“Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare is a play about two lovers from different families that have an internal feud between them. It ends in both lovers, Romeo and Juliet, committing suicide as they could not openly live with each other. An important idea in this play is that of the impetuosity of youth and the rash decisions that young people may make. This idea is continuously brought up throughout the play and is explored through the concepts of overreacting and being blinded by anger, desperation in forbidden love and taking your life for love. Firstly, the concept of overreacting and being blinded by anger. This concept is shown through the character of Romeo who is at often times an irrational and impulsive thinker. When one of his …show more content…
close friends, Mercutio, is slain by Tybalt, his cousin as Romeo is secretly wed to Juliet, he is overcome by rage. His foolish and “in the moment” reactions lead to Tybalt’s death which throws away any opportunities of Romeo and Juliet being accepted as a married couple. Romeo did not think ahead when his rage consumed him and as a result of this, he could not openly admit his marriage to the public and his family. Before Tybalt killed Mercutio, Romeo stated to Tybalt “I do protest I never injured thee. But love thee better than thou canst devise.” This means, at first, Romeo said to Tybalt that he loved him for an unknown reason but after hearing the news that Mercutio and Tybalt fought and Mercutio had passed away, his rationality was forgotten. Before commencing another fight, Romeo says “And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!” This means that he has forgotten about his “love” for Tybalt and instead decides to fight him to the death without any consideration for his marriage’s future. This clearly shows his impetuosity and sudden changes of heart within the play. This same concept of overreacting when angry can be related to today.An example of how this shown in a modern say setting is overreacting when faced with diiffficult news, this can be taken in may ways but most commonly with anger or frustration.
This concept is often feared when breaking hard news and is still extremely relevant today and probably timelessly as you can't predict how different people will react to finding out certain things. This is not limited to youth but may be most common among young people because of a possible lack of patience or life experiences, This can also be shown through making rash decision while upset such as substance abuse and this, for many, occurs when they are angry about something. This idea of illogical thinking and being blinded by anger is still a large problem today and Shakespeare outlines the consequences of his in a very dramatic, yet relevant way. Secondly , the impetuosity of youth is also shown through the idea of desperation in forbidden love. Romeo and Juliet come from different families whom have a long and tragic history between each other because of a feud amongst them for unknown reasons. Due to this, when the couple fell in love they risked being outcast by their families and society, so because of this …show more content…
they kept their love secret. Because of this secrecy there is miscommunication and uncertainty about many things. As Juliet was of a suitable age to marry, her parents looked for another groom however she had already wed Romeo in secret. These difficulties then escalate as Romeo becomes banished for Tybalt and Juliet’s second marriage is arranged. Both lovers helpless and lost and have inclinations towards killing themselves. At one stage Romeo had an immense sense of helplessness and was saying in return to Friar Lawrence’s argument that banishment was merciful and he should be thankful he didn't get killed “(Banishment) Is death mis-termed. Called death banishéd. Thou cut’st off my head with a golden axe, And smilest upon the stroke that murders me!” This means that Romeo thinks that being banished, and therefore not being able to be with Juliet is the same as dying and there is no point of of the Friar smiling and being happy about him being banished rather than dead. This over exaggeration is an example of the frustrations prohibited or forbidden loves, especially in Shakespeare’s time, could cause. These frustrations also lead to reckless thoughts and actions. For example, after Romeo’s conversation about death and banishment he tries to kill himself saying “As if that name. Shot from the deadly level of a gun, Did murder her, as that name’s curséd hand, Murdered her kinsman… Tell me!- that I may sack, The hateful mansion!” This quote means that Romeo thought he ruined Juliet’s life so now he wants to destroy his body or kill himself to compensate for that. This desperation to end his life demonstrates Romeo’s rash thought processes and on top of that, his impetuosity by him convincing himself to try to commit suicide within a matter of minutes. That decision was made in mere minutes and is to end his life. Shakespeare’s themes such as this one can be applied to today’s world. In many cases people today think about committing suicide because of love or lack of love, both of which are likely in a forbidden relationship. These rash ideas are also heavily romanticised and made honourable and even desirable through the media because of such plays like Romeo and Juliet. This makes this idea of desperation in forbidden loves and dying as a cause of that desperation wanted and looked upon as an act of true love. Youths are more susceptible to carrying out these actions as it seen in the media as an honourable act of courage and they also might be more naive than adults and may believe that killing themselves for forbidden love is the most poetic way of expressing true love. Shakespeare’s writing is often not an exaggeration as people may tend to look at it as but instead a possible reality even today. Lastly, another concept Shakespeare explored in this play relating to the impetuosity of youth is that of taking your life for love.
