Irresponsibility In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

In William Shakespeare’s play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ the main characters are responsible for their own deaths because they refuse to accept responsibility for their own actions. Romeo acts irresponsibly throughout the play making inappropriate decisions. Juliet is persuaded out of her apprehensions by Romeo and is blinded by her unrealistic love for Romeo. However, the two lovers cannot be blamed entirely for their own deaths as other characters and the two lovers’ feuding families hold responsibility.
Romeo and Juliet are two vulnerable and impressionable teenagers who are growing up in ‘fair Verona’ where their families, ‘both alike in dignity’ are engaged in an ‘ancient grudge’ which is erupting into ‘new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil

hands unclean’.
Romeo and Juliet are responsible for their own deaths because they act irresponsibly and ultimately take their own lives by their own hand, proving that they are significantly responsible for their own deaths.

Romeo acts irresponsibly throughout the play refusing to accept responsibly for his own actions. This is highlighted by his reckless behaviour towards Tybalt in the street brawl and at the party which he irresponsibly attends. Romeo also persuades Juliet out of her morals and beliefs throughout the play, especially in the balcony scene where Juliet shows apprehensions but Romeo acts persuasively towards her making her forget her doubts, highlighting Romeo’s controlling and doctorial behaviour. Romeo is seemingly responsible because his actions are self centred throughout, instead of talking to Rosaline about why she has rejected him he falls in love again immediately at the party for Juliet, highlighting his selfishness and inability to have compassion for others. Romeo lacks self control because he gets hot tempered easily, especially in the street brawl were he knows he will get banished if he hurts Tybalt , but being the self centred person he refuses to care for his actions killing Tybalt. This has a chain reaction effect on Juliet because her parents wish to make her happy after the loss of Romeo and encourage her to marry Paris, but Juliet has to refuse because she is already married to Paris, upsetting her

parents.
The lovers cannot be entirely blamed for their deaths because of the Friar. Juliet is inconsolable because of her husband being banished and the prospect of marrying Paris. The Friar acts in the play for his own motives believing that by marrying the lovers the families will stop feuding. The Friar is consumed by his own selfish motives and is blinded by them and refuses to appreciate that he is acting in an irresponsible way. If the Friar had acted as a holy man instead of being selfish he would have not created a plan to help the lovers and instead tried to console Juliet. His consumed huger for peace caused to lovers to take their lives because it was impossible for them to live without each other. Instead of marrying the lovers the Friar should have tried to resolve the problem with the families.
Juliet seems to be the only sensible person in the play constantly having apprehensions. Although she acts weakly being persuaded out of her apprehensions by Romeo and blinded in her morels by her unrealistic love. This is highlighted when she is apprehensive about the Friars plan, although she is persuaded out of her apprehensions believing because the Friar is a holy man. Although Juliet has to except some responsibility because she accepts everything Romeo advises and refusing to think for herself. Especially in the balcony scene where Juliet is unsure whether Romeo is right for her because of the feud between the families, Romeo persuades her out of her apprehensiveness by promising to drop his name and commit himself to her.
The feuding families definitely have some responsibility for the lover’s deaths, because the families of the two lovers where feuding it made it difficult to reveal their true relationship, and instead had to act in a secretive way. Any relationship between the two is potentially doomed and the pair will be exposed to great pressure to maintain a connection. This pressure will eventually force the couple to take risks and act beyond the ’law??’ If the families reconciled theer grudge the lovers would be allowed to reveal that they were marriage, maybe preventing Romeo from being banished. The difficulties which arose because of the secrecy was highlighted when Juliet had to rebuke her parents offer to marry her to Paris because she was already married to Paris. This set into action the plan which ultimately ended the two lovers.
Romeo and Juliet are definitely responsible for their own deaths because they took them by their own hands and acted irresponsibly throughout refusing to accept responsibility for their own actions. Although, the lovers can’t be entirely blamed for their own deaths because the environment which they lived in prevented them from revealing the truth, forcing them to resort to dramatic and ludicrous ideas including the plan which the friar initiated. The lovers were victim to others like the friar and feuding parents but refused to act responsibly ultimately cause their deaths.