Romeo and Juliet were very impetuous people. We see this at the beginning of the play when Romeo is telling his cousin Benvolio how wonderful Rosaline was, “She hath, and in that sparing makes huge waste, / For beauty starved with her severity/ Cuts beauty off from all posterity./ She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair,/ To merit bliss by making me despair:/ She hath forsworn to love, and in that vow/ Do I live dead that live to tell it now (Act 1 Scene 1).” However, early the next day he is ready to marry Juliet, “God pardon sin! wast thou with Rosaline? / With Rosaline, my ghostly father? no;I have forgot that name, and that name's woe.” (Act two Scene 3)
many of the things that happened in the play were based on timing and patience. Romeo feels that he cannot control the course of his life. Does fate actually control the course of events or does patience play a part? If Juliet had not so obedient to her father’s wish for Paris to marry Juliet, Capulet may not have changed the wedding date “I met the youthful lord at Laurence' cell;/ In addition, gave him what becomed love I might, /Not step o'er the bounds of modesty / Why, I am glad on't; this is well: stand up: / This is as't should be. Let me see the county; / Ay, marry, go, I say, and fetch him hither. / Now, afore God! this reverend holy friar, / Our whole city is much bound to him. (Act 4 Scene 2)” If there had been more time, Friar John may have managed to get the message to Romeo in time and he would not have killed himself in Juliet's tomb. However, if Romeo had been more patient and not just run off to kill himself, he would have eventually gotten the news of Juliet, and they could have been together. If Mercutio had not jumped into a fight with Tybalt, he would not have been killed. He may also have survived if Romeo had not stepped between them. In either case, Tybalt and Romeo probably would not have fought, Tybalt would not have been killed, and Romeo would not have been banished. There are several events that could have ended differently if someone had acted in just a slightly different manner or arrived just a moment earlier / later. Can this be blamed on time and patience? Not completely. Lack of wisdom could also be the blame of the tragedy in this play. Romeo and Juliet did not make wise decisions because they were young and had no patience, caution or wisdom.
Children are very impetuous and make poor decisions under harsh pressure or under very emotional circumstances. Shakespeare wrote the play to show people of all ages that love is not something that grows over night and definitely not in an hour or less. He also wanted to show that kids have feelings too, however, we are not old enough, wise enough, or confident enough to make the real life decisions that Romeo and Juliet made. That is why the ended up killing themselves. They did not have the patience to try and see how things could have worked if they waited awhile, they did not have the wisdom to know how to handle that type of adult situation and they did not have caution to see how their loved was affecting the people around them. However, they will always be remembered for their willingness to give up everything, including their lives, to be together.
A glooming peace this morning with it brings;
The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head:
Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things;
Some shall be pardon'd, and some punished:
For never was a story of more woe
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.
(Act 5, Scene 3)
