of Mantua forbid him to sell Romeo the substance. He knows that the substance can kill and he knows that the only reason anyone would want to buy it would be to kill. He can see how determined Romeo is to buy it, and should realize that he wants to kill himself. However, just to make a bit more money, he sells the poison to him. This is an extremely irresponsible decision.
What makes me believe that the theme is more based on responsible and irresponsible actions than it is on love and romance is that every single scene has an irresponsible action in it.
An interesting thing to note about the play is that there is sometimes the responsible prudent character Benvolio hinting to the reader that what is happening is not a good idea. Romeo thinks he is too sensible and never takes his advice. For example, in act 1, Scene 1, he tries to tell him to forget Rosaline and look for other girls. Even though he knows deep down that he is right, Romeo does not take his advice.
BENVOLIO : Be ruled by me, forget to think of her.
[…]
ROMEO : Farewell. thou canst not teach me to forget.
The same thing happens when they decide to gatecrash the Capulet party (Act 1, Scene 4)
BENVOLIO: This wind you talk of blows us from ourselves.
Supper is done, and we shall come too late.
And again, just before Mercutio starts fighting with Tybalt (Act 3, Scence 1):
BENVOLIO: I pray thee, good Mercutio, let’s retire:
The day is hot, the Capels are abroad
And if we meet we shall not scape a brawl
For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.
I hope that my essay will make the reader agree that the tragedy Romeo and Juliet is in fact based on irresponsible behaviour, and not romance and love.
