Only after their children die, do the Montague and Capulet come to their senses. The Prince accuses them of killing Romeo and Juliet: ". . . Capulet, Montague, See what a scourge is laid upon your hate, That heavens finds means to kill your joys with love!" (V, iii, 304-306). The Prince makes them see how wrong they were all the time, that all because of their hate, because they couldn’t let their children love each other, Romeo and Juliet died. After that, Capulet and Montague make peace, and Montague even says that he will make a gold statue of Juliet, but what is that going to do, it is too late, nothing will bring their children back.
If the Montagues and the Capulets didn’t hate each other so much, they would let their children marry, and they would be able to live happily ever after. There was only one person that realized how unreasonable the fighting was and even tried to stop it, and he was Benvolio. Benvolio was a Montague, but the Capulets didn’t have a peacemaker such as Benvolio. They only had Tybalt, whose only goal was to destroy all the Montagues. When Tybalt died, Juliet’s dad changed his earlier decision of not allowing Juliet to marry Paris. He arranged the marriage to cheer Juliet up not realising that this would cause her to want to fake death or even die. The fight between Mercutio and Tybalt ended up with both of them being murdered and eventually Romeo being banished. The feud meant that everything Romeo and Juliet did was in secret. Juliet never attempted to tell her parents about her love for Romeo as she and Romeo were too scared to even take a chance. If the feud was not intact and both Romeo and Juliet grew up together they may not have even fallen in love.
Romeo has acted too hastily throughout the play. At the beginning of the play Romeo is first introduced to us as a sad, gloomy, indifferent youth. His reason for sadness is that Rosaline his love will not return his affections, we do not know much about Rosaline but if he would have stuck to Rosaline, maybe Romeo would never have met with Juliet. His friends Mercutio and Benvolio who suggest he arrive uninvited at the Capulet party to see Rosaline. There he meets Juliet falling instantly in love. When he first meets Juliet, it is love at first sight, maybe even lust. They are very eager to be with each other. “Then move not while my prayer’s effect I take. Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purg’d . Then have my lips the sin that they have took…” (Act 1 Scene 5). Romeo no longer is melancholic, but is courageous, risking his life at the Capulet's house to be near Juliet. At the balcony they share their love. Romeo is young and impulsive. Romeo declares his love for Juliet at the balcony scene and talks changing his name for her (“call me but love, and I’ll be new baptis’d”). When Romeo kills Tybalt he says “I am fortune’s fool.” This is talking about his fate and how has been unlucky. When Romeo realises that he has been banished all he think of is being without Juliet. He says he “ But “banished” to kill me? “Banished”? ” He would rather die than not live a life without Juliet. Breaking a banishment order which threatens death for him, he goes to see Juliet again. When Romeo hears of Juliet’s death he is very distraught and sad, he talks about lying on her death bed with her. “Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight.” He seems to love Juliet very much. But over-reacts when he hears the slightest. He acted very violently and without thinking when he killed Tybalt and later Paris. At the end of the play, he commits suicide, rather than live without Juliet.
Juliet is very young and so may be confused yet very impulsive. When she first meets Romeo she is bedazzled and very unconventional as they kiss on their first meeting. In the balcony scene she is the one who suggests marriage, she is rushing into the idea of marriage and is too quick to disobey her parents. When she has a conversation with Nurse, she asked repeatedly about the position of the marriage. “What says he of our marriage, what of that?” (Act 2 Scene 5). She appears to be very eager and impatient. When Juliet hears of Tybalt’s death she is rather confused as she has learnt that Romeo was the reason her cousin was dead. She asks herself questions like “Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband.” She is very perplexed about what to do. At Friar Lawrence’s cell she is wanted to commit suicide. “Be not so long to speak, I long to die…” (Act 4 Scene 1). She wants to take the easy option instead of facing the problem, this leads to Friar Lawrence providing poison and things going ever so wrong.
Fate plays an extremely powerful role throughout the story. It turns out to cause many terrible events. Fate can be defined as an inevitable and often adverse outcome or condition; destiny. Romeo and Juliet were eventually the ones responsible for their own deaths. The destinies of these two "star crossed lovers" was set through all events that took place throughout the play. The term “star-crossed lovers” (in the prologue) indicates the idea of fate and destiny as no individual can change their fate, there seemed to be a lot of coincidences.
