Impulsiveness in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

Impulsiveness in Romeo & Juliet

"Wisely and slow: they stumble that run fast"(Pg 91, Line 97) those

words spoken by Friar Laurence. Words we must listen too. Impulsiveness leads

to downfall, and therefore people must strike a balance between being impulsive,

and being pragmatic. Time and time again Shakespeare showed us how

impulsiveness leads to tragedy.

First off, Capulet was a prudent, well-balanced person most of the time.

When Paris told Capulet that he wanted to marry Juliet, Capulet said "Let two

more summers wither in their pride/Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride"(Pg

27, Lines 10-11) because he wanted to look out for Juliet and wanted to make

sure she was ready. Though he did tell him to "woo her, gentle Paris, get her

heart;/My will to her consent is but a part" because he was still not passing up

this opportunity for his daughter. Capulet was also practical when Tybalt

spotted Romeo during the Capulet feast, Tybalt wanted to do the impulsive thing

and kill Romeo, but Capulet thought for a second about the consequences. Tybalt

said "I'll not endure him" and Capulet told him emphatically "he shall be

endur'd"(pg. 57, Lines 77 & 78). In this scene Capulet prevented a huge

Montegue and Capulet confrontation by thinking first and not doing the impulsive

suggested by Tybalt. Through thinking these actions through, problems were

prevented.

However, Capulet was at times, a very rash person, and that lead to much

of the misfortune in this play. Hours after Romeo killed Tybalt, Capulet acted

on haste in Act III, Scene 4 and told Paris "I will make a desperate tender/Of

my child's love: I think she will be rul'd/In all respects by me; nay more, I

doubt it not....And bid her, mark you on me, on Wednesday next-" and then

continued to sound delirious saying "Wednesday is too soon;/ O' Thursday let it

be:...She shall be married to this noble earl" and at this point Capulet has

become selfish and impulsive. His daughter does not love Paris, but Capulet is

not thinking because Tybalt had just died. When Juliet refused to marry Paris,

Capulet exploded, and didn't think at all by telling Juliet, "get thee to