Elements of Aristotelian Tragedy Depicted in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

In Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, two young lovers take their lives after their family feud reignites . A variety of decisions along with circumstance no one person could account for set the story of Romeo and Juliet up to be a tragedy. Many of the decisions in the play are made quickly and while emotions are running high, so frequently they result in bad outcomes. So, the rash and impulsive decisions made by men in Romeo and Juliet create the problems within the play.

Aristotle proposed what is believed to be the first definition of a true tragedy. Specifically, he states that a tragedy triggers great pity and fear caused by the main characters’ actions alone. Likewise, a true tragedy lacks coincidence and fate plays little in the overall play. William Shakespeare writes the play of The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet in which the audience knows the destiny of these two tragic heroes from the very beginning. Although this play is tragic knowing that the lives of two lovers are lost, it is not a tragedy as Romeo and Juliet are not solely responsible for their own deaths. Destiny is determined through the hands of greater forces than that of Romeo and Juliet, making this play merely tragic and not a true

The ideology that everything in the universe has a specific place and rank in order of their hierarchy importance created by God is known as the concept of The Great Chain of Being. The order of this concept consisted levels according to highest rank to the lowest accordingly: God, angels, humanity, animals, vegetation life, leading all the way down to crud. Within each category, more specific classification existed, placing these subcategories in a specific order. This concept was believed to be a way to keep the universe in order. As this was believed during Elizabethan times, William Shakespeare also believed in the Great Chain of Being, as many of his plays are prominently based on this concept. Some of his plays include characters that accept their place on the Chain, but others are not so complacent. By examining three different characters from Shakespeare’s tragedies, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, The Tragedy of Macbeth, and The Tragedy of King Lear, it is obvious to readers who is content with their place on the Chain and which characters have a difficult time accepting their place. Romeo and Juliet do not obey their parents’ orders, therefore suffer harsh consequences towards the end of the play. Macbeth is another Shakespearean character that violates the Chain, due to the committing of several murders, in order to gain the throne. In stark contrast, Cordelia, is content with her place on the Chain as she does not want anything greater in life, unlike her

In William Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet”, Shakespeare presents characters in difficult situations in Romeo and Juliet through various language techniques and structure. Romeo and Juliet were star-crossed lovers. Both Romeo and Juliet were from feuding families that would not approve of their marriage. In the play they are presented with many difficult circumstances. The play was set in the Elizabethan era; there was a significant change in religion, family and politics. Attitudes and key scenes highlight the theme of love in difficult circumstances and prepare the audience for Romeo and Juliet’s suicides at the end of the play. In this essay I will be exploring the ways Shakespeare presents characters in difficult situations.

In the play Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, we learn of the many hardships and highs Romeo and Juliet go through over the course of the story. The play Romeo and Juliet is based off two star-crossed lovers who are separated from each other due to a feud between their two families. Their love is so strong that at the end of the story Romeo and Juliet both end up committing suicide because they can’t live without each other. Whether it is problems with love, or them complimenting each other on how they feel about the other person, Shakespeare uses many literary devices to make the reader dig deeper into the context to find the meaning behind the sentence. Some of the literary devices are; similes, metaphors, and personification.

Teenage romance tends to be really confusing and painful. However, even if it ends badly, it typically does not end in the death of either party. In the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, this unfortunately is not the case. Romeo’s love for Juliet ends with both of their suicides. In the prologue to the play, it says “A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life”(Prologue line 6), suggesting that fate determined the deaths of these teenagers. This may be a romantic idea for a play, but this tragic ending likely results from the unwise decisions made by a fourteen year-old boy and a thirteen year-old girl. Romeo and Juliet’s deaths happen due to Romeo’s fickle attraction, Juliet’s submission to his advances, and both of their reactions

Shakespeare’s concept of tragedy is one of which inescapable fate merges with character flaws and harrowing sorrow, which ultimately leads the protagonists’ to their untimely death. The well-known tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, is one of many that fulfils this definition. There is fate as well as character flaws and great sorrow in Romeo and Juliet. It displays these traits through its themes, personality flaws and foreshadowing.

