More handpicked essays just for you.
Romeo and Juliet as a tragic comedy
Romeo and Juliet as a tragic comedy
Critical overview of Romeo and Juliet
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Lao Tzu, a philosopher from China once said, “Violence, even well intentioned, always rebounds upon oneself” (Lao Tzu 1). This directly relates to the many acts of violence that Romeo, a Montague, is apart of. In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet have to deal with hatred between their families and what occurs because of it. Many people die and the lives of Romeo and Juliet comes to an end. While some may believe otherwise, violence cannot solve problems. First, Violence cannot solve problems because violence results in more problems. First, Sampson and Gregory, the Capulet servants, are on the streets of fair Verona. They are talking and making fun of each other. Sampson bites his thumb at the Montague
Next, Mercutio, Romeo’s friend, and Benvolio are mocking the Capulets’ in a public place. Tybalt enters the scene and Mercutio is made fun of by Tybalt. Benvolio warns Tybalt and Mercutio to move the fight to a private place. They ignore Benvolio and fight each other regardless of Benvolio’s thoughts. Romeo tries to stop the fight and gets in between Tybalt and Mercutio but, Tybalt stabs Mercutio under Romeo’s arm. Mercutio booms, “ I am hurt. / A plague o’ both your houses! I am sped” (III.i.89-90). This proves that because Tybalt has killed Mercutio, a member of the house of escalus has died. The Prince has lost a relative, Mercutio, and it was right after he told Benvolio and Tybalt that the next fight will result in torture. This also proves that Tybalt killing Mercutio has not solved anything because now, the Prince and Romeo are both mad. Furthermore, Tybalt, after killing Mercutio, enters the scene once again. Another fight occurs between Romeo and Tybalt. Tybalt dies by Romeo’s sword. The Prince of Verona and members of the Capulet and Montague family enter. The head of the Montague family states, “Not Romeo, Prince; he was Mercutio’s friend; /.../ The life of Tybalt” (III.i.189,191). The Prince replies, “And for that offence / Immediately we do exile him hence” (III.i.192-193). Indeed, Romeo, due to killing Tybalt, has now been exiled and cannot come to Verona to visit Juliet, putting her in distress.. At the same time, The killing of Tybalt does not help Romeo or the families. The families of Verona are furious of the events taking place. As a result, Violence is creating a mess that is getting harder to clean
Romeo senses tensions are high with Tybalt, so he states, “I do protest I never injured thee but love thee better than thou canst devise.” (Lines 65-66 Act Three, Scene One). Romeo is trying to diffuse the situation because he realizes that Tybalt is his love's cousin. Mercutio is surprised by Romeo’s behavior, so he decides to fight Tybalt himself. Mercutio’s decision to fight Tybalt leads to his own death. Romeo is angered by the death of Mercutio and states, “Now, Tybalt, take the “villain" back again/ That late thou gavest me; for Mercutio’s soul.” (Lines 123-124 of Act Three, Scene One). Romeo is indicating that Tybalt is the villain now, because he slayed Mercutio. Romeo forgets about his attempt to befriend the Capulets and slays Tybalt. Romeo, murderer of Tybalt, solely focuses on Juliet and states “Ha, banishment? Be merciful, say “death"/For exile hath more terror in his look.” (Lines 12-13 of Act Three, Scene Three). Romeo does not care about Tybalt’s life, but only cares for the way it affects his relationship with Juliet. Romeo’s mother dies out of grief because of his banishment. Romeo’s recklessness in loving Juliet has led to the death of three
In the Shakespearean play, Romeo & Juliet, aggression is represented in different ways by the different characters in the play. Tybalt, Romeo, Benvolio, and the others all have their own way of dealing with hate and anger. Some do nothing but hate while others can’t stand to see even the smallest of quarrels take place.
Juliet, the daughter of the Capulet's; he says he has never loved until he meets her which is ironic because before this he was saying how he loved Rosaline. At this party Tybalt sees Romeo and swears revenge at a later stage by saying: "Patience perforce, with wilful choler meeting, makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting: I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall Now seeming sweet, convert to bitt'rest gall". He says this, as he isn't allowed to cause any trouble at the party. This later leads to Mercutio's death and Romeo's exile. There is no sub plot because Shakespeare wants all the attention
Tybalt’s loyalty towards the family dispute intoxicates him with a quarrelsome nature. After recognizing Romeo at the Capulet Ball, Tybalt persistently rejects his uncle’s remonstrance to stay serene. Even after being restrained by his Uncle Capulet, he vows vengeance on Romeo in the future as he says, “Patience perforce with willful choler meeting Makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting. I will withdraw; but this intrusion shall Now seeming sweet, convert to bitt’rest gall” (1.5.88-90). Tybalt tends to take each and every “insult” towards his family and himself to heart, without even contemplating their true meaning. Furthermore, Tybalt’s aggravating behavior develops into a clear factor leading to his downfall. When Mercutio is found dead as a result of Tybalt, Romeo confronts him directly with a duel to the death. Rather than trying to discuss and come to a harmonious solution, Tybalt further inflamed the already belligerent environment. He does this by saying, “Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him here, Shalt with him hence” (3.1.128-129). Tybalt’s relentless threatening behavior never fails to make an already hostile environment even worse. His cruel character is perpetual no matter what the
Also in the beginning of the play a fight breaks out between the Montague and Capulet families and the Prince intervenes and after telling them to drop their weapons he says “If ever you disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.” Although this rule was given Tybalt challenged Romeo to a duel. Romeo kept refusing to fight Tybalt which caused Mercutio to be outraged and draw his own sword. During the duel between Tybalt and Mercutio, Romeo intervenes and tries to stop them both but Tybalt puts his sword under Romeo’s arm and kills Mercutio. Romeo then fights with Tybalt and murders him and is banished from Verona. If Tybalt hadn’t been so aggressive with the whole situation Romeo wouldn’t have been banished, and Juliet wouldn’t have needed to come up with a plan that resulted in both of their deaths.
