Often times in literature characters have impulsive behaviors that affect the work as a whole. Shakespeare’s play, “The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet” is one such piece. In this play two people from enemy families fall in love, and it leads to trouble. Throughout the play, impulsive acts lead to a sad ending with many people dying. If characters in specific, Romeo thought before making actions, the play might have not ended so poorly for the two families.
Romeo played a large part in the play, “The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.” Romeo is young man around sixteen years old, part of the Montague family, and seen to be intelligent and handsome, but also very immature as well as impetuous. The biggest characteristic of Romeo is that he is in love, in love with a Capulet, Juliet. This is shown when he sneaks over the dividing wall and enters Capulet territory, where he is forbidden to be due to the war between their families. He then speaks to Juliet under her balcony, where he confesses his love towards her. “With love’s light wings did I o'erperch these walls,/ For stony limits cannot hold love out,/ And what love can do, that dares love attempt./ Therefore thy kinsmen are no let to me.” (II. ii. 66-69) This quote shows that Romeo is so in love with Juliet he risks his life just to see and talk to her, because if he had been seen by another Capulet, he would be killed. He also expresses that love brought him to Juliet, and that is how he found her. Throughout the play, Romeo had a impulsive behavior, where he would act without thinking. This is shown when Romeo’s friend Mercutio and Juliet’s cousin get in a fight, and Mercutio is accidentally stabbed and dies. Once this happens, Romeo without thinking twice chases Tybalt down and declares a sword fight which he would win and kill his now cousin in law (since he is now married to Juliet) Tybalt. “That late thou gavest me, for Mercutio’s soul/ Is but a little way above our heads,/ Staying for thine to keep him company./ Either thou or I, or both, must go up with him.” (III. i. 119-122) If Romeo had not sought out to kill Tybalt, but instead took a step back and thought about what he was about to do, the consequences in the future could have all been prevented. Later on the Prince banishes Romeo from Verona for killing Tybalt. Another impulsive act Romeo had was at the end of the play when he saw Juliet “dead” and decided to drink a potion which wouldn’t give him any chance of living and would instantly kill him. “The dashing rocks thy seasick weary bark!/ Here’s to my love [drinks] O true apothecary!/ Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.” (V. ii. 118-120) Because Romeo drank the poison potion without thoroughly thinking it through, he died and didn’t get to see Juliet every again because soon after she wakes up from the forty two hour coma she was put in from Friar Lawrence’s potion. That shows that Romeo was very impulsive, and would not take the time to think before he did something. In the first quote, because Romeo jumped to conclusion, fought and killed Tybalt, he got banished from Verona and no longer allowed to see Juliet. If Romeo never killed Tybalt, him and Juliet could’ve possibly convince the Capulets and Montagues to end the family feud and all to become friends, or if that didn’t work out, run away and live a longer, happier life. But because Romeo didn’t think things through he is now no longer to be with his family and his lovely wife Juliet, but there are now two dead bodies he is close to, his cousin in law, Tybalt, and his close friend, Mercutio. In the second quote when Romeo is alone with Juliets “dead” body he decides to drink the poisonous potion, without thinking twice. This impulsive act affected the people lives around him very much. Minutes after Romeo killed himself Juliet wakes up from a coma that she was put in by Friar Lawrence's’ potion. She sees a dead Romeo and a dead Paris and thinks to herself that there’s nothing else in the world to love. She then grabs Romeo’s dagger and decides to stab, and kill herself. If Romeo had never killed himself, Juliet would have woken up right next to Romeo, and they could have ran away and be happily married without anyone knowing, but instead they are now both dead. Later on when the people brought out the dead bodies of Romeo, Juliet, and Paris, Lady Montague (Romeo’s mom) saw her sons dead body, and died of a heart attack and a broken heart. All of these unfortunate events could have been prevented if Romeo had just taken a second and think about the things he’s about to do. Often times in literature characters have an impulsive behavior, and that is shown in the play, “The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet” with the character Romeo. If he had thought before he made his actions, the play would’ve turned out very differently, and would be a chance that him, Juliet, his beautiful wife that he loved so dearly, Tybalt, his cousin in law, Mercutio, a close friend he had, Paris, and Lady Montague, his loving mother might have lived a longer life. by: Tyler Oliveira -- contributing writer Comments are closed.
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June 2019
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