Who Is Responsible For Romeo And Juliet's Death

In The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Romeo kills himself for mistakenly thinking that Juliet is dead when she is asleep in her tomb. Romeo blames his fate over Juliet dying; however, destiny does not determine his and Juliet’s death. Instead, their deaths are caused by Romeo’s tragic flaw which is his impulsivity. Unfortunately, Romeo’s impulsivity is seen when he asks for the letter which accounts for his impatience and lack of judgement. Even though he blames fate after hearing of her death, Romeo’s tragic flaw of impulsivity is the cause of his and Juliet’s death because he irrationally makes the decision to leave Mantua and kills himself in The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare.

Romeo’s impatience is seen when he consistently asks Balthasar for the letter from Friar Lawrence. However, when Balthasar informs him that he does not have the letter and incorrectly says that Juliet is dead, Romeo instantly retorts, “Is it e’en so? Then I defy you, stars! / Thou knowest my lodging. Get me ink and paper / And hire post horses. I will hence tonight” (5. 1. 24-26). Romeo does not want to accept his fate and that Juliet is dead.

Immediately, Romeo impulsively decides to go to the Capulet’s burial chamber to kill himself and be with Juliet in Heaven. However, the tone in which Romeo expresses denial towards his fate does not prove it to be responsible for their deaths. Rather than fate, it is Romeo’s immediate plan to go to the Capulet’s burial chamber in Verona to kill himself. This impulsive decision and his obsession over Juliet leads to Romeo’s and Juliet’s tragic deaths.
When he consistently asks Balthasar for the letter from the Friar, Romeo is portraying his impulsivity. Right away, Balthasar tells Romeo “I do beseech you, sir, have patience” (5. 1. 27). After he learns that Juliet is dead, Romeo once again asks Balthasar if he has the letter (5. 1. 31). In this situation, Romeo does not want to listen and instead acts impulsively without any word from Friar Lawrence. Even though he is told to act after he receives the Friar’s letter, Romeo does not listen and leaves for Verona so that he can kill himself.
When he is in Juliet’s chamber, Romeo does not understand that Juliet is asleep.

Romeo’s notices that Juliet is “not conquered [by death]. Beauty’s ensign yet / Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks, / And death’s pale flag is not advancѐd there” (5. 3. 94-96). Romeo has not realized that Juliet is asleep because he immediately tells Tybalt’s spirit in a soliloquy that he will kill himself (5. 3. 97-100). Romeo is in a frantic state where he is too distracted to realize that Juliet is not dead. Here, Romeo misunderstands that the slight pink, warm coloring in Juliet’s face means that she is asleep. Also, Romeo portrays that he is too distracted with talking to Tybalt’s spirit. If he had not let his impulsivity take over, Romeo would realize that Juliet is not dead and not kill

himself.
The deaths of Romeo and Juliet are due to Romeo’s impulsivity and not their fate because As equally important, William Shakespeare illustrates that impatience leads to making irrational decisions and judgements. As portrayed, Romeo’s impatience is seen when he immediately plans to write his letter to his grieving father and going to Verona and kill himself. Another instance where Romeo’s impulsivity is portrayed is when he constantly asks about the letter from Friar Lawrence. In The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, the deaths of Romeo and Juliet are caused by his overwhelming amount of impulsivity which afflicts irrational decisions and judgements.