The play “Romeo and Juliet” written by Shakespeare was a tragedy. A tragedy is an event that causes great suffering. ”Romeo and Juliet” is a tragedy that includes the death of six people. Two kids who were “in love” weren't allowed to be together because of their families feud. They claimed to be “in love,” but the truth is, this was a play about two teenagers lusting for sex. This lusting ultimately led to their untimely deaths. The Capulets and Montagues were the ultimate cause of the tragic death of Romeo and Juliet.

The tragic story of Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, is famous throughout the world, but does anyone know who to blame for its tragedy? What makes it a tragedy? Romeo and Juliet is considered a tragedy because there are many deaths, the two families are rivals and the outcome is fatal and horrible.

What if The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, wasn't a tragedy. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, one of Shakespeare's classic plays and a timeless piece. As popular as it is for it's ending, we can't help but wonder if suicide was the answer to stop the family feud. I believe that this play wouldn't have been a tragedy if it wasn't for two lords, Tybalt, and Friar Luarence.

The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare written, was a play based on two misfortune lovers who's deaths ultimately reconcile their feuding families. There are many different opinions as to which character in the play is to blame for this tragedy. These events recapitulate hatred and revenge with young love, and force the unfortunate lovers to grow up quickly and die young. The feud causes calamitous results for the main characters, Romeo and Juliet.

Additionally, Romeo and Juliet can be considered a tragedy because a pair of innocent lovers die young due to a miscommunication. However, the play can be considered a romance because the story is based on young love and the emotions that derive from it. Moreover, Romeo and Juliet put their love for each other above all other concerns demonstrating their romantic relationship, and subsequently sealing their fate. Romeo and Juliet’s controversial story about conflicts and life-changing events that derive from love and misfortune, makes apparent the elements of the play that fall into the genre of both romance and tragedy.

Aristotle is known widely for developing his ideas on tragedy. He recorded these ideas in his Poetics in which he comments on the plot, purpose, and effect that a true tragedy must have. The structure of these tragedies has been an example for many writers including Shakespeare himself. Many of Shakespeare’s plays follow Aristotelian ideas of tragedy, for instance Macbeth does a decent job in shadowing Aristotle’s model.

A tragedy in literature is a tragic hero who falls due to a tragic flaw. Romeo’s immature personality has a huge effect on the end of the play. Romeo never thought before he acted, causing things to go wrong. For instance, before he killed Tybalt, he was angry in the moment not thinking about what would happen. When Romeo met Juliet he was in love with another girl. From here, his judgements eventually lead to his death. His tragic flaw is his unripe personality. Romeo enters this risky relationship as a young and carefree man, who doesn’t realize what could happen during this. The play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare fits perfectly with the definition of a tragedy, beginning with two hopeless teens and ending in their death by their own violation.

Romeo and Juliet, a classic play by William Shakespeare, is known to many as a tragedy. But what makes this play tragic? Audiences favor this story because of the emotions evoked from a tale of love that sees two young souls torn apart. However, Romeo and Juliet when under my own definition of tragedy, does not resemble a tragic play. While the death of Mercutio and the deaths of Romeo and Juliet seem tragic, the story does not show one failing when trying to reach their full potential, instead the audience sees a forbidden love and death as a result, which does not demonstrate tragedy. Instead, Romeo and Juliet face flaws from within their families and society, forcing them to stay apart due to conflict. While both Romeo and Juliet try to reach the goal of being together and fail, the flaws of others cause the conflict, not the flaws of themselves. My definition surrounds the idea that the flaws of oneself leads to his or her demise, meaning that the play misses a key characteristic of the definition of tragedy. Both characters seem to die a “tragic death,” however, their death can only be considered sad or upsetting, especially to the audience. This play instead consists of somber scenes that show aspects of a tragedy, but not enough to place this play in a tragic category in the classic definition or in my own definition because the flaws of the main characters do not cause the fall of the characters as they try to reach their full potential. If a character who fell as a