The first coincidence was that Romeo and Juliet shared the unfortunate fate that they were from feuding families. The two of them were a perfect match, and were completely in love with each other. They both showed their grief when they learned that the other was from the opposite family. "O dear account! My life is my foe's debt." (Act 1, Scene 5, 132), and "My only love sprung from my only hate." (Act 1, Scene 5, 152) were the two expressions that Romeo and Juliet said. Juliet had the right idea when she showed her frustration with the feud, and its influence on R&J's relationship, in her soliloquy on the balcony, and said, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as sweet..." (Act 2, Scene 2, 41-52)
Besides the fact that they probably would have never been able to live a peaceful life, none of the tragedies would have occurred had they not met in the first place. The scene, where the Montague’s find out about the Capulet ball is another twist of fate. The servant of Capulet, who happens to be illiterate, was given the job of telling people about the party, but only those on a list written up by his master. Since he could not read, he was forced to ask two strangers to explain it to him. Those two people could have been anyone, but they just happened to be Romeo and Benvolio.
When Juliet is "buried" twenty-four hours before Friar Lawrence planned, it gave Friar John less time to get the message to Romeo. Besides that, Balthasar came in on one day only to see how Juliet was doing. If Juliet would have been able to take the potion as scheduled, Balthasar would have seen Juliet doing well and been able to come back to Romeo with good news. Romeo would not have bought the poison and commit suicide. Friar Lawrence would have sent another messenger and all
would have been well.
The most obvious example of fate was the quarantine in Mantua. Friar Lawrence's plan was that Juliet would be laid in the tomb, appearing to be dead, and when she woke up, Romeo would be there to meet her. Friar Lawrence was supposed to get a message to Mantua, where Romeo was, and inform him about the plan. Unfortunately fate happened to not deliver the letter. This was when Romeo decided that it would be
best if he committed suicide.
Also there are a number of references to fate or the stars throughout the play. Firstly we notice in Romeo’s first dream that he says “I fear too early, for my mind misgives Some consequence yet hanging in the stars” (act 1 Scene 4) and also Juliet speaks of stars and fate “ O God, I have an ill-divining soul!” (Act 3 Scene 5). This in acts the premonition of doom and future events not being so fortunate. She then goes on to say “ O Fortune, Fortune, all men call thee fickle; If thou art fickle, what dost thou with him That is renown’d for faith? Be fickle, Fortune:...” She is praying that if they are doomed for bad luck, this should change and go the opposite direction. Romeo also has a second dream “I dreamt my lady came and found me dead.” This also shows that Romeo has seen his fate and is hopeful that they receive some luck. The references to the stars can also be religious. As the stars tell a person where they are going as the 3 wise men followed a star to get to Jesus.
There are many events in the play that happen because of something that occurred previously. Every event, leading to its circumstances plays a huge part in the play, which finally lead to the death of Romeo and Juliet. Some examples of these events are as follows. They just happen to read about the big feast – Romeo and Benvolio can read as servant happens to be illiterate. The fight between Mercutio and Tybalt happens directly after Romeo and Juliet’s marriage. Romeo is less reluctant to fight Tybalt, so Mercutio steps in, this leads to Mercutio’s death. In addition, this ends in Romeo killing Tybalt. Juliet found out that she has to marry Paris when she does not wish to marry Paris. There is a lack of communication between the Capulet household. The plague comes right after the letter to Romeo is sent out, causing it not to be delivered. This ruins entire plan and structure of Juliet’s fake death. After Romeo and Juliet consummate their marriage. On the next day there is an announcement of the marriage with Paris. The wedding of Juliet and Paris is moved to one day earlier. Given there was more time, events could have been stopped.
The Friar is introduced half way through the play, and he has a vital role in the play. In his first scene we see him with the poison, this links up with his last two scenes and the consequences of the same poison. His entrance breaks the pace of the previous balcony scene, and gives the audience time to absorb what has happened between Romeo and Juliet.
Juliet has almost an absent relationship with Capulet. Friar Laurence fills this position by portraying a “father” figure in Juliet’s life. She trusts him and confides in him regularly. “Hold daughter. I do spy a kind of hope.” In addition the Friar is also Romeo’s way to guidance and help and tries to find solutions to their overwhelming problems. He also breaks the terrible news to Romeo about his banishment, and he tries to do this in a humane way. He comforts the distressed Romeo, and always provides some shelter and hiding when danger strikes.
Friar Laurence tries to dissuade Pairs from marrying Juliet. This could an act of selfishness as the Friar knows he would be committing a sin if he married Juliet to Paris, when she was already married to Romeo. Another example of the Friar’s selfish intentions, is the tomb scene, at which point he finds Juliet in there, and two dead bodies lying on the floor, he immediately leaves and takes no time to stick around.
The following incident is an example of how the Friar contributed to the deaths of the star-crossed lovers. He marries Romeo and Juliet, fully aware that they do not have their parents consent. He was reluctant to do so at first but then decide to act in good faith, even so he should have refused to marry them or sought the advice of another member of the church. It was he who warned Romeo of the consequences of the marriage but disregarded these when he married the lovers.
