At the ball, Tybalt sees Romeo, and wishes to “strike him dead”, but Capulet will not allow this, as he does not want to spoil the party. When Romeo finds out Juliet is a Capulet, he is distraught, and claims, “my life is my foe’s debt”. He believes that his life is owed to his enemy, and that he would be happier dead as he cannot be with Juliet. Juliet also says she will die if she cannot marry Romeo, which is another example of irony, as in the end of the play she does die, and mainly because she did marry Romeo. This again portrays the close relationship between love and death, which is carried throughout Romeo and Juliet.
Act 2 Scene 2 is also portraying this relationship, when Romeo creeps back into the Capulet house to see Juliet. She tells him that if the guards see him they will murder him, but he says that, “My life were better ended by their hate/ Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love”. He would prefer to die early and be with Juliet, than live a long time without her. Later in this scene Juliet says that she wishes Romeo was like a wanton bird, and Romeo replies “I would I were thy bird”, but Juliet confesses that she would end up killing him, as she would constantly be giving him affection.
In scene 3 we are introduced to Friar Lawrence, who plays a very important part in the play, connected with both life and death. In his speech we are informed that he has a special interest in plants, some of which have healing qualities, others which are used in the production of poisons. This leaves the audience wondering whether his purpose in the play will be to heal, or the opposite.
Mercutio provides another example of the link between love and death in scene 4, when he talks about Romeo being shot with Cupid’s arrow. In scene 5 Juliet performs a soliloquy, and towards the end of this she says “But old folks, many feign as they were dead/ Unwieldy, slow, heavy, and pale as lead”, informing the audience that many of the senior members of Verona act as if they are already dead. This gives the impression that Verona is permanently linked to death.
The final scene in this act, scene 6, is the point at which true love finally runs its course, and Romeo and Juliet are married. Romeo says something very prophetic in this scene. “Then love-devouring Death do what he dare/ It is enough I may but call her mine”. This is saying that they are not afraid of death as long as they are together, and are prepared to die for each other, which is in fact the final consequence. Friar Lawrence then claims that, “These violent delights have violent ends/ And in their triumph die like fire and powder”. This is even more prophetic as it states that all good things end badly, as does the play.
Act 3 Scene 1 contains the second fight of the play, when Tybalt seeks revenge on Romeo for attending the ball. When Romeo declines, and claims that he “love thee better than thou canst devise”, Mercutio takes it upon himself to fight with Tybalt. They fight, and Romeo parts them, but Mercutio is stabbed under Romeo’s arm. Mercutio plagues both the houses, as it is due to their grudge that he lost his life. Having witnessed the death of his friend, Romeo abandons his maturity and attacks Tybalt, resulting in Tybalt’s death. He runs, scared of the punishment the law commands – death. This is in comparison to the beginning of the play when he was unaware of the fear death can bring.
At the end of the scene Benvolio, having told the Prince what happened, proclaims, “This is the truth, or let Benvolio die”. This is the second time he has used his life as a guarantee, for at the beginning of the play he vowed to die if he could not persuade Romeo to love another women.
Prince Escales decides the punishments, and is persuaded by Lord Montague that, “His fault concludes but what the law should end/ The life of Tybalt”. He reduces Romeo’s punishment to banishment, but vows that in future he will be “deaf to pleading and excuses”, as he has lost his kinsman, Mercutio.
In scene 2 Juliet is told by the nurse, “he’s dead, he’s dead, he’s dead!” and she believes it to be Romeo. She asks “Can heaven be so envious?”, but the nurse replies, “Romeo can, though heaven cannot”. When Juliet discovers that Tybalt is dead and Romeo banished, she says it is worse than her mother, father, Tybalt, herself and Romeo being dead.
Romeo agrees with Juliet in scene 3, when he says, “Banishment? Be merciful, say ‘death’:/ For exile hath more terror in his look” and he emphasises this with images of Juliet being in heaven where everyone except him can look at her. He is being very selfish, as the Friar tells him when he says if he killed himself he would be killing Juliet as well. This is prophetic as, when Juliet finds out Romeo is dead she does kill herself. He also tells Romeo how it would be a sin, and he would go to hell, linking death with the next life.
At the beginning of scene 4 Lord Capulet’s view on death is shown, and it is very different to Juliet. “Well, we were born to die”. He does not think it is worth getting upset about, as everyone dies at some point. Paris and Lord Capulet do not show respect for the dead, as they are now talking of weddings, rather than mourning their loss.
