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Rash Decisions In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

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Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is one of the most renowned stories of love and tragedy of all time. In order to escape marriage to another man, Juliet drinks a poison that will make her appear dead and give her time to escape. Just before she drinks that poison, her mind begins to race as she considers what might happen to her. She believes herself to have the worst fate of all time, not remembering that it was her own rash decision that brought her to the situation. Though considered almost adult in her society, Juliet’s immaturity shows itself in her desperation. A rash decision got Juliet into her situation, and a rash decision will get her out. As Juliet prepares to drink her poison, she sets her knife beside her and tells it “Lie thou there” (Shakespeare 4.3.23). The fact that Juliet’s backup plan is death attests to her desperation. She acts so quickly that she does not have time to look for a reasonable or logical solution to the predicament that she got herself into in a matter of days. Speaking of her mother and nurse, Juliet thinks, “I'll call them back to comfort me” (4.3.17). The fact that she still wishes for her mother and nurse to comfort her in times of difficulty reveals that Juliet is still a child at heart. Even though Juliet is making the very grown up decision of death over …show more content…

Her last words before drinking the poison, “Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here’s drink. I drink to thee” (4.23.59). she pronounces her dedication to Romeo and their love in her final words before possible death. Despite her worries that the poison may kill her, she is willing to die for Romeo. As she starts her soliloquy, Juliet says to her fleeting mother and nurse “Farewell. God knows when we shall meet again” (4.23.14). She is willing to sacrifice her family and friends in order to be with Romeo. Juliet is seeking a new life with Romeo. Juliet drank the poison, despite her worries, in an act of love towards

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