This is explored through the characters of both lovers, Romeo and Juliet. Near the end of the play, Juliet drinks a potion to make her appear dead to her parents and get her out of an unwanted arranged marriage to a man named Paris. Once her parents would find her dead and place in a tomb with her ancestors, her other lover, Romeo, would get her and they would elope together. However because of miscommunication, Romeo was not aware of this plan and he heard that Juliet had died from someone else. Because of this he goes to see her and decides to kill himself, but after seeing her “dead” body for closure. When Romeo thinks Juliet is dead, he immediately resorts to suicide without once thinking about any other possibilities or considering a life without her. This quick conclusion leads to the unnecessary death of Paris, who also came to meet Juliet, and Romeo, himself, which then leads to Juliet killing herself. Before Romeo drinks poison and commits suicide, he says “Here’s to my love! (drinks the poison) O true apothecary,Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.” This rash and hasty decision, had it been put off for a minute or so would have resulted in Juliet awakening and the couple living together, which was their goal. However, Romeo’s impetuosity results in an unhappy and tragic end to him, his wife and his wife’s other lover. This
decision which was made without rational thinking had further consequences along with their lives ending, their parents and the Friar, a friend of the lovers, were left to mourn over the loss of their lives. Even though this leads to the feud between their families to end, the many negative repercussions of their actions outweigh any good they may have caused. When Juliet wakes up and sees her husband, Romeo, lying dead next to her she also decides within mere seconds to kill herself. She says “Then I’ll be brief. O happy dagger, This is thy sheath. There rust and let me die. (stabs herself with Romeo’s dagger and dies)” This equally foolish decision shows the idea of the impetuosity of youth through both lovers killing themselves for love without thoroughly thinking anything out and the consequences this may have on others. Before Romeo’s mother had died of grief and this was possible to happen to other people because of their deaths. This directly relates to today because of the amount of young people committing suicide because of reasons that could be overcome. In Shakespeare’s example, they commit suicide because of not being able to live with each other which could happen today. Today, people may not be able to live the people they love because of societal expectations such as different religious beliefs between families or a family’s disregard for someone’s sexuality. This shows this is still a problem today. Especially as a young person who is confused about their sexuality, the idea of killing themselves for not being allowed to openly love people because of where they live, their religious beliefs or disapproval from family members is very possible and action upon this does happen regularly. Shakespeare’s exploration of the concept of killing for love is still relevant today and is a reminder of the consequences of the rash impulses that someone may have. In conclusion, within the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare there are many important ideas including one of the impetuosity of youth. This is explored through the two main character, Romeo and Juliet. These characters both show impetuosity through being blinded by anger, becoming disparate in forbidden loves and ultimately committing suicide and dying for love with all these important decisions made in matters of mere seconds. This idea can easily be linked to today and is still extremely relevant which shows that this is still important to us today to learn from.
“Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare is a play about two lovers from different families that have an internal feud between them. It ends in both lovers, Romeo and Juliet, committing suicide as they could not openly live with each other. An important idea in this play is that of the impetuosity of youth and the rash decisions that young people may make. This idea is continuously brought up throughout the play and is explored through the concepts of overreacting and being blinded by anger, desperation in forbidden love and taking your life for love.
