Romeo and Juliet are fully responsible for their tragic deaths. Discuss
Set against the backdrop of 16th century Verona, William Shakespeare’s play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ ends with the catastrophic deaths of a pair of ‘star-crossed’ lovers, who’s lives were inevitably doomed, the moment they had met. Their unfortunate ends can be partially considered as their own fault although other events and people play significant roles, which the tragic death of young lovers, Romeo and Juliet, can be amounted to the many factors and influences, some are greater than others, however, it can be condensed to the feuding households of Capulets and Montagues, the good-hearted Friar Lawrence and the actions of the ‘star-cross’d lovers’.
The Capulet and Montague
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He believes that love takes time and comes genuinely from the heart, and that going to fast is not the way to love. However, he abruptly changes his mind, and perceives the situation entirely differently. Contradicting his morals, the Friar agrees to marry and unite the two lover’s, as he believes that it will bring peace to the two warring families. His choice is evident when he says “For this alliance may so happy prove/ To turn your households’ rancour to pure love.” (ACT 2 SCENE 4), where Friar’s actions demonstrate an uncertainty . Another well-intentioned, poor decision he consents to, is to make Juliet consume a sleeping concoction, where she’ll appear dead in order to avoid her father’s marriage arrangements, and hopefully, unite with her banished husband, Romeo. His act of deceit backfired, where Romeo and Paris’s lives were taken and Friar Lawrence is left to comprehend the failure of his plan where the lines he says to Juliet “A greater power than we can contradict / Hath thwarted our intents” (ACT 5 SCENE 3) can be interpreted as God being displeased with his actions that prevented them from being accomplished. He was there throughout Romeo and Juliet's lives, he married them, came up with a plan to …show more content…
Romeo Montague, reckless and full of romantic desire, instantly falls head over heels Juliet Capulet, and shortly after their encounter, they both hastily consent to a marriage, disregarding their families presumed disapproval. Romeo heads off to wise and reliable priest, Friar Lawrence in need of his approval however ,upon hearing Romeo’s declaration of his marriage to a girl, whom he had just met merely moments ago, replies “Young men’s love then lies/Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.” [ACT 2 SCENE 3] informing Romeo that his love may be based off of
Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare is a romance book about two teenagers who fall in love but their love is impossible. They belong to two different families. But the real question is: Why are Romeo and Juliet dead, and who is responsible? Who is to blame for Romeo and Juliet”s suicide? This paper will tell you why Juliet’s parents, Friar Lawrence, and Fate all share responsibility for Romeo and Juliet’s deaths.
As these words echoed through the hall of the Globe theatre little did William Shakespeare know that this tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, would be examined and admired by playwrights for decades to come. So does fate play a major part in this tragedy? Or does their blood stain the garments of civil hands? Could it have been the loyal Mercutio, who swore on both their houses?? Tybalt the hated enemy? or was it Friar Lawrence who tried to end the fighting between households. Or does the blame go on the ancestors who began it. Many would agree that the death of these lovers cannot be blamed on anyone but themselves. This question cannot be answered without looking deeply into each characters involvement in the tragedy.
Friar Lawrence, when approached by Romeo, was skeptical about marrying him to Juliet. He pointed out that “Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear, so soon [is] foresaken” and that “much salt water [was] thrown away in waste” (). The Friar also risked hate from both the Capulet and Montague families, both of which held much prominence and power in Verona. However, Friar Lawrence did agree to wed the lovers because he believed “this alliance may so happy prove to turn your households’ rancor to pure love” (). However, the Friar’s dreams of happily ever after were torn apart in the worst possible way: Juliet and Romeo both committed suicide. In marrying Romeo and Juliet, the Friar married two star-crossed lovers, which caused “a greater power than we can contradict” to end both Romeo and Juliet’s lives (). Friar Lawrence’s dream, one filled with good intent, lead to the deaths of two teenagers.
Long love doth so. Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow." This advice is excellent and heroic because he is telling them not to rush into things and to appreciate each other. Shakespeare uses the literary device of conflict to help describe the Friar twice. The Friar faces internal conflict in whether to marry Romeo and Juliet, and another conflict in the play is the Montague Capulet feud. The reason the Friar struggles to marry the two is that he knows the families hate each other and never would allow their children to marry. One example of the feud is when Juliet states in Act two Scene Two-line 36 "Deny thy father and refuse thy name, Or, if thou wilt not, is but sworn my love, And I'll no longer be a Capulet." This shows that the "star-cross'd lovers" cannot be together because of their families. The Friar faces an internal conflict when Romeo asks to marry Juliet, but he sees how in love they are and hopes to end the feud between the families. Overall, the Friar is deemed a hero when he marries Romeo and Juliet because he tries to help people and make everyone happy and
The Death of Romeo and Juliet and Who is to Blame Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, in which a young boy and girl fall in love and commit suicide. They come from 2 different families which have a deadly feud against one another. Romeo goes to a masked ball at the Capulet's household where he falls in love with Juliet. He then proposes to her after the party in secret at Juliet's balcony. Romeo then arranges a secret weeding with Friar Lawrence and Juliet tells the Nurse.
