Prince Escalus from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet: The Ideal Monarch

/ If you ever disturb our streets again,/Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace” (Shakespeare.1.1.91-99). Ignoring the Capulets and Montagues desire to bicker, Prince Escalus puts his own expectations of a peaceful town over their desires and tells them that if they ever fight again, they will pay with their lives. Prince Escalus expects that the houses hold their peace, despite both families having a tendency to take their temper out on one another. Additionally, in the aftermath of Romeo and Juliet’s death, when Prince Escalus directly addresses Lord Capulet and Lord Montague, he shames them for their feud, saying “Where be these enemies? - Capulet, Montague, / See what a scourge is laid upon your hate, / That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love, / And I, for winking at your discords too, / Have lost a brace of kinsmen. All are punished” (5.3.301-305). By ignoring Prince Escalus’s expectations, Lord Capulet and Lord Montague indirectly played a hand in their children's death.In addition to the Prince’s peace of mind, his expectation of the

Friar Laurence’s character flaws greatly impacted the end result of the play. The Friar should be punished for his poorly made decisions throughout Shakespeare’s story. His first mistake was when he initially helped Romeo and Juliet with the aid of the Nurse. Both Romeo and Juliet are children and their parents should be included in every decision made for them. The Friar married Romeo and Juliet in Act 3 of the play. “Till Holy Church incorporate two in one” (3.1.37) The marriage was the start of many issues. Such as Juliet’s inability to wed Paris, being a married lady. This led to Friar’s next choice of giving Juliet the sleeping potion—making her appear dead. “Take this vial, being then in bed,” (4.1.93) Giving Juliet the poison was the reason why so many characters had died in the end of Act 5 of the play. Paris had died fighting Romeo because he thought he was attempting to steal Juliet’s “dead” body. Romeo, ignorant of the fact that Juliet was not dead, killed himself. Juliet committed suicide because of her fiancé lying next to her lifeless. The poison given by Friar

In this event, the trusted Friar Laurence gives details about his attempt to solve the rivalry with the marriage of their bloodlines. Which at the time, the purity of the bloodlines was crucial to tradition. In addition, of how he prevented Juliet from getting married to Paris, followed by the losses that he did not intentionally mean to occur (Shakespeare V.III.246-283). Justifying that Friar Laurence represents as the character who amplified the relevance of Romeo and Juliet’s love/marriage. His actions ultimately solved the houses long violent dispute into a final resolution. In addition, on lines 304-307, “Here he writes that he bought poison from a poor pharmacist/ He brought that poison with him to this vault/ to die and lie with Juliet” (Shakespeare V.III.304-307). Romeo’s actions of writing a letter of his final actions for his servant/friend Balthasar, are proof that the Prince had concrete evidence of Romeo’s complete intentions that led up to his and his lovers death. On the contrary, in Act III Scene I, Romeo is banished from Verona from killing Tybalt (Shakespeare III.I). Although this may be a significant event since Mercutio is a royal and Tybalt is a relative of Juliet, the feud did not vary much compared to the amount of influence Act V Scene III

Friar Laurence is a priest in the city of Verona and a father figure to Romeo and Juliet in the play. Friar Laurence's rebellious actions show his many characterizations. Friar Laurence states, “These violent delights have violent ends / And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, Which, as they kiss, consume”(2.6-9-15). In this scene he is marrying Romeo and Juliet. While Friar Laurence knows what he is doing wrong, he continues; highlighting the contrast between his actions and the actions of moral priest. Friar declared, “Come, go, good Juliet. I dare no longer stay”(5.3-159). After the tragic death of Romeo, Juliet wakes to see him dead.

