William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

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William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

4.1. Solution of the dichotomy

4.1.1. Double suicide

At the end of act IV, after Romeo and Juliet have taken their farewell

and Juliet's (second) marriage has been appointed, the situation seems

hopeless. Act III concludes with a soliloquy by Juliet, in which she

mentions the possibility of suicide.

I'll to the Friar to know his remedy.

If all else fail, myself have power to die.

There are lots of other passages which point to Romeo and Juliet's

final death. In the Prologue the Chorus already announces "their

death" and "their death-marked love". The Friar also anticipates the

cruel end of their love when he warns "these violent things have

violent ends".

Shortly before Romeo and Juliet are married Romeo says

But come what sorrow can,

It cannot countervail the exchange of joy

That one short minute gives me in her sight

Basically, he has reached what he has described as his utmost

fulfilment. "It is enough I may but call her mine".

In chapter 3, I explained that the love of Romeo and Juliet appears as

an attempt. But are we to evaluate their love as a success, as a

successful attempt? Or are does their death show that their love was a

failure?

Though the circumstances which led to the death at the end of act V

were coincidence to a large extent, both their deaths are suicide,

committed through their own decision. They both prefer death to a

living without each other.

Romeo hears about the false message o Juliet's death in V. i. His

reaction is immediate and resolute: "Then I defy you, stars!". His man

Balthasar unwittingly has the correct suggestio...

... middle of paper ...

...meo and Juliet to death. "The point of the play [...] is not how

such a love can arise out of hatred and then triumph over it in death,

but that it does". Therefore, though Romeo and Juliet are responsible

for their deeds, their love is not a question of guilt. "Nowhere in

this play is it suggested that damnation lies in wait for the lovers.

The audience is likely to feel that Romeo and Juliet had dared greatly

The plot shows that Fortune and Death are powers who take place in the

individual deeds of Romeo and Juliet. As love is the motif for their

important decisions in the play, the power of love also belongs to

these forces, it is even the central power.

From the real world's point of view their love failed, but as Romeo

and Juliet at least try to defy their fortune, it was a great success

for the power of love.

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