Comparing Romeo And Juliet To 9/11

Imagine a loved one leaving to do something that was a part of their daily routine. You would not really think anything of it, but have you ever thought about what it would be like if one day they did not come back? How would you react? Would you be fearful for your own life? Blame yourself for the situation? Become angry? Would you even go as far as taking your own life? Often a first reaction to tragic situations is most likely sadness, tragedies, like Romeo & Juliet and the September 11 attacks, can cause a variety of different reactions such as pity, anger, and fear in different ways.

In these tragedies, pity is often one of the first things that people feel. For instance, during the September 11 attacks family members of loved ones who had passed showed their feelings by crying and remembering them. “No matter how many years pass, this time comes around each year- and it’s always the same,” says Karen Hinson. In Romeo and Juliet, they showed pity the same way by

crying and remembering their children. For example, at the end of the last scene in act 3, Capulet says, “O brother Montague, give me thy hand. This is my daughter’s jointure, for no more can I demand.” You could also see the sorrow when Lady Capulet cried after her daughter’s death. All of these people were grieving the loss of a loved one. Both of these tragedies were sorrowed, but each one had a different amount of sorrow. In Romeo and Juliet, two families and part of the city was mourning the loss of the teens. After the 9/11 attacks, the whole country was effected greatly. Even though their situations and ways of mourning were slightly different, they all reacted with pity and sadness.

Tragedies would not be considered tragedies without anger. For example, within the first 10 days after the 9/11 attacks, there were nearly 600 incidents in which angry Americans attacked people of Arab and Muslim descent. People were also mad at the President and our government because we were not protected well from the terrorists and the attacks. Anger was also a part of the tragedy in Romeo and Juliet, but people weren’t mad at each other as much. Friar was angry with himself because the plan that he created is the reason that Romeo and Juliet kill themselves. In both of these tragedies people were either blaming themselves or were being blamed for the situation and that caused anger between people. Both tragedies were filled with angry reactions that caused people to respond with hateful responses and actions towards others.

After both of these tragedies, fear was one of the reactions that took place that still has a large effect on us now.

For instance, after the September 11 attacks, Americans are extremely anxious and fearful. As a result of all of the fear and anxiety, the security in airports was upped, mail service was examined, and more ID cards and security measures were created. Americans wanted to be sure that something like this wouldn’t happen again if they could help it. In Romeo and Juliet, at the end of act 5, Capulet and the Prince both try to end the feud between families because they were fearful that it would happen again. The Prince punished some of the actions during the tragedy which was also a part of the attempt to keep a situation like this from happening. The Prince says, “Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things; some shall be pardoned, and some punished.” The aftermath of these tragedies and the reactions to them effected people long after the tragedy took place and still affect us

today.

Different reactions, such as pity, anger and fear, may take place after tragic events, like Romeo & Juliet and the September 11 attacks. Pity, anger, and fear each played a significant role in the way that we acted towards these tragedies and affected the way that we live now. These tragedies left an impact on our world and a significant amount of people.

“Great tragedy has come to us, and we are meeting with the best that is in our country, with courage and concern for others because this is who we are.”- George W. Bush