Juliet strategizes her disastrous plan and worries, “How if, when I am laid into the tomb, I wake before the time that Romeo come to redeem me?” (Lines 30-32 of Act Four, Scene Three). Juliet is desperate to see Romeo, ergo she plans to fake her death. Her thoughts of Romeo finding her lifeless foreshadows their future. Romeo is deprived of the news of Juliet’s real state of health, therefore he says, “Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight. O mischief, thou art swift to enter the thoughts of desperate men!” (Lines 34-36 of Act Five, Scene One). Once again, Romeo’s perception is only focused on Juliet. His mental instability leads him to think Paris is in the way obtaining true happiness, thus he slays him. Romeo acquires poison, stands beside Juliet, and states, “Here’s to my love! (Drinks.) O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.” (Lines 119-120 of Act Five, Scene Three). Romeo observes Juliet’s body and determines that he should die beside her. Juliet wakes to his lifeless body, and determines she should commit suicide, as well. Romeo’s foolish decisions lead to the death of himself and
William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet demonstrate the ignorance and susceptibility of men to making impulsive decisions without considering the consequences.
In the beginning of the play Romeo and Juliet make many rash decisions that change the course of the play. Such as, when Romeo decides to sneak into the Capulet’s garden to have a conversation with Juliet. If Romeo was spotted by any of the guards or a resident of the Capulet household, he would have been captured and killed. When Juliet asks how Romeo snuck into the garden he replies to her, “With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls, For stony limits cannot hold love out…” (2.2.66-67). Romeo states that he snuck in with love’s wings and that nothing can stand in the way of love. Romeo shows that his love for Juliet can lead him to make rash decisions and not to think his actions through. An example of Juliet making a rash decision
Throughout the play, Romeo makes very hasty decisions, a number of that lead to unnecessary consequences. Heretofore, Romeo sneaks into the Capulet Ball with Benvolio and to cover their identity they each wore masks. Capulet allows them to enter the ball, not knowing they are from the Montague family, because he thinks it 'll be amusing for his guests,and because he remembers when he young doing similar things in pursuit of ladies. Benvolio wanted Romeo to go, therefore he could see that there were other women there who were even prettier than Rosaline, however this is where Romeo meets Juliet and quickly forgets about his initial true love whom he solely desired lust for and Romeo quickly changes his timeless love he felt with Rosaline to Juliet without any remorse. Romeo spontaneously decides he has fallen infatuated all over again, this reflects Romeo’s impulsive character. “Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! / For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.”
What goes on with love that makes people do crazy things? This gives us an example in Shakespeare's “Romeo And Juliet”. In Sarah Jayne Blakemore ted talk she talks about brains. This is an example of Romeo And Juliet because Romeo wants to kill himself and Juliet is like Romeo this is the reason we sow this video because Romeo and juliet have something in there mind about suicide and they just think about killing them self for each other. Ms. Blakemore's thesis on adolescent development sheds light on some of the nonsensical decision making in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, as characters certainly face the self consciousness, emotions and impulse control she describes.
Reckless actions lead to untimely deaths. In Shakespeare’s tragedy “Romeo and Juliet”, both protagonists fight for their hopeless love. Bloodshed and chaos appear inevitable in fair Verona; Romeo and Juliet come from enemy households, the Montegues and the Capulets, who have sworn to defeat one another. The young and handsome Romeo weeps over his unrequited love for Rosaline, until he lays his eyes on Juliet. Strong and independent, Juliet seeks to escape her family’s will to marry her off to Paris, a kinsman of the Prince. Fate ties these adolescents’ lives together binding them to witness the ill-fortunes of Romeo and Juliet’s love. Romeo and Juliet prove themselves woefully impulsive through their words and actions, which ultimately lead them along a series of unfortunate mishaps.