Friar Laurence was once looked up to by both Romeo and Juliet, constantly telling them to act with more caution and restraint. Despite this, he doesn't wait long to marry these lovebirds. It has broken many hearts of the citizens of Verona and left many others in shock. At one point, Friar Laurence admitted to agreeing to marry the couple, knowing Romeo only loves Juliet due to her appearance. "
Throughout history never has there been a piece of literature as well known for its tragic end as that of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Although many factors contribute to the grief and misfortune that this play represents, human actions play the principle role in the final outcome. At first glance, one may look over the character of Friar Laurence dismissing him as only a minor player in the plot. However, upon closer examination, it becomes obvious that the Friar plays an essential role in the development of the play and, although has good intentions, is responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.
Friar Laurence’s involvement in the marriage of Romeo and Juliet has caused a tragedy. Romeo and Juliet thought that they fell in love, but the Friar should have known that they were just kids and they were really rushing into things. In Romeo and Juliet, Friar Laurence says, “These violent delights have violent ends. Is loathsome in his own deliciousness, and in the taste confounds the appetite: Therefore love moderately: long love doth so, too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.” When he says this, he is giving Romeo a warnin. Also, Friar Lawrence should have known at the time, that Romeo was loving with his eyes and not with his heart. For example, Romeo was in a relationship with Rosaline, before marrying Julliet. Inonclusion , the Friar did not have the expierence to know that they were kids.
Being one of the most debated texts in history, Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’, has the power and ability to divide audiences. Throughout the play, it is seen that Shakespeare has left the audience to contemplate the underlying cause of the Romeo and Juliet tragedy. Shakespeare begins by showing the reckless actions and choices of the lovers, illustrating one of the main contributing factors to their deaths. Friar Lawrence plays a large role in the deaths of the lovers as he is the main instigator, greatly contributing to the deaths. Also, demonstrated through the play is that the lover’s destiny is written in the stars. Without
Romantic love stories are often ended with a tragedy, because of loss of passion or a loved one. These tragedies are often the result of one person’s actions that ended someone’s life or love. In the Romeo and Juliet play written by William Shakespeare, two citizens of Verona come together and fall deeply in love. Unfortunately their love comes to an end, along with their lives, because of a misunderstanding and a persistent feud between their families. Although there are many characters in this play that have contributed to Romeo and Juliet’s death, Friar Laurence is the person most to blame.
The lines ?For this alliance may so happy prove to turn your households? rancour to pure love,? (said by the Friar) is proof that he truly married them to end the feud.
When Romeo goes to Friar Lawrence, Romeo’s mentor, he is not sure he should marry these two adolescents. He finally agrees because he thinks it will end the feuding between the two families. But, when he is actually going through with it, he begins to have second thoughts. Friar cries out, “So smile the heavens upon this holy act/ That after hours with sorrow chide us not!” ( 2. 6. 1-2) If he is truly worried that he will be punished for this later, he should have stopped right there. Instead, he married them. This overreaction leads to lying and death in scenes to
Moreover after knowing Juliet for less than twenty-four hours, Romeo goes to his companion Friar Lawrence and asks him to marry them. True, Juliet is the one who sets up the marriage. However, Romeo is the one who pushed the relationship too far and too soon. In Act 2.3, Friar Lawrence is in shock with the sudden change from Rosaline to Juliet and comments on the ind...
He has very unrealistic goals for their relationship, hoping that it will end the feud. Because of his inexperience, he does not know what to expect out of a relationship between feuding families. Friar Lawrence acts like he knows more about love than Romeo does. He explains to Romeo that “[his] love did read by rote and could not spell” (2.3.95). According to Friar Lawrence, Romeo loves in a way that he believes to be right, but Friar Lawrence scorns the idea of Romeo having any knowledge or experience of what to do.
In Act 2 Scene 3 Romeo turns to Friar Lawrence for advice and the Friar agrees to marry them stating, “For this alliance may so happy prove / to turn your households’ rancor to pure love.” The Friar is saying that he will agree to marry them with the hopes of ending the Capulet/Montague feud. In reality the Friar’s good intentions cause the exact opposite. The hosti...