Impulsive Decisions In Romeo And Juliet

The play Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare is the story of a girl named Juliet Capulet and a boy named Romeo Montague who fall in love against the wishes of their families. The Capulets and the Montagues have been fighting for years and even the Prince must get involved to try and stop them. Romeo and Juliet are married by Friar Laurence and hide their love from their families in fear of disapproval. All is well until Mercutio, a good friend of Romeo’s, is killed by Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin. In return, Romeo kills Tybalt and Romeo is banished from Verona, which later leads to the deaths of he and Juliet. The fight scene between Mercutio, Romeo, and Tybalt changes the focus of the play from love to death. Shakespeare uses a dramatic reversal to portray his message that impulsive decisions lead to consequential outcomes which is portrayed through the fight scene.
Shakespeare’s message appears when Mercutio gets involved in the fight even though he is advised by Benvolio not to. Mercutio says to Tybalt, “‘Good King of Cats, nothing but one of your nine lives that I mean to make bold withal, and as you shall use

me hereafter, dry-beat the rest of the eight! Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher by the ears? Make haste, lest mine be about your ears ere it be out!”’ (Shakespeare 3.1.77). Mercutio says this because he is hot tempered and is making a decision without thinking properly. This furthers Shakespeare's message that rash decisions don't end well. Shapiro agreed with this when he said, “It is important to note that Mercutio dies because he willingly involves himself in the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets” (Shapiro 498). This quotation shows that Shapiro finds it important that Mercutio got involved in something that he could have walked away from all because he had a quick temper and made an impulsive decision.
Romeo also displays Shakespeare’s message of rash decisions resulting badly through his interaction with Tybalt. Tybalt tries to fight Romeo, but Romeo refuses. Instead Tybalt and Mercutio fight, until Mercutio is killed. This enrages Romeo, and Romeo ends up telling Tybalt
“Alive in triumph—and Mercutio slain!

Away to heaven, respective lenity, and fire-eyed fury be my conduct now. Now, Tybalt, take the “villain” back again that late thou gavest me, for Mercutio’s soul is but a little way above our heads, staying for thine to keep him company. Either thou or I, or both, must go with him.” (Shakespeare 3.1.127-130)
Romeo is saying that he is done being considerate and merciful and he is ready to fight. Shakespeare includes this to show that at first Romeo was ignoring Tybalt’s threats, but as soon as his friend, Mercutio is killed, he becomes infuriated and makes an ill considered, immature decision to kill Tybalt. Shapiro confirms this when he says, “But shortly thereafter, Romeo’s love is transformed into its opposite by Tybalt’s murder of Mercutio--a deathblow delivered under Romeo’s peacemaking arm” (Shapiro

498).
This interaction between Tybalt, Mercutio, and Romeo impacts the rest of the play, changing it from a romance to a tragedy. Shakespeare uses the fight scene to change the mood of the play, by killing both Mercutio and Tybalt as well as banishing Romeo. Romeo’s banishment then leads to a miscommunication which results in the death of both Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare's message can also be found in these events as a result of Tybalt and Mercutio's death. For example, when Romeo finds out that Juliet has killed herself he says to Balthasar, “‘Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight. Let’s see for means. O mischief, thou art swift to enter in the thoughts of desperate men! I do remember an apothecary, and hereabouts he dwells,”’ (Shakespeare 5.1.35-45). Romeo immediately decides that he must go to Verona to see Juliet and that he will kill himself. This is a hasty decision that helps to prove Shakespeare’s message, because Romeo is not thinking about what could happen if he goes to Verona. If he hadn’t made such an impulsive decision and waited for the letter from the Friar, he would’ve known Juliet was alive.
Shakespeare’s message that impulsive decisions lead to consequential outcomes can be seen throughout the fight scene. This scene provides a turning point and is the start of a series of events to come with the same message. This can be seen through Romeo and Juliet’s deaths as well as when Romeo comes back to Verona. Shapiro helps further stress that one impulsive decision can easily lead to a chain reaction of rash decisions.