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Essay about Haste and Impulse in "Romeo and Juliet"

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Most people think that coincidence is the main cause for the character’s severe misfortune in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but in reality, it is impulse and the inability to control one’s passion that account for the large amount of calamity in this tragedy’s plot line. Haste and passion are evident flaws in many of the character’s personalities. At one point in time, Romeo, Tybalt, Capulet, Friar Lawrence make a decision on impulse. Many of these decisions are also made when the character is overcome by a deep emotion. If some of the characters were able to get a hold of there passion and think things through, maybe the unfortunate deaths of Romeo and Juliet, as well as many others, could have been avoided. Passion, and the inability …show more content…

Another character that can’t keep a strong hold on his emotions is Tybalt. Tybalt allows his anger to rise and rise until the point where he believes violence is his only solution. “Tybalt: ‘Romeo, the hate I bear thee can afford no better term than this,-thou art a villain.’ Romeo: ‘Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee doth much excuse the appertaining rage to such a greeting: villain I am none; Therefore farewell; I see thou know’st me not.’ Tybalt: ‘Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries that thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw” (Shakespeare III, I, 55-62). Despite Romeo’s calm and mature response, Tybalt allows the craving of revenge to convince him that the only way to end his anger is to destroy the cause. Instead of allowing anger to control his decisions, Friar Lawrence lets fear take hold of his judgment. After he travels to the tomb and finds Juliet wakened to the sight of a dead Paris and Romeo he hears a noise and remarks, “ I hear some noise […] a greater power than we can contradict hath thwarted our intents. Come, come away” (Shakespeare V, iii, 151- 155). Instead of considering the fact that Juliet is shocked to find her husband fiancé dead, he allows his fear to scare him away from the tomb and leaves a distraught Juliet to commit suicide. One of the most moody

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