Romeo and Juliet: A True Aristotelian Tragedy

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Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is often referred to as a classic love story. It is a story of love at first sight and fighting between families. The classic is a true tragedy because of the way it is created. Romeo and Juliet is an Aristotelian tragedy because it clearly follows the model shown by Aristotle. All aspects of the plot and characters perfectly follow way Aristotle defined. The plot follows the events that need to occur and the main characters have a flaw. Pity and fear is felt for the characters throughout the play. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is a true Aristotelian tragedy because of the characters, plot, and the fact that it triggers pity and fear. Romeo and Juliet is a true Aristotelian tragedy because the characters have tragic flaws, an anagnorisis, and the affects of minor characters. To start of Romeo and Juliet’s tragic flaw is that their love is too good for our world. As it says in an article by Thrasher, Romeo and Juliet’s love is “too perfect and passionate for their world” (79). Romeo and Juliet love each other so much that this causes their downfall and eventually their deaths. Love is passionate and Romeo and Juliet’s love is pure and far to good for our world. Romeo and Juliet each also have an anagnorisis. An anagnorisis is recognizing of a reversal of fortune. This happens for Romeo when he cries out “O, I am fortune’s fool!” (III, I, 130). He realizes his mistake that changed his life. Romeo realizes his bad fortune and the fact that “fortune” is playing games with him. JULIETS AGNORISIS. The affect of minor characters also makes Romeo and Juliet a true Aristotelian tragedy. Friar Lawrence and the Prince play very important roles in the play. Friar Lawrence marries Romeo and ... ... middle of paper ... ...oked down upon by her parent for not wanting to marry a man twice her age at least. When Juliet’s parents ask her about Paris she is obedient and not allowed to speak her mind. Juliet quietly and obediently says what her mother wants like; Juliet is a slave or burden to her family. Clearly, Romeo and Juliet is an Aristotelian tragedy because it makes the reader feel pity and fear. All in all, Romeo and Juliet is a true Aristotelian tragedy because of the characters, plot, and the fact that it triggers the emotions of pity and fear. All these concepts are outlined by Aristotle and need to be present in a tragedy. Because, all of the aspects of an Aristotelian tragedy are present the play is truly a tragedy. The tragedy has the perfect characters that experience an anagnorisis, peripeteia, and catastrophes. In short, Romeo and Juliet is a true Aristotelian tragedy.

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