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Society is Responsible for the Death of Romeo and Juliet Essay

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Imagine yourself, dear reader, transported to Shakespearian Verona, a bustling, peaceful city (aside from the occasional death or two), with its obligatory social classes going about agreeably (aside from the occasional brawl or two), and all people happy and successful (aside from the occasional poor wretch or two). The Verona in which Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet takes place in is made sinister by the deadly consequences than ensue from its strict, unbending society. Romeo and Juliet paints a tale about two young lovers, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, whose attempts to be together are cruelly thwarted by society. Society’s fixation on honor and disgrace, poverty-creating laws, and austere social roles all have crucial …show more content…

At any infraction of honor, men are pushed to duel to the death, or face the dreaded charge of cowardliness. Indeed, Tybalt, bound by honor to his family, is ready to slay Romeo even at Romeo’s tiny misdemeanor of attending the Capulet party: “What, dares the slave / Come hither covered with an antic face / To fleer and scorn at our solemnity? / Now, by the stock and honor of my kin / To strike him dead I hold it not a sin.” (1. 5. 63-67) Soon after this scene, Tybalt duels with Mercutio in place of Romeo, and Mercutio falls dead. Obligated to avenge his friend’s death, Romeo fights with Tybalt, and strikes him dead. This results in Romeo’s banishment, which, of course, leads to the series of hasty plans that end in his and Juliet’s deaths. Another reason that society is responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s deaths lies in its unjust, poverty-creating laws. When Romeo believes Juliet dead (she is actually asleep), he kills himself with poison, which in turn leads to Juliet’s death when she sees him dead. However, In Mantua, the Italian city to which Romeo is banished, sale of poison is illegal. So, dear reader, do tell where he could possibly buy poison in a city whose laws prevent potion-makers from making money. Romeo had the same answer, recalling a desperately poor apothecary about whom he told himself: “‘An if a man did need a poison now / Whose sale is present death in Mantua / Here lives a

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