Romeo And Juliet Choices

(HOOK) How can one grave mistake made by a character eventually accumulate and have an immense impact on the plot of a storyline? Depending on the piece of literature, certain characters can create setbacks through their actions and choices. (CI) Likewise, a pair of star-crossed lovers face challenging obstacles based on certain decisions made by characters. (GS1) The protagonist of the play, Romeo Montague, generates various dilemmas because of the severe choices he makes, especially his decision to kill Tybalt. (GS2) Meanwhile, Mercutio, Romeo’s best friend, is another character who causes impactful changes in the play with his overdramatic personality. (GS3) Additionally, the character Friar Laurence ultimately makes the most drastic choice

by quickly marrying the young couple without thinking of future consequences.

(THESIS STATEMENT) Outcomes in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet could have been different if more informed choices had been made by the characters (I) Romeo Montague, (II) Mercutio, and (III) Friar Laurence.
(TOPIC SENTENCE) (THESIS I) The character Romeo Montague in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet makes many poor decisions, specifically, (MAJOR A) when he kills Tybalt in an enthralling duel and (MAJOR B) later takes his life to be with Juliet Capulet. (RE-WORDING MA) As a result of Tybalt killing Mercutio, Romeo brutally kills him in a sword fight as a form of retaliation. (MINOR 1 FOR MAJOR A) Because Romeo disrupts the peace between the two families, Prince Escalus punishes him by banishing him from the city of Verona. Romeo then hides in Friar Laurence’s cell and threatens to commit suicide because he feels there is no world outside the walls of Verona. For instance, Romeo states, “Then “banishèd,” / Is death mistermed. Calling death “banishèd,” / Thou cut’st my head off with a golden ax, / And smilest upon the stroke that murders me” (Shakespeare 3.3.20-23). (MINOR 2 FOR MA) However, if Romeo had not killed Tybalt, the play’s storyline would have been drastically different. For example, Romeo would have never been exiled, meaning he would have stayed with Juliet and waited for their marriage to be publicized. In addition, Juliet would not have been torn apart and cried hopelessly in pain and grief over her husband’s banishment. (RE-WORDING OF MAJOR B) Another major mistake Romeo makes in the play is when he kills himself by consuming poison. (MINOR 1 FOR MB) Before taking the poison, Romeo utters his last words and states, “Come, bitter conduct, come unsavory guide! / Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on / The dashing rocks thy seasick, weary bark. / Here’s to my love! O true apothecary! / Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die” (5.3.117-120). As a result of Juliet awakening from her deep slumber and finding Romeo dead, she immediately tries to kill herself by kissing Romeo’s lips, hoping there is still some poison left. Although her first attempt does not work, she quickly uses Romeo’s dagger to stab herself to death and commit suicide. (MINOR 2 FOR MB) If Romeo had not killed himself in the first place, Friar Laurence’s plan would have worked. Hence, Juliet would wake up to find Romeo alive, and they would live happily together by fleeing Verona. Moreover, the play’s theme would no longer be a tragedy because it would end happily with the pair of star-crossed lovers spending their lives with each other away from the chaos. (TRANSITION TO 2ND BODY PARAGRAPH) Although Romeo plays a pivotal role, Mercutio is another character who makes substandard decisions throughout the play.
(TOPIC SENTENCE) (THESIS II) Mercutio makes amateurish choices that have an effect on the plot due to his (MAJOR A) overdramatic personality and (MAJOR B) constant disagreement with Benvolio. (RE-WORDING MA) When Mercutio first introduces himself to the readers, they begin to see how he enjoys being dramatic and being the center of attention. (MINOR 1 FOR MAJOR A) Usually, when Mercutio speaks, his lines are lengthy because he loves to stir his fellow peers with stories that eventually drag on with no purpose. At the beginning of the play, he tells a story about a tiny, magical fairy named Queen Mab who makes dreams. For instance, Mercutio states, “She is the fairies' midwife, and she comes / In shape no bigger than an agate stone / On the forefinger of an alderman, / Drawn with a team of little atomies / Athwart men’s noses as they lie asleep” (1.4.54-58). As a result of Mercutio’s witty nature, many characters do not take him seriously and think he is imprudent. Furthermore, most of the characters disregard what Mercutio says because they believe that he is always joking with them. (MINOR 2 FOR MA) However, if Mercutio did not have a compelling or captivating charisma, the play would not have provided any comic relief. While