Romeo Is Completely to Blame for the Tragic OutCome In the Play
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Romeo is completely to blame for the tragic outcome in the play.
William Shakespeares play Romeo and Juliet is without doubt one of the most well-known love story. Throughout the five acts of the play, one tragedy follows another, with the famous suicide of Romeo and Juliet as a tragic conclusion. Throughout the play, it may seem that Romeo caused these events to unfold, however it is unjust to say that he bears all responsibility for the tragedy. The decisions, actions and circumstances that other characters made and faced have also contributed to the tragic outcome. Nevertheless, it is also in the hands of fate that destined the immature deaths of Romeo and Juliet
Juliets conceding to a forbidden relationship with Romeo was the starting point in which the tragedy would start to unfold. At the ball, Juliet falls in love with a masked Romeo and later Romeo and Juliet both confess their love for each other, both of them now knowing that they are enemies from both sides the family feud. At this point, Juliet had a choice of whether or not to pursue this new relationship. In the end, in the heat of things, she decides to give in to Romeo, even though she had doubts about this relationship just moments before. “Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow, / By one that Ill procure to come to thee, / Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite, / And all my fortunes at thy foot Ill lay, / And follow thee my lord throughout the world” (Act2 Scene2 Lines144-148). Here, Juliet seals her commitment to Romeo, proposing marriage and placing her fate in Romeos hands as she would “follow him as her lord”.
Later on, the decisions Juliet make has a major impact on the outcome of the play. Her intense love and passion for Romeo makes her agree to Friar Lawrences plan in consuming the potion, without considering the consequences after she is unconscious. Her contributions to the plot meant that Romeo was not the only one to blame for the tragic end.
Juliet however is not the only character who made choices that affected the outcome of the play. Friar Lawrence and the Nurses good intentions also played key roles in helping the lovers seal their marriage that later would result in tragedy. When Romeo tells Friar Lawrence of his forbidden love to Juliet, the Friar only agreed to marry them out of good will. He thought that the marriage of Romeo and Juliet might bring the feuding families together. “In one respect Ill thy assistant be: / For this alliance may so happy prove / To turn your households rancour to pure love. (Act2 Scene3 Lines90-92).
Soon after in Act 4, it was Friar Lawrence himself that proposed the solution of Juliet taking the sleeping potion, and he will then send a letter to Romeo in Mantua to come and rescue her. Of course, once again, the plan was not carefully devised and inevitably things go wrong.
This was another helping hand that contributed to the death of Romeo and Juliet, the very two people the Friar had been trying to help.
The Nurse also played a minor part in the scheme. The Nurse also encouraged Juliet in her romantic ideas. She carried messages and helped the lovers meet and get married. However, the Nurse always had Juliets best interest at heart.
Fate is the main deciding factor in this play. Fate is the underlying driving force throughout the five acts. Romeo and Juliet met and fell in love at the ball because of fate, and this led to a whole series of unfortunate events that lead to the couples death. Even before the story started, it is mentioned in the prologue fate has already planned Romeo and Juliets destiny, and no-one can run away from what has already been decided: “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes / A pair of star-crossd lovers take their life;” (Prologue Lines5-6). However, chance and misfortune couldve been factors giving fate a helping hand. It could be by chance that Romeo and Juliet were to meet at the ball. And it was unfortunate that the letter could not reach Romeo as there is a plague spreading and Friar John was forbidden to leave Verona. Before they were born Romeo and Juliet were chosen as agents of fate, and that it would be a “death-marked love”. Romeo himself admits that he is driven by fate: “I fear too early for my mind misgives / Some consequences yet hanging in the stars” (Act1 Scene4 Lines106-107). However, even if Romeo and Juliet did not meet at the Capulets ball, fate could make the star-crossed lovers meet at another time, as an important task has to be fulfilled as the