The Prince displays this by laying down laws, however does not realize that his inconsistent decisions is letting the conflict between the two families continue. In the beginning of the play, Prince had announced that, “If you ever disturb our streets again, / Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace” (1.189-90). The use of hyperbole exaggerates the Prince’s statement stating he will kill anyone who kills another. However, the Prince does not stay true to his words when another destructive conflict appears. Tybalt had killed Mercutio and Romeo decided to step in and causes the death of Tybalt. At the Montague point, Romeo had done what any law would have otherwise done, killed Tybalt. The Prince had soften the punishment for Romeo and decided that he should be banished from Verona. The Prince may have done this to prevent further conflict between the two families. The Prince should have not soften the punishment for Romeo because he made an unfair decision to stay against his words and caused Romeo to be far away from his secret wife, Juliet. He should have decided Romeo’s punishment based on his decisions instead of picking sides when he found out that his friend, Mercutio, had died. Like mentioned, in the scene the Prince’s decisions leads Romeo being far away from Juliet which is the main reason that leads to the downfall of Romeo and Juliet. Another reason where

The play opens in the streets of Verona, the town where the families of Montague and Capulet live. The servants from both houses are out doing daily chores when one, Gregory, proclaims, “the quarrel is between our masters and us their men” (Romeo and Juliet 1.1.5). Yet, those words are not enough, when another Sampson, is looking for action. “I will bite my thumb at them: which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it” (Romeo and Juliet 1.1.6). A fight in the street ensues, as a result Price Escalus, in an effort to stop further violence issues a decree for the death of anyone who disturbs the peace in the future. Shakespeare in the opening act has laid out for his audience how a spur of the moment decision, has now created a precarious situation, behave or you could be put to death, a major

After the Prince announces his exile, Romeo claims “exile hath more terror... much more than death” (Shakespeare 3.3 12-15), which is a clear overstatement of reality. These emotional exaggerations are a warning sign of Romeo’s immaturity, yet Friar Laurence does not take note of these obvious displays of mental instability. Despite Romeo being in a highly emotional state, Friar Laurence mocks him, asking “art thou a man” (Shakespeare 3.3 109) and tells him that “[his] tears are womanish” (Shakespeare 3.3 110). As a mentor and friend, Friar Laurence is obligated to guide Romeo through times of strife, rather than making these difficult situations worse by ignoring and even mocking Romeo’s behavior. Aside from disregarding Romeo’s emotions, Friar Laurence also overestimates Juliet’s ability to make logical decisions while in the midst of processing a traumatic situation. Immediately after she wakes up from her drug induced coma, Friar Laurence informs her of Romeo’s death. He then instructs her to “come... good Juliet” (Shakespeare 5.3 158), because he “dare no longer stay” (Shakespeare 5.3 158-159), yet he leaves the tomb before Juliet can answer his requests, let alone process the situation at hand. Juliet previously mentions her suicidal intentions if she marries Paris instead of Romeo. Despite this, Friar Laurence ignores Juliet’s current mental state and leaves her abandoned while she is despondent and desperate. Alone in

In the early parts of the play the Friar states “These violent delights have violent ends.” (2.6.9). What this shows is Friar says there could be violent ends but still proceeds to marry Romeo and Juliet. Another example of the Friar not making the right decisions is when he encounters Juliet after she wakes up from pretending to be dead and states “Come, go, good Juliet. I dare stay no longer. Go get thee hence, for I will not away” (5.3.164-165). What happened right after this is the Friar ended up not taking Juliet and then she ended up killing herself because of the

William Shakespeare was born in 1564, only a little while after the start of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign. As such he lived in a time of civil unrest later in his life because of the ruler being a woman, being childless and not naming an heir to the throne. Therefore Shakespeare used his tragedy Julius Caesar and the Roman politics in the play in order to reflect those of his day. Namely that even the government needs the support of its people, that advice given to political leaders should be taken into consideration, the consequences of rebellion, and the need for an heir.

