Do What You Want

In the play Romeo and Juliet, multiple traits of many characters led to the tragic ending. Even though most of the characters contributed, Romeo arguably did the most harm. He was impulsive and lacked the ability to act in moderation. His puppy love for Rosaline developed into a more passionate love for Juliet, and he could not exercise restraint, especially when dealing with Juliet.
Romeo’s biggest shortcoming was his penchant for ill-advised, spontaneous decisions. This was apparent when he put his life at risk by sneaking into the Capulet’s garden just to pay a short visit to Juliet. If Romeo had exercised restraint or put more thought into his decision, he would have realized that his plan was too risky and would have come up with a superior one. Even Juliet knew the risks of Romeo’s actions; “And the place death, considering who thou art, if any of my kinsmen find thee here (2.1.64-65),” said Juliet, when she was talking to Romeo. Even though Juliet loved Romeo, she was much more cautious and rational than Romeo.
Romeo’s impulsiveness was also apparent when he killed his cous...