The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

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.

Romeo and Juliet is a story that involves many untimely deaths. Out of all the deaths Romeo and Juliet were the most important deaths out of the whole play. But who is left to blame for their deaths? Tybalt, Paris, and Mercutio; there is someone to blame for each of those deaths. Yet nobody is one hundred percent sure who is to blame for Romeo and Juliet’s suicide. Well, the answer to who led them might surprise you, as the people who were closest to them led them to their suicide. Two families who have a raging feud. A feud so strong they pushed their children to the brink of death.

Romeo kept on forcing the idea upon him, so he marries them hoping that their marriage would end the Capulet and Montague feud, even though he did not ask for the parents’ consent. He displays his hope when he says, “For this alliance may so happy prove / to turn your household’s rancor to pure love”(Act I, Scene 4, Lines 91-92). Friar Laurence kept Romeo and Juliet’s relationship secretive, making the situation worsen. Later on, the Friar shows that he has regrets about the marriage. The Friar feels that, “Violent delights have violent ends / And their triumph die… too swift arrives as tardy as too slow” (Act II, scene 6, Lines 9-15). The Friar senses that the wedding is happening too quickly and doubts his decision. He had the potential to prevent the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, but his decisions led Romeo and Juliet to do reckless actions under his ideas. Friar Laurence’s thoughtless decisions led to the deaths of Romeo and

Star-crossed lovers defined as lovers whose relationship was doomed from the beginning and was said to end in tragedy, by that of William Shakespeare. Shakespeare describes Romeo and Juliet as “star-crossed lovers” because their fate and destiny was said to be set in the stars from the day they met, till the day they died. Although not set in the stars commendable, set in the stars to be doomed for their fate. Romeo and Juliet were apart of two different families feuding with each, obviously their fate wasn’t going to work out, although a friar in the play was trying to conclude the feuding between the families.

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” is the question we hear so many times as children. Yet, growing up does not necessarily mean becoming an adult. Rather, growing up is the change within one’s self that is illustrated by a heightened awareness, the ability to think reasonably, and the proficiency to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner. In adolescence, we turn to the adults in our lives to aid us in understanding our choices as we become increasingly responsible for our own actions. During this time in our lives, adults with worldly experience direct us down the path of good judgment in order that we may learn how to make good decisions. They near essential to us, even though not everyone has this advantage. William Shakespeare’s famous and celebrated tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, depicts several instances in which the title characters, though still naïve, behave more responsibly and maturely than the misguided adult figures in their lives–those of the Houses of Capulet and Montague, especially Juliet’s parents, and the culpable Friar Laurence.

Throughout life, experiences and morals mold personality. From mistakes, people learn to deal with or avoid similar situations. People learn the basic life skills in childhood and further discover and change to better themselves in adolescence. However, no matter how hard people try to attain the perfect character, everyone has their flaws. Since personality is portrayed through actions, people often times reflect their worst characteristics.

What is fate? William Shakespeare teaches us about love and proves the existence of fate in his play Romeo and Juliet when the paths of two young people from two different worlds are inevitably crossed. Both families are driven by hatred, but their children’s fates are intertwined from birth creating their forbidden love which is destined for destruction. From the chance meeting between a Capulet and a Montague in Italy during the Renaissance to Romeo’s future in which his dreams happen, fate also encourages Romeo’s exile and an urgent message to not be delivered. The play’s famed prologue indicates their romance are doomed right from the beginning.

Tragedy is an event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress. The shocking love story of Romeo and Juliet ended with two teens’ hasty decisions to commit suicide. William Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, focused on the love story of two teenagers, Romeo and Juliet. For they thought death was the only option, death they chose, but they thought wrong. Like many others in life, if only Romeo and Juliet had pondered a little longer, waited till their feelings of desperation dispersed, the tale of Romeo and Juliet could have ended with a different story.

An Aristotelian tragedy consists of several different aspects. In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the main characters contain a tragic flaw, or hamartia, that contributes to their fall from esteem or regal status. Additionally, the audience experiences pity and fear evoked by Shakespeare for the duration of the play. Furthermore, the two star-crossed lovers undergo a catastrophe at the end of the tragedy, where the characters meet a tragic and horrendous death. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a true Aristotelian tragedy because both Romeo and Juliet possess a tragic flaw, a catastrophe takes place in which both characters meet a tragic death, and the audience is aroused with pity and fear.

It is known that Shakespeare has written very influential pieces of literature throughout his life. His amazing ability to write stories that cross all social lines and statuses make him so likable and relatable. He also pushed literary boundaries that were considered taboo or unacceptable at the time. Throughout his novel Romeo And Juliet, he shows the downfall of two lovers who's death is pinned on several key characters, but the real perpetrators are in the eye of the beholder.

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet ended horribly and that’s why the play is called The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. The two star-struck lovers ended up dying from taking their own lives, but who’s fault was it really? There are multiple people in this play that made Romeo and Juliet want to die, but Tybalt had the most effect on them. Tybalt was a fighter and killed Mercutio, which created Romeo to long for revenge. The two fought and Romeo ended up on top, but was then banished from Verona and was forced to go to Mantua. Every thing went wrong from there after he was forcibly evicted from his home town, and the cause was Tybalt.

The demise of Romeo and Juliet began when fate brought the two love struck children together. At the beginning of the play, William Shakespeare writes a line showing the readers and audiences how Romeo and Juliet’s demise was by fate. In the prologue, while giving a background about the play he states, “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes/ A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life” (Shakespeare Prologue.5-6). Shakespeare is saying that Romeo and Juliet are born in two separate families, that have a long lasting and violent feud. Out of all the people in Verona the two fall in love with each other. Another instance of the play that shows us that fate plays a role in the demise of Romeo and Juliet is when Peter asks Romeo to read the guest list aloud to him. Since Peter is illiterate he asks Romeo to read all of the people on the guest list. Romeo reads, “Stay, fellow. I can read. / Signor Martino and his wife and daughters…/ Signor Valentine/ Mine Uncle Capulet, his wife and daughters, / My fair niece Rosaline and Livia, / Signor Valentio and his cousin Tybalt, / Lucio and the lively Helena” (I.ii.68-76). Out of all the people in Verona Peter walks up to Romeo and asks to read the list. Not many people were invited to the party, but Romeo’s first love was. It was fate that led Romeo to attend Capulet’s party; and it was that let Juliet and Romeo to meet at the party. Romeo came to the party to see Rosaline, but he quickly forgets her because fate led him to fall

Some critics feel that Shakespeare was a man ahead of his time, And therefore he was having plays and writing scripts. Shakespeare had gotten famous off of his one play called “Romeo and Juliet” this play is still being read to this day. And there are even other items that fall with the name Romeo and Juliet. They had “Romeo y Julieta” cigars. They made a state charge called the “Romeo and Juliet provisions” And this was all created from the play Romeo and Juliet. Modern day teenagers are not relevant to the play Romeo and Juliet.

The play Romeo and Juliet has been debated to be a love story or a tragedy Juliet is one of the main characters in Romeo and Juliet. She is the daughter of Lord Capulet and Lady Capulet. Juliet could be described as impatient, pretty, and not that smart.