One way Mercutio is responsible is by convincing Romeo to go to the Capulet’s feast. Mercutio convince Romeo by saying, “But in that crystal scales let … shining at this feast” (Shakespeare 1.3.101-103). So Romeo goes to the feast just to prove Mercutio wrong. Therefore, Romeo would have never met Juliet if Mercutio had not convince him to go to the feast. Tybalt, angry that Romeo for going to the feast. He challenges Romeo by saying, “No better term than this: thou art a villain” (Shakespeare 3.1.60). At first Romeo would not fight Tybalt. Romeo only fight Tybalt after Mercutio dies while fighting Tybalt. This event act as a catalyst to the lover

Romeo and Juliet was written by William Shakespeare as a play for the theatre. William Shakespeare took his idea from an Italian folk story and is heavily influenced by sonnets which where developed by Francesco Petrarch an Italian poet. Shakespeare took most of his inspiration for Petrarch for demonstrating love with in the poem.

Such as helping them getting married without their parents knowing. Friar Laurence was stupefied and told him,”Oh, she knew well Thy love did read by rote, that could not spell. But come, young waverer, come, go with me, In one respect I’ll thy assistant be, For this alliance may so happy prove To turn your households' rancor to pure love” (2.3. 87-92). This shows that he is doing whatever it takes to make peace in verona even if he knows that they are really not in love with each other. Specifically when he gave Juliet the potion so she won’t marry Paris on Thursday morning. Juliet said desperately, “Tell me not, Friar, that thou hear’st of this, Unless thou tell me how I may prevent it. If in thy wisdom thou canst give no help, Do thou but call my resolution wise, And with this knife I’ll help it presently” (4.1. 51-55). The quote shows how desperately Juliet does not want to get married to Paris and would rather die than being alive with a person that she does not love at all. Even though Friar Laurence tried the impossible to stop the fight, he succeeded but with death of six people and the most important ones are Romeo and

At the end of the play, Prince Escalus declares that “Some shall be pardoned, and some punished” (V.iii.319) this statement begs the question of who is to be pardoned and who is punished. The actions of characters throughout the play show their responsibility for actions and their overall benefit of harm on the other individuals. Friar Lawrence is arguably the most important character in the play. Besides marrying Romeo & Juliet, he also causes both of their deaths. The vast majority of all conflict is due to either the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets, or by Friar Lawrence.

At the very end of the play, Romeo and Juliet both pass away. This is a result of the two families fighting. At the end of Act 5, Prince Escalus says “A glooming peace this morning with it brings!” (Prince Escalus 5.3.317). Prince Escalus is explaining that the death and violence throughout the play resulted in the two families making peace and solving problems. This quote goes to show that violence could solve problems. However, even though the two families solved things between them, other people agree that the violence should have been solved, so that their children, Romeo and Juliet, would still be alive. Formerly, Sampson and Gregory, within the house of the Capulets fighting with Abram and Balthasar, who belong with the Montagues, it shows that problems become worse through the act of violence. “Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them” (Sampson 1.1.8). In addition, the quote explains that Sampson will “bite his thumb,” which is the equivalent of giving the middle finger towards Abram. Sampson later goes on to explain that he doesn’t just stick up the middle finger at Abram and that he does it to everyone. Sampson’s choice of words causes a riot to break out in the city Verona. This choice of violence causes the problems between the two families to escalate. This demonstrates that violence is not the answer to solving problems. The fight between the two families also results in

Prince Escalus, the Prince of Verona, is the character who “most offers hope that the feud between the Capulets and Montagues could end” because he says to talk about this tragedy. From the beginning, Prince Escalus is upset about the feuding between the two families and demands that they stop; in Act 1, Scene 1, he says, “If ever you disturb our streets again, / Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace. “ When the prince finds out the Capulets and Montagues are fighting again, instead of having Romeo executed, Prince Escalus banishes him: “And for that offence / Immediately we do exile him hence.” Unfortunately, because of the feuding many people die, including Romeo and Juliet. At the end of the play, in Act 5, Scene 3, Prince Escalus