• Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

Who do you think is most responsible for the death of Romeo and Juliet

Extracts from this document...


Who do you think was most responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet? Romeo and Juliet is one of the oldest and best loved plays written by the illustrious William Shakespeare in the late sixteenth century. The plot sets its scene in Verona, a little city in the north of Italy, and just like any ordinary love story, two individuals, Romeo and Juliet fall in love with each other. It inadvertently happens that their families, the Montagues and the Capulets, have an antediluvian grudge. The story starts of to be very amorous as Romeo and Juliet exchange their love for each other. However, instead of ending with a 'happily ever after' finale like any ordinary fairytale does, Shakespeare creates a very heartrending ending where the two take their cherished lives for one another, instigating peace between the two families. As mentioned above, Romeo and Juliet come from feuding families, but they defy the feud and fall in love, making their love forbidden. Many incidents take place in the five short days that they are embroiled in their mutual love. These incidents all surround the Montague and Capulet family. Their dispute was deep rooted, as seen in the prologue of the book where Shakespeare says it was an 'ancient grudge'. ...read more.


While this plan looks flawless, bad luck strikes again and the messenger man does not manage to deliver the letter in time. Romeo mistakenly assumes that Juliet is dead, and consequently kills himself just a few minutes before Juliet wakes up. If Romeo had disembarked when Juliet had woken up, the lovers would then have a chance to live happily ever after. Though their physical deaths were their own decision, fate is what made them want to commit suicide for each other. Some might deem these as coincidences, but the power of fate is factually commenced in the prologue where it states that the two are "star-cross'd lovers", which means that they are ill-fated. The prologue also points out "The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love", which implies that the fate of their love is death. From that point onwards, fate orchestrates their lives and ends as envisaged, with death. It was also fate that brought them to meet each other. If the illiterate servant of Capulet's had not asked Romeo to help him read the guest list for the Capulet's feast, Romeo would not have wanted to attend it, as the only reason why he attended it was to see Rosaline. The antagonist of fate is discussed again in the wedding scene by Friar Lawrence. ...read more.


I would not for the wealth of all this town here in my house do him disparagement. Therefore be patient, take no note of him; It is my will, the which if thou respect, show a fair presence, and put off these frowns, an ill-beseeming semblance for a feast". If he had let Tybalt deal with him, otherwise sort out the situation himself, Romeo would not have met Juliet and forget about Rosaline instantly, and Friar Lawrence would not have taken place in this complicated matter. Then again, if he had dealt with the situation, Romeo would still be in pain. If Lord Capulet had not forced Juliet to marry Paris, Juliet would not have sought help from the Friar and the deaths of Romeo and Juliet could also be avoided. All these questioning can continue for a long time and eventually still point to fate. It was fate that brought them to meet, for them to fall in love with each other, and to take their lives for each other. The overall structure of the play and the way it develops generates a feeling of inexorableness about the ending. Neither Romeo nor Juliet can ever really escape due to the fact that when things began to look as though they might improve, some new disaster strikes. Shakespeare was a very dexterous writer and these adversities never seem simulated or fanciful. Hence, I construe that fate is to blame for Romeo and Juliet's death. ...read more.

The above preview is unformatted text


Found what you're looking for?

  • Start learning 29% faster today
  • 150,000+ documents available
  • Just £6.99 a month

Not the one? Search for your essay title...
  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

See related essaysSee related essays

Related GCSE Romeo and Juliet essays


    I put my head down, and sat in silence. At the end of the math lesson, Mr. Ross handed me a diary and showed me the page were my schedule was. I checked for my next lesson and was disappointed to see that it was German.

  2. Are Romeo And Juliet Responsible For Their Own Demise

    go with me/ To Juliet's grave, for there must I use thee." Ultimately, he commits suicide by drinking poison when it is confirmed to him that Juliet is dead. This is also a proof that it was true love seeing that Romeo does not commit suicide for Rosaline but just gets emotional.

  • Over 160,000 pieces
    of student written work
  • Annotated by
    experienced teachers
  • Ideas and feedback to
    improve your own work