It was the Friar’s idea that Juliet swallows the remedy. He acted in this way due to Juliet’s threat of suicide. This was a very rash decision, and, if thought out properly, he would have realised the awful consequences and complications that could follow.
Another factor that could hold the Friar responsible for the deaths o Romeo and Juliet was the delivery of the very important letter to Romeo. He should have ensured that the letter reached Romeo safely and should have delivered it himself to guarantee that the letter went to Romeo, so that he was in knowledge of the events taking place. In doing so, Romeo would not have travelled hastily to Juliet’s death bed and the unfortunate following events would not have taken place.
The Friar is presented as being good as he is a priest, therefore displaying the words of God and being under his presence through the church. He always seems to be trying to solve everyone’s problems without careful thought. He though he may have been doing good but instead leading to more tragedy and the turning of events.
At first Capulet said no to Paris when he asked for her hand in marriage. “My child is yet a stranger in the world, She hath not seen the change of fourteen years.” (Act ! Scene 2). He tells Paris that his daughter is too young and is quite protective over her. She advises Paris to wait two years, when she will be ready to become a bride. After Tybalt’s death there is a change in heart for Capulet. He may have realised that Juliet needs to be happier and not be in grief over her late cousin. When Juliet refuses to be married to Paris, he switches and there is a sudden change of emotions. “Hang thee, young baggage, disobedient wretch!...” (Act 3 Scene 5). He becomes very angry and aggressive. He totally blows the situation out of proportion and disregards his daughter’s wishes, thinking that Juliet is disobeying him when he knows best. This intensifying situation may have led to later action s as if Capulet had to force Juliet to marry Paris. There is a direct conscience, a violent change, which related to the product to society as Juliet should have listened to her father.
Lady Capulet seems to know very little about her very own daughter. Juliet addresses her mother as “madam”, this shows there is not much love and there is no strong relationship between them. Lady Capulet is not involved in Juliet’s life and is a typical middle-class mother. She did not breast feed her when she was a child, this role was done by the Nurse. The Nurse seems to be more of a mother figure towards Juliet. Juliet throughout her life as not asked of much from her mother but when she does request that the wedding be delayed, there mother immediately refuses, leaving Juliet to feel disappointed and alone. Lady Capulet disregarded her daughter’s wishes and in doing so may have caused the future events to happen. If they had for of a solid and stronger relationship built on love, Juliet may have wished to confide in her mother instead of the Nurse, as she is a higher status and may have been able to do something of her daughter.
Both Lord and Lady Capulet had the authority over the household. They could have easily stopped the dispute if they truly desired to. They both should have paid more attention to their only daughter an listened to what she had to say for a change. They both acted harshly when it came to the decision to marry Paris.
The Nurse is presented as being very talkative but she seemed to have a strong relationship to Juliet. She replaced the role of Lady Capulet and was like a “mother” figure to Juliet. she cares deeply for Juliet's best interests. She often acted as a go between in Romeo and Juliet’s relationship and gave words of warning. She tells Romeo not o lead Juliet on “ if ye should lead her in a fool’s paradise….” (Act 2 Scene 4). Even with the words of warning she proceeds in telling Romeo where he can meet Juliet. She encouraged Juliet in her romantic ideas. Encouraging Juliet's dangerous relationship with Romeo in the hope that it will make Juliet happy. After Tybalt's death, however, Nurse becomes less sympathetic and later when Capulet orders Juliet to marry Paris, she defends Juliet at first but later sensibly suggests that Paris would not be so bad after all. She advised Juliet to marry Paris even though she knew that she was married to Romeo. “ I think you are happy in this second match, For it excels your first” (Act 3 Scene 5) she says. This shows her act of desperation and puts strain and pressure on Juliet as she thought the Nurse was the only one who understood her relationship with Romeo, but this statement appeared to be wrong.
The play was very effective even though we had the knowledge that it was going to end in tragedy from the very first page. This is due to the events that takes place which lead to the tragedy. It this interesting when reading the play it is still entertaining and appealing event though the outcome is clear. It is enjoyable for the audience as they are able to see the order of events and each circumstance growing closer and closer to the end of the tragic play. The play is very well written with suspense, anticipation and the worry of what is going to happen next. Shakespeare has written the play to make every character’s actions seen as though they are the ones who are truly respnsible for the tragic deaths of both Romeo and Juliet. It is very difficult to pick out one individual charcter as in my opinion all the main characters seem to fall into the catergory. William Shakespeare has done a great job in adapting the poem to this brilliant and every popular play which is still regarded as one of the best stories even today, leaving the audience wonder the question of what if?