In scene 5 Romeo is saying he must leave Juliet or he will die. He is now acting rationally, and realises that as long as he is alive he may be able to come back. Juliet doesn’t want him to go, but then changes her mind. She then later finds out about her marriage to Paris, and refuses. Her mother shows no feelings for her, and says “I would the fool were married to her grave”, which is how Juliet dies.
In Act 4 Scene 1 we are told that Juliet is weeping for Tybalt’s death, but she is being hurried to get on with her life. Not much respect is shown for the dead at this time as they are now thinking of weddings rather than grieving for their loss. However Juliet is willing to end her life is she cannot be with her love. This gives us the impression that her life is worthless without Romeo and she doesn’t value her life very much. She reinforces this later on when she says, “o bid me leap, rather than marry Paris/ From off the battlements of any tower” and she lists other terrible things she would rather do.
Later on in the scene Friar Lawrence tells Juliet of a plan to fake her death in order for her to live a good, sin-free life with Romeo. This shows how powerful death can be, and can cause good things as well as bad.
In scene 3 Juliet is about to take the poison, but is scared about what will happen if it doesn’t work. She doesn’t want to die and is scared she will wake too soon. She gives vivid descriptions regarding death, such as “So early waking - what with loathsome smells and shrieks like mandrakes torn out of the earth.” She also talks about Tybalt’s ghost. She is hysterical at this point and is confusing life with death.
The next example of death is not until scene 5 when Juliet’s body is discovered and death is quite a prominent part in this scene. There is a lot of repetition of the word death and phrases connected with it. We are told that Juliet is “ ready to go, but never to return” when Friar Lawrence asks if she is ready to go to church.
Death is personified when Capulet says, “ o son the night before thy wedding day/ Hath Death lain with thy wife”. They regard death as an evil being that takes all, and this is also used later in the play. Later it is shown how people don’t realise how bad death is until it happens to them. Earlier on in the play lady Capulet said “I would the fool were married to her grave” but when this actually happens she claims “and with my child my joys are buried”
However during the Friar’s speech we are told about the religious beliefs at the time. Friar Lawrence talks about the next life, showing the connection between life and death, and how the second life is better.
Act 5 starts a very dramatic part in the play, which revolves around death. In scene 1 Romeo tells the audience of his dream that was dead. This shows how death can affect people, even when they are unaware of it. It is also prophetic, especially when he says “And breath’d such life with kisses in my lips” Juliet was told by Friar Lawrence that she would wake to Romeo kissing her, so this is like Romeo knew the plan. Romeo is saying how he wants to die for his love, which is what Juliet said as well.
Whilst trying to find it, Romeo describes the apothecary and he talks about dead animals, which gives the impression it will contain items to do with death.
Romeo uses death and cruelty to persuade the apothecary to sell him the potion, saying how life has been cruel to the apothecary, and that he needs the money.
In scene 2 we find out why Romeo did not get the letter telling him of the plan. It turns out that the Friar saving sick peoples’ lives caused three deaths – Romeo, Juliet and Paris.
When he finds out, Friar Lawrence says, “poor living corse, clos’d in a dead man’s tomb”, which is one of the things Juliet was scared of. It is showing how life is trapped and bound to death.
In scene 3, death is personified again, this time by Romeo. It is compared to a dirty mouth, eating all that is good, and it is shown how death leads to more death. Paris believes that Romeo killed Tybalt, which in turn led to Juliet’s death.
However it is shown how there are different types of death. By being arrested and killed or by your own free will, which is how Romeo wants to die.
On entering the tomb, the connection is shown again between life and death, when Romeo says how Juliet looks alive when he believes she is dead. Death is personified again, and then Romeo dies for his love, unaware she is to wake up only minutes later.
Meanwhile, outside, Balthasar is scared of death, in comparison with Romeo who wanted to die.
Juliet awakes to find Romeo dead, and chooses to take her life too. She is only 13 and has her whole life ahead of her, but chooses to die for love. This shows again the great relationship between love and death in the play. Another example is that throughout the play there is a love triangle between Romeo, Juliet and Paris; and in the end all three die for love. However love is also linked to life, as the deaths draw the families together and they vow to honour Romeo and Juliet’s lives.
Throughout the play Shakespeare shows obvious empathy, and clearly shows the links between life, love and death. They are very strongly related, and many links are shown throughout Romeo and Juliet.