Romeo and Juliet’s young love reflects their abruptness, rashness, and lack of maturity which leads to them getting suicide impulses throughout the story and causing Romeo and Juliet to ultimately suicide at the end of the story. Their love causes them to act very rashly and make unwise decisions, such as getting married and killing themselves. They are also too young to love because they are not mature enough. Their lack of maturity influences their decisions, leading to them finding abrupt solutions, such as suicide. After Balthasar told Romeo that Juliet died, he proclaimed, “I do beseech you, sir, have patience/Your looks are pale and wild do import/ Some misadventure” (5.1.27-29). Once Balthasar delivers the tragic news of Juliet’s death to Romeo, Romeo makes a rash decision of going back to Verona, not thinking about the consequences of his act, which would lead to more complications, such as him being...
Romeo and Juliet’s decisions were made solely based upon impulse and not regard for future outcomes. Their decision to get married the day after meeting was based completely on the fact that they felt a connection at the Capulet party. When Romeo found Juliet asleep from the potion, he instantly assumed that she was dead even though she still had rosey cheeks and pink lips, which was clearly a sign that she was not dead. In Romeo’s final monologue he says, “Beauty’s ensign yet is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks, and death’s pale flag is not advancéd there” (V, iii ll. 94-96). But instead of checking for pulse on Juliet or see if she’s breathing, Romeo decided that the best option would be for him to drink poison to kill himself. Romeo’s impulsive behaviors costs him his life because if he would have thoroughly thought through his actions, he would have concluded that killing himself was not the
As French political and military leader Napoleon Bonaparte once said, ¨When firmness is sufficient, rashness is unnecessary.¨ As in Romeo And Juliet, the world famous playwrighter William Shakespeare portrays the repercussions of acting rashly. Shakespeare has shown countless themes in his popular play Romeo And Juliet, In one of Shakespeare's mostly known plays, Romeo and Juliet, he shows the theme of characters acting rashly. In the play, mainly all characters have acted quickly and irresponsibly in some way. The two main turning points in the play, when a character acted rashly were, the deaths of Mercutio, the marriage of Romeo and Juliet, and Lord Capulet forcing Juliet to marry Paris.
To act without forethought is to be impulsive. William Shakespeare's’ play Romeo & Juliet indulges in this concept of acting without thought ultimately leading to great tragedy and other major events. The novel's characters, Romeo, Juliet, and Capulet are impetuous and tend to not understand the consequences of their spontaneous remarks. Juliet and Romeo’s first encounter is one of haste. Romeo, before he caught sight of Juliet, He was enamored by Rosaline and voices this to the friar many times but his friends decide to take him out because he was not moving quickly with her
Once in a while many people make bad decisions. Usually these decisions don’t cause them any harm in their futures, unlike Romeo Montague’s and Juliet Capulet’s decisions. In Verona, a city in Italy, two lovers fall in love. The catch is their families despise each other. Eventually Romeo get’s banished from Verona, and Juliet is forced to marry someone she doesn’t want to marry. Juliet takes a potion that knocks her out for 42 hours, and feigns her death, hoping she does not have to marry Count Paris. Romeo assumes Juliet is dead, and drinks a potion that kills him, and when Juliet wakes up and realizes that Romeo is dead, she stabs herself. In William Shakespeare’s tragic play, Romeo and Juliet, the main protagonists, Romeo and Juliet, make poor choices which eventually lead to their death at the end of the story.
In the play Romeo and Juliet , William Shakespeare suggests that when taking responsibility of actions, the determined individual will not think carefully about their decision, causing expectedly bad results and outcomes.
As shown in the book hasty decisions lead to bad things. William Shakespeare has also mentioned this multiple times. There are numerous examples of this in his play Romeo and Juliet. Nevertheless impulsive choices make up most of this well known writing. These decisions are made by various characters and in different ways.
Shakespeare writes an affectionate play, told of the love of Romeo and Juliet, that expeditiously grows into a tragedy: Anger glows red into hastily mistakes, choices are never our own, and patience is merely absent. This is what creates a dilemma between oneself, families and foes. The play “Romeo and Juliet”, told by Shakespeare, portrays a message to readers that being patient will lead to one's fate. However, thinking hastily will bring one to bad fate and unpredictable outcomes. This can be brought into my life with Romeo’s hasty decisions and Juliet’s fate to marry.