Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
Love happens, but not without consequences. William Shakespeare’s, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is about a tragedy of two star-crossed lovers, but unfortunately such love is forbidden to their families, but nonetheless, it brings two members of the families together. Romeo of the Montague family and Juliet of the Capulet family. These families have hated each other for generations. Romeo and Juliet’s love has brought pain, sadness, and suffering to others, as is the consequences of a tragedy.
The first evil that starts the wheel of this chaos is when Romeo and Juliet keep their love secret. No one knows of their forbidden love. Not their friends, not their acquaintances, not even blood relatives. This is made apparent as sometimes, things lose light and becomes dark around Romeo and Juliet, revealing just how secretive they are being. The two lovers are so afraid of their love being found out, that they have not noticed the harm it had on others.
Juliet outright refuses to marry anyone that her father finds, which results in physical assault from Lord Capulet, her father. Juliet quotes at one point in the play, “The Lord joined my heart with Romeo’s. You joined our hands, slay them both and before I, who married Romeo, marry another man, I shall kill myself.” (Shakespeare 4.1 56-60). The pain it brought on others goes so far that it becomes irreparable once it is seen.
The second evil that is born from the forbidden love between Romeo and Juliet is when the deaths start happening.
Their loved ones die because of Romeo and Juliet’s chaotic love. People are suffering because of their love and the next part of this will prove just that. As Mercutio dies during a fight between Romeo and Juliet’s cousin, he quotes, “May an illness strike both your blood and your enemies. They have turned me into nourishment for the worms” (Shakespeare 3.1 94-113). Things get so bad that it starts to affect them as well. Things only get worse from here. The final consequence to finish this wheel of chaos, is the banishment of Romeo. The coup de grâce of the story is near and the final sin shall be told.
The final act that leads to the suicides of Romeo and Juliet, including the Death of Paris and Lady Montague, is the banishment of Romeo. Prince Escalus quotes, “Inform Romeo that he will leave Verona immediately or else if he is seen in Verona, he will be executed instantly by my hand.” (Shakespeare 3.1 196-207). Lady Montague dies from her grief as Romeo is her only son and to know that she would never see her son again, it tears her apart inside. Juliet is so hurt by Romeo’s banishment that she goes to Friar Lawrence and she fakes her death by making a sleep potion. It works, but Romeo believes she is dead. He gets a lethal poison from Mantua and he goes to Juliet’s grave, where he and Paris fight. Unfortunately, Paris dies. Romeo goes to where Juliet is resting, drinks the poison, and dies. Juliet wakes up after and sees Romeo’s dead body. She takes his sword and kills herself in the hopes she is reunited with him in the afterlife.
Three sins in The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet tie all the outcomes together like a spider web. The very first sin of the love of Romeo and Juliet is when they have to keep their love a secret. Romeo, a Montague and Juliet, a Capulet. Their families are enemies, meaning that their love is like a work of the devil, should their families find out about their relationship. The second sin of their love is when people start dying. Romeo and Juliet are so afraid of their love being found out, that the pain of that very same love, is brought upon their loved ones. The final sin of their love is the one that brings the web of pain, sadness, and death all together. This is when Romeo receives banishment from Verona for life, which kills Lady Montague, Romeo’s mother as she becomes full of grief, now knowing that she is never going to see her son ever again. This leads to Juliet’s plan, which is to fake her death, which leads to Romeo and Paris fighting. This leads to Paris’ death and Romeo finally poisons himself and dies, which leads to Juliet’s suicide. It ends the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets, but at what cost? Love happens, but not without consequences. Love is beautiful, but chaotic at the same time.
