Romeo And Juliet Choices Analysis

The two iconic lovers, Romeo and Juliet, by choice they both decide to remain together forever. In the play Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, the two lovers have the ability to change what the prologue says by changing their actions which would ultimately lead to their deaths. This is shown in the beginning, middle, and end of the play.

To begin, one can witness choice affecting the play in the beginning that leads to their demise. Choice can be seen when Romeo decides to go to the Capulet party with the rest of the guys Romeo says, “...But he that hath the steerage of my course direct my suit./ On, lusty gentlemen” (1.4.112-113). This shows, that Romeo has a bad feeling about going to the party but chooses to go anyways. Another choice

made in the beginning of the play is the rshed marriage of the two lovers. Juliet says, “...Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow by one that I’ll procure to come to thee,/ where and what time thou wilt perform the rite,/ and all my fortunes at thy foot I’ll lay,/ and follow thee my lord throughout the world” (2.2.143-147). By Juliet saying this she chooses to marry Romeo as fast as she possibly can and by doing so she creates problems within her family and ultimately leads to her and Romeo’s death. The Shakespearean critic Edward Dowden states, “Juliet at once takes the lead. It is he who proposes and urges on the sudden marriage. She is impatient for complete self-surrender, eager that the deed should become perfect and irreversible” (Dowden 53). In saying this he shows that once again Juliet rushes things along and by doing so makes a deal with the devil and seals both Romeo and her fate.
Secondly, one can see that Romeo and Juliet made decisions that caused their eventual deaths in the middle of the play. Romeo says, “Then plainly know my heart’s dear love is set/ on the fair daughter of rich Capulet./ As mine on hers, so hers is set on mine;/ and all combined, save what thou must combine by holy marriage…” (2.3.59-63). Right here one can see that Romeo starts to rush the marriage on just as Juliet had and in doing so makes the Friar uneasy and tries to even slow him down which could have possibly saved the two lovers lives. Romeo states, “Draw, Benvolio, beat down their weapons./ Gentlemen, for shame forbear this outrage./ Tybalt! Mercutio! The Prince expresses hath forbid this bandying in Verona streets./ Hold Tybalt. Good Mercutio” (3.1.81-85)! At this moment Romeo chooses to try and break up the fight which will ultimately lead to his banishment and furthermore his death. The Shakespearean critic Harold Goddard states in his article, “If Romeo had only let those two firebrands fight it out both might have lost blood with a cooling effect on their heated tempers, or, if it had gone to a finish, both might have been killed, as they ultimately were anyway, or, more likely, Mercutio would have killed Tybalt… In any of these events, the feud between the two households would not have been involved” (Goddard 40). This shows, that Romeo could have just let the two fight it out and avoided the whole thing which in turn would have saved him from having to kill Tybalt and would have prevented his banishment and ultimately his death.
Finally, proof of Romeo and Juliet’s choices that led to their deaths is shown in the end of the play.

Juliet says, “...Romeo, I come! This do I drink to thee” (4.3.58). This shows that Juliet does not know if Romeo found out the truth that truth being that even though she is dead to the world she is actually still alive, and without knowing if Romeo knew or not she drinks the potion. Romeo says, “...Here, here will I remain with worms that are thy chambermaids./O here will I set up my everlasting rest and shake that yoke of inauspicious stars from the world-wearied flesh…” (5.3.108-112). Romeo enters the tomb to see Juliet dead or at least it looks as if she is so he decides to take his own life but in reality he could have done so many other things or he could have at least waited a few more minutes until Juliet had awaken seeing that he kills himself moments before she wakes up. Juliet states, “Yea, noise? Then I’ll be brief. O happy dagger./This is thy sheath. There rust, and let me die”(5.3.169-170). This shows that Juliet chose to drink the potion and in turn she wakes up to find Romeo dead so in turn her solution is to take her own life rather than seeing how things play out. Shakespearean critic Edward Dowden states, “The moment that Romeo receives the false tidings of Juliet's death, is the moment of his assuming full manhood. Now, for the first time, he is completely delivered from the life of dream, completely adult, and able to act with an initiative in his own will, and with manly determination” (Dowden 57). This shows that Romeo is now a man and this means that he is now able to make responsible choices and act as his own person, that means that in him taking his life he chose to do so and not because he was a kid and did not know better because as shown he is now a man and can make his own decisions.

The two lovers, Romeo and Juliet, have the ability to choose their actions leading up to their deaths in the play Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare.

The real question is, if the lovers would have made different choices would they still be alive at the end of the play and remain together forever on Earth?