Romeo & Juliet Essay

A story where two star-crossed lovers killed themselves for each other. Was it fate or the

result of bad decision making? The result of bad desicion making sounds more realistic for these

two. Fate could not be possible, especially in the beginning when Romeo is depressed because he

is in love with Rosaline and she does not have the same feelings for him. Mercutio continued

to make fun of him about being lovesick, then he finally got Romeo to go to the Capulet Masque.

One of the many things he said when he first saw Juliet was Like a rich jewel in an Ethiops

ear--Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! (Shakespeare 1014). As soon as Romeo took a

glance of Juliet, he fell in love and completely threw the feelings he had for Rosaline away.

How do you fall in love with one glance?

There were a few people who made very bad decisions, honestly if they were not made

the ending would have came out completely different. One of the main characters that made

multiple bad decisions was the Nurse. In the beginning when the Nurse saw Romeo and Juliet

talking/kissing she knew that Romeo was a Montague. She explained to Romeo that Juliet was a

Capulet which meant they could not be together. Juliet said that she fell in love before she even

knew who he was (Shakespeare 1016). After the Capulet Masque Romeo listened to Juliet

talking about how in love she was with him, this was the balcony scene. She also said that their

last name did not mean anything and that it could be changed. Romeo decided to speak up and

say something to her, that night they decided to get married as soon as possible. This was a bad

decision because instead of telling Juliet the better decision was to discuss this with Lady
Capulet and her father or going to tell them himself, Romeo decided to marry Juliet and have

their secret wedding.

The second character that also made bad decisions is Friar Laurence. The first huge

decision he made is in Act 2, Scene 3, Romeo goes to the Friar to tell him that he loves Juliet,

Juliet loves him and they want to get married. The Friar is shocked that Romeo wants to get

married this fast and at the fact that he is over Rosaline this quickly when he was just lovesick

over her. He thinks that Romeo is just acting out of haste but he eventually gives in to marrying

Romeo and Juliet to hopefully end the feud between the Capulets and Montagues (Shakespeare

1030). This was also a bad decision because you cant just secretly marry somebody's kids and

hope their feud ends. He could have encouraged Romeo to go talk to the Capulets and try and

end their feud for Romeo and Juliets sake, that way at least their parents understand whats

going on. The Friar holds a secret marriage ceremony in his cell that even the Nurse was in on.

Romeo gets into trouble that very same day. It starts with Tybalt and Mercutio fighting,

Romeo tried to protect him by blocking his body but Mercutio got stabbed underneath Romeos

arm. Romeo then, in anger, fights Tybalt and he ends up killing him. Since he was not the one to

start everything, he is ordered to leave Verona as soon as possible or he will be killed

immediately (Shakespeare 1044). If Tybalt hadnt gotten so angry and killed Mercutio, Romeo

wouldnt have fought Tybalt. Romeo shouldve thought about how Juliet would feel when he

killed her cousin. He also didnt think about how the Capulets are going to have a new bad

perspective of him since he killed one of their family members already. Juliet mourns for the loss

of her cousin and her husband, she threatens to kill herself (Shakespeare 1055). In the text, the
Nurse said O, she says nothing, sir, but weeps and weeps; And now falls on her bed, and the

starts up, And Tybalt calls; and then on Romeo cries, And then down falls again. Juliet is just a

mess about this whole situation and Romeo thinks hes the reason she is like this.

Juliet is forced to marry Paris after Romeo has ran away to Mantua. Since Juliet is

already married and nobody knows she doesnt want to marry him but her father said if she

doesnt he will disown her. She goes to Friar Laurence and explains that she does not want to

marry Paris, the Friar tells Juliet to drink a potion that is going to make her seem like she is dead

for forty-two hours. Out of all plans to help Juliet, that was the worst one. This was another one

of his bad decisions because he shouldnt have given her a potion thatll make her seem dead.

They couldve blamed Romeo since he already killed Tybalt and overall it just wasnt a good

plan (Shakespeare 1078). She is confused and frightened but she finally puts the vial to her

mouth and drinks it. Friar Laurence sent a messenger to Romeo with a letter explaining that if he

hears that Juliet is dead it is not true and that it is a potion. The next morning the Nurse finds

Juliet dead in her bed and they all go into huge grief and the Friar comforts them. Romeos

servant, Balthasar goes to Mantua to tell Romeo that Juliet is dead.

Friar Laurences messenger arrives back in Verona and explains that he was unable to

deliver the letter to Romeo. Paris and Romeo show up at Juliets tomb to see Juliet one last time.

They end up fighting because they misunderstood the whole situation. Since Romeo thought

Juliet was dead he ended his sorrow by giving Juliet one last kiss and killing himself with poison.

The Friar comes in to find Juliet awoken and Paris and Romeo dead, he leaves Juliet because he
hears the noise of people coming. I hear some noise. Lady, come from that nest of death,

contagion, and unnatural sleep. A greater power than we can contradict hath thwarted our intents.

Come, come away. Thy husband in thy bosom there lies dead; And Paris too. Come, Ill dispose

of thee among a sisterhood of holy nuns. Stay not question, for the watch is coming. Come, go,

good Juliet. I dare no longer stay. Once Juliet realizes what the Friar said about Romeo and

Paris, she tries to kiss Romeo to see if he left any poison on his lips but he did not. She then takes

his dagger and kills herself (Shakespeare 1097).

There were many events that show how the story of Romeo and Juliet was not fate, it was

all by the choices of bad decisions making that ended with the conditions they were in. The The

Capulets and Montagues decided to end their feud after they realize their feud was the reason

Romeo and Juliet went behind their parents backs for their relationship in the first place. By the

end of the story I just thought to myself, what if the Friar went and talked to their parents? What

if the Nurse told Juliet she should talk to Lady Capulet before they did anything? Maybe

everyone would still be alive and the feud would possibly be resolved. We wont know because

they never tried, now either of the children are alive. If you were in their situation, how would

you go about it?

 Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Applebee, Arthur N. The Language of Literature.

Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2002. Print.