Talking to Gregory, Sampson explained how he “will bite [his] thumb at [the Montague’s servant]” (1.1.44-5). This tells the reader that because the Montagues and Capulets dislike each other, so will anyone close to them. The quote shows that when someone is a close friend to someone, the friend will hold the same grudge as a way to show their loyalty to their friends. Lord Capulet and Lord Montague decide to resolve their conflict by beginning a sword fight in the streets of Verona. Powered by their hate, Lord Capulet and Lord Montague begin to fight in the street.
The saying: love you to death, actually comes to life. We all need to learn to live, love and laugh in our daily lives. Life goes by way too quickly. Life still goes on even if you're angry with someone. In the play, Romeo and Juliet, by: William Shakespeare, the Montagues and Capulets spent their entire lives fighting. So much anger, hate and even love between the two families. Nobody would ever forget the past and move on, they hold on to those grudges. In this play, Romeo and Juliet, it was never Romeo and Juliet to blame for their suicide. Romeo and Juliet’s death was all to do with fate.
Mercutio can be blamed for Romeo and Juliet’s peril because he initiated the fight with Tybalt and forced Romeo to go to the Capulet’s party. At the beginning of the play, Romeo gets invited to the Capulet’s party by a servant, unless he was a Montague. At first, Romeo did not want to go, but Mercutio eventually convinced him under the pretext that Rosaline, Romeo’s love, was going to be there. The next day, Tybalt, a Capulet, went looking for Romeo because he knew that Romeo was at the Capulet party. Instead, he stumbled upon Mercutio and Benvolio and asked them where he could find Romeo. However, Mercutio did not want to tell him and insisted on having a duel. Tybalt killed Mercutio during the fight, and Romeo kills Tybalt because he has the need to avenge his friend. Unfortunately, Prince Escalus punished Romeo by banishing him from Verona. This made Romeo and Juliet’s love
A substantial aspect of the play is the Feud between the Capulet family and the Montague family. The Prince says some harsh words at the beginning of the play, condemning those who “disturbed the quiet of our streets again, / Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the piece.”(I, I) Informing the two families to live side by side in harmony or as close to it as possible. While men die on both sides, love is born “from forth the fatal loins of these two foes.”(Prologue) The love between Romeo and Juliet spells doom as the family members from both sides will never accept this, and will try end it with all their might to stop this unnatural occurrence from happening were they to ever know of it. The Feud not only causes problems between the two families but it also cases unrest and violence to run through the streets of Verona.
The day after he spotted Romeo at a party hosted by his family, he went out looking for him – and a fight. He accidentally murdered Mercutio, Romeo later killed him for revenge. Juliet, rather than being upset by Tybalt’s death, sobbed for Romeo, who was banished for the murder. The misunderstandings regarding Juliet’s grief led to a marriage she felt she could only escape by faking her own death. While Tybalt was not immediately involved in Juliet’s ‘death’, he played such a major role in starting the events that would ultimately lead to it that he must be deemed partly responsible.
The brawls and fights negatively impact both societies primarily because it causes division and danger for people living in there. In Act 1 of “Romeo and Juliet” the story quickly begins with an altercation that involves the Montague and Capulets. In the text it states, “ By thee, old Capulet, and Montague, Have
In Romeo and Juliet violence and conflict are very important as a result of the fact that two families in this play dislike each other and are feuding. This causes much friction in the play leading to a huge amount of violence and conflict.
Tybalt is now Romeo’s cousin by marriage. Romeo steps between them Tybalt, who is shielded by Romeo, wounds. Mercutio flees the battle. Romeo is fuelled by revenge by the death of Mercutio, goes to avenge his friend’s loss by tracking down. Tybalt.
The most visual form of chaos is physical violence. The beginning of the play itself, involves the two families, the Capulets and Montagues, threatening each other, insulting each other and creating turmoil in the town. The magnitude of hostility between them is clearly evident when the Prince of Verona proclaims them as, “Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace.” This violence intensifies as the play goes on leading to the massacre of two loved ones; Mercutio, by Tybalt’s sword under Romeo’s arm and Tybalt, slain by Romeo with anger sparked by revenge. A “plague on both of your houses,” curses Mercutio as he dies. The climax finally busts when Friar Lawrence’s prophesy comes true, “These violent delights have violent ends.” This violence doesn’t only derive from the chaos between the families, but among the families themselves. The families are caught up with their rivalries that the relationship between the parents and the children are torn apart. In the beginning of the play, it took long for Romeo’s parents to find out that he has gone missing but didn’t show much concern when they found out that he did. In fact, the nurse has a much closer connection to Juliet th...
'Romeo and Juliet' is a play written by William Shakespeare that teaches current and future generations important lessons about love and vengeance. Hatred and revenge is a key theme throughout the play as everyone is blinded by pessimistic opinions and ideas about their enemies. Although their pride and passion for violence is extremely overpowering and demeaning, there is a small seed of hope and love (Romeo and Juliet) beginning to grow in the immense darkness. By analysing these themes, it helps to enlighten and strengthen your knowledge of the consequences of forbidden love and assists the reader in becoming more optimistic.