disastrous dilemmas were occurring left and right, Mercutio lightened up the play with his humorous comments. Moreover, he was able to lift characters’ spirits, including the readers with his wild imagination. (RE-WORDING OF MAJOR B) In the play, Mercutio tends to disagree with Benvolio's way of thinking and reasoning, which is a severely insufficient decision he makes. (MINOR 1 FOR MB) When Benvolio suggests for Mercutio to go inside because he fears a quarrel will take place between the Capulets and Montagues, he blatantly refuses to listen. For example, Mercutio states, “Didst thou not fall out with a tailor for wearing his new doublet before Easter? / With another, for tying his new shoes with old ribbon? / And yet thou wilt tutor me from quarreling!” (3.1.20-21). Unfortunately, since Mercutio does not listen to Benvolio, Tybalt later stabs him during a duel. (MINOR 2 FOR MB) If Mercutio had taken Benvolio's suggestion to go inside because it was hot he would not have been killed by Tybalt. Additionally, there would have been sustained peace between the two feuding families because a fight would not have taken place. (TRANSITION TO 3rd BODY PARAGRAPH) Even though Mercutio causes a significant amount of problems throughout the play, Friar Laurence is a character who ultimately makes major mistakes by trying to help Romeo and Juliet be together.
(TOPIC SENTENCE) (THESIS III) Due to the grievous decisions Friar Laurence makes, he affects the outcome of the play by (MAJOR A) marrying Romeo and Juliet (MAJOR B) and fleeing Juliet’s tomb. (REWORDING OF MAJOR A) At the beginning of the storyline, Friar Laurence makes the choice to marry Romeo and Juliet without thinking of the consequences or problems that would soon come in store for the newfound lovers. (MINOR 1 FOR MA) Instead of taking it slow with the marriage Friar Laurence takes the “easy” way out because he never tries to help Romeo and Juliet reveal to their families their love for each other. For instance, Friar Laurence states, “Come, come with me, and we will make short work, / For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone / Till Holy Church incorporate two in one” (2.6.35-37). As a result of Friar Laurence marrying the couple, they develop a stronger bond, become inseparable, and cannot stand to be away from one another. (MINOR 2 FOR MA) If Friar Laurence had not married Romeo and Juliet, he could have encouraged them to confront their families about their intimate love for each other. Additionally, Friar Laurence’s secret plan would not have taken place and led to the death of three characters. (REWORDING OF MAJOR B) Another terrible decision Friar Laurence makes is when he runs away from Juliet’s side when she needs him the most. (MINOR 1 FOR MB) Friar Laurence flees the scene because he hears the watch coming and does not want them to perceive that he caused the death of Paris and Romeo. He states, “Stay not to question, for the watch is coming. / Come, go, good Juliet, I dare no longer stay” (5.3.158-159). Unfortunately, after Friar Laurence leaves, Juliet attempts to kill herself in two different ways. First, she tries to kiss Romeo to consume some of the poison from his lips, but when the attempt is unsuccessful, she stabs herself with his dagger. (MINOR 2 FOR MB) If Friar Laurence did not leave her tomb, he would have saved Juliet’s life by preventing her from killing herself. She then could have joined the sisterhood of Nuns or stayed with Friar Laurence. Based on Friar Laurence’s poor planning and decision to exit the scene when Juliet needs him, he becomes the sole reason for why Romeo and Juliet is such a devastating tragedy.
(LEAD INTO CONCLUSION) Overall, Romeo, Mercutio, and Friar Laurence create complications that affect the play as a whole.

(CLOSING STATEMENTS) With his audacious nature, Romeo kills Tybalt in a challenge and later kills himself, which causes significant problems in the plot. Unfortunately, as a result of Romeo’s actions, Juliet stabs herself with his dagger because she no longer wants to live in a world without him. Along with Romeo, Mercutio is another character who makes poor decisions based on his overdramatic personality and tendency to disagree with Benvolio's way of thinking. These two choices cause characters around Mercutio to not take him seriously, and for this reason, he later dies in the play. Although Mercutio’s actions impact the storyline, Friar Laurence’s choices primarily cause the play to become such a tragedy. For instance, his poor decisions to marry Romeo and Juliet and flee Juliet’s tomb eventually cause the couple’s love for one another to become inseparable, and they take their lives at the end of the plot. (CLINCHER) As the readers delve deeper into Romeo and Juliet and unravel what went wrong, they will begin to realize that the decisions made by the characters created catastrophic

collisions.