Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare

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Many people make decisions hastily, based on only their emotions at a given time. The authoritative emotions people experience block any foresight they may have had into the potential results of their actions. In high emotion, people stop thinking pragmatically. They make rash decisions, looking only to gratify their immediate desires. Rash decisions are prevalent among the characters of Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. The imprudent decisions of others are accountable for the death of Romeo and Juliet and, also, the infatuation and impulsiveness of both Romeo and Juliet are to blame for their independent deaths and as well as the deaths of each other.

The decisions made by the citizens of Verona have a direct effect upon the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Their thoughtless decisions assist in the downfall of the couple. For example, when Juliet returns from seeing Friar Lawrence, she declares that she will marry Paris to her father. Her father is thrilled by her decision to comply with his request and marry Paris. Capulet, in turn, says that he will “have this knot knit up tomorrow morning” (IV.ii.23). The impulsive and careless decision by Capulet to change the date of the wedding puts the household in a position where they must scramble to be prepared in time for the wedding. This decision directly affects the plan formulated by the Friar. It causes Juliet to have to execute it a day earlier, making it more difficult for news of the plan to reach Romeo before news of Juliet’s “death” does. Along with Capulet, Tybalt’s hasty, un-thoughtful decisions help to advocate the death of Romeo and Juliet. At the party, his mindless hatred for the Montagues causes him to promise that “this intrusion shall,/ Now seeming s...

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...iving a solution to propose to Juliet in order to calm her and prevent her from taking her own life, as she was wielding a dagger. Juliet’s infatuation and desperation to be with Romeo caused her to impulsively accept the chance of death. This chance she takes at death helps to lead to her demise as well as her own, because Romeo finds her “dead” and then kills him self.

Throughout his play, Shakespeare demonstrates a childish impulsiveness in his characters using the theme of haste. Many of the characters make hasty decisions that result in the tragic demise of two young individuals. This impulsive quality that is attributed to the citizens of Verona is not unique to them; in today’s society this is seen as more people want to be instantly gratified.

Works Cited

Craig, Hardin, Ed. The Complete Works of Shakespeare. Chicago: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1961.

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