Who's Responsible For The Death of Romeo and Juliet By: Tanzim Ahmed

           William Shakespeare has written one of history’s greatest plays, Romeo and Juliet. Romeo, who is the only son of Lord and Lady Montague, has fallen in deep love with Juliet, the only daughter of Lord and Lady Capulet. One night, Romeo attends a party he wasn’t invited to and then meets Juliet. Instantly, they fall in a dangerous and unforgettable love. Unfortunately, they are both very young and impatient. At the end of their long journey to be happy, they both end up committing suicide. This wasn’t anyone’s but their own fault. Their inpatients caused them both to lie dead in a cold and dark tomb.

            Romeo is a young boy and still hasn’t fully matured. In a brawl between Tybalt, Romeo’s enemy, kills Mercutio, Romeo’s best friend. Romeo is distraught and full of anger so he decides to avenge his friend’s death and kills Tybalt. His ingenious and immature actions caused him to be exiled by the Prince of Verona. Later, after he hears his sentence he rushes to Friar Lawrence who had promised to wed him and Juliet. There he bawls like a child.   

“ROMEO. What less than doomsday is the Prince’s doom?                                                             

FRIAR LAWRENCE. A gentler judgment vanished from his lips: Not body’s death, but body’s banishment.

ROMEO. Ha, banishment! Be merciful, say “death,”For exile hath more terror in his look,

Much more than death. Do not say “banishment.”

FRIAR LAWRENCE. Hence from Verona art thou banishèd.Be patient, for the world is broad and wide.

ROMEO. There is no world without Verona walls But purgatory, torture, hell itself.

Hence “banishèd” is banished from the world, And world’s exile is death. Then “banishèd,” Is death mistermed. Calling death “banishment,”Thou cutt’st my head off with a golden ax

And smilest upon the stroke that murders me. (3.3.10-24)”

These lines show how immature and unprofessional Romeo is about his situation. He is whining and throwing a rant, he put himself into that problem but now he can’t deal with it. Romeo didn’t think about what he was doing and didn’t think about the consequences or the outcomes. Now he must suffer with the after-math that he created.

            Juliet is also responsible for their deaths. After she learned that she was going to have to marry Paris, she became extremely upset. Unfortunately, her nurse, and confidant, said something that made Juliet feel even worse.

“NURSE. 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. (3.5.213-226)”

In these lines, the Nurse tells Juliet to forget about Romeo. This infuriates Juliet because she now feels betrayed. The Nurse was supposed always be by her side and was supposed to always support her ideas, but now the nurse has turned her back on Juliet. After hearing the Nurse’s advice Juliet fires back at the nurse after she leaves.

“JULIET. Ancient damnation! O most wicked fiend! Is it more sin to wish me thus forsworn, Or to dispraise my lord with that same tongue Which she hath praised him with above compare

So many thousand times? Go, counselor. Thou and my bosom henceforth shall be twain. I’ll to the friar to know his remedy. If all else fail, myself have power to die. (3.5.236-243)”

Here, Juliet talks ill of the Nurse. She wasn’t thinking about what she was saying so she bailed out a lot of unkind words.  If she would’ve thought the situation through and consulted with her Nurse, she might’ve come up with a way to successfully marry and be happy with Romeo. Unfortunately, because of her youth and rushed thoughts, she closed all doors which led to her happiness with Romeo.

            In conclusion, Romeo and Juliet were responsible for their own untimely deaths. Romeo’s immaturity caused him to put himself into being exiled from Verona. Juliet’s inpatients caused her to lose all hope of being together with Romeo. This young couple was clearly too young and impatient. They didn’t think through their marriage which caused them to die in a cold and painful way.