In “Romeo and Juliet,” a tragic
story written by William Shakespeare, two young teenagers, Romeo and Juliet
came from two different feuding families. Romeo a Montague, and Juliet a
Capulet. Fate made them fall in love, and they married without their families
knowing. To summarize it, the story ended with both Romeo and Juliet killing
themselves due to their love for one another. Many different factors
contributed to their deaths, such as Friar Lawrence, (who allowed them to go on
with their dangerous and not fully thought out plan), the Nurse, and the
rivalry between the Montagues and the Capulets. However, in the end, there is
no one else to blame for their deaths than the people that committed the
suicide themselves. Romeo and Juliet were to blame for their own deaths.
The
first reason that Romeo and Juliet were to blame was because of their
impulsivity and that they didn’t think through their actions, not unlike many
teenagers. For example, as quoted in the text,
“Then plainly know my heart’s dear
love is set
on the fair daughter of rich
Capulet.
As mine on hers, so hers is set on
mine,
And all combined, save what thou
must combine
By holy marriage. When and where
and how
We met, we wooed, and made exchange
of vow
I’ll tell thee as we pass, but this
I pray,
That thou consent to marry us
today. (2.3.61-85)
Romeo was being very rash and felt that he could easily
marry Juliet just days after he met her. He also did not take into
consideration the consequences that could come from it. Also in addition,
Juliet decided to marry Romeo without fully thinking about it, which was also a
very rash decision.
Another reason that Romeo and Juliet
were to blame is because they were unaccepting of advice. For instance, in the
play, the nurse cares a lot about Juliet and her decisions. As quoted in the
text, the Nurse says,
“Faith,
here it is.
Romeo
is banishèd, and all the world to nothing
That
he dares ne'er come back to challenge you.
Or,
if he do, it needs must be by stealth.
Then,
since the case so stands as now it doth,
I
think it best you married with the county.
Oh,
he’s a lovely gentleman.
Romeo’s
a dishclout to him. An eagle, madam,
Hath
not so green, so quick, so fair an eye
As
Paris hath. Beshrew my very heart,
I
think you are happy in this second match,
For
it excels your first. Or if it did not,
Your
first is dead, or ’twere as good he were,
As living here and you no use of him. (3.5.225-238) After
Juliet’s father, Lord Capulet, orders that she marry Paris, Juliet grudgingly
agrees. The Nurse, who wants the best for her, suggests that she does marry
Paris instead of Romeo because Romeo was banished. She believed that Paris
would benefit Juliet so much more than Romeo would. Instead of considering the
Nurse’s advice, Juliet was furious with the Nurse and felt betrayed because the
Nurse had helped her to marry Romeo. The Nurse knew what was best for her. If
Juliet had listened, she would’ve still been alive. In addition, Friar Lawrence
gave Romeo advice, which Romeo ignored. For instance, in the play the Friar
said,
“Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here!
Is
Rosaline, whom thou didst love so dear,
So
soon forsaken? Young men’s love then lies
Not
truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.
Jesu
Maria, what a deal of brine
Hath
washed thy sallow cheeks for Rosaline!
How
much salt water thrown away in waste
To
season love that of it doth not taste!
The
sun not yet thy sighs from heaven clears,
Thy
old groans ring yet in my ancient ears.
Lo,
here upon thy cheek the stain doth sit
Of
an old tear that is not washed off yet.
If
e'er thou wast thyself and these woes thine,
Thou
and these woes were all for Rosaline.
And
art thou changed? Pronounce this sentence then:
Women may fall when there’s no strength in men.”
(2.3.69-85) Friar Lawrence disagreed with Romeo wanting to marry Juliet (he
later gave in, to try to bond the two families together), and told him that
what he was feeling was not real love since he had just loved Rosaline a few
days ago. He told Romeo that he only loved her because of her superficial qualities.
Both Romeo and Juliet refused to listen to advice from others, which caused
them to make very rash decisions that lead to their demise.
In
conclusion, there were many factors that led to Romeo and Juliet’s death, such
as their families, the Friar, the Nurse, etc. However, Romeo and Juliet were
the sole cause for their own deaths. If Romeo and Juliet hadn’t acted
impulsively and had thought about the consequences for their actions, they most
likely wouldn’t have died. Though fate caused their love, and even though it
was very unfair that they couldn’t be together to due a very irrational
rivalry, if they had waited and had not rushed through love, and listened to
the advice of others (the Nurse and Friar Lawrence), there would be a good
chance that they would’ve lived.
