Comparing Punishment In Romeo And Juliet

Picture a kid who finds himself in a dangerous situation. He is backed into a corner by an attacker, and if he does not fight back, he will not be able to survive this interaction. If the boy were to kill that attacker, what punishment would he deserve? Some may say that the punishment for murder should always be death, but this statement can be seen otherwise. Based on the situation of the murder, some punishments may serve more justice than execution, the crime may have been committed in self-defense, or the criminal could have been reformed into a better person. Using the events from the text Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare, where Romeo killed Tybalt, each of these points can be proven. To begin, based on the situation of the murder, some

This event shown in the text reveals the tight situation that Romeo was in. His actions could be interpreted differently depending on the point of view, whether it be wishing for him to be spared or put to death. Immediately following Montague’s words, the Prince declares, “And for that offense/Immediately we exile him hence” (3.1.185). This line of the play communicates the Prince’s decision on what punishment Romeo shall receive based on the circumstances of the crime. Being the one who enforces the law, the Prince must listen to all accounts of what happened and deal with the consequences that fit it. Having the official punishment be exile shows that execution wouldn’t have been the most effective punishment to fit the events that occurred. To add onto the previous thought, a situation that most people would be understanding of would be if the person was in danger. Self-defense is a natural human response that occurs when people feel endangered, and it can be a reason for murder. Friar Laurence communicates to Romeo, “Tybalt will kill thee,/but thou slewest Tybalt” (3.3.137-138). This text proves that Romeo and Tybalt’s fight was, in fact, a life or death

As previously stated in the play, Tybalt is a highly skilled swordfighter, which builds on the stakes of this battle. “My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain; And Tybalt’s dead, that would have slain my husband.” (3.2.105-106). This section of the scene further proves that, either way, someone is going to die. Any person who is trapped in a dangerous situation will have instincts to do whatever it takes to make it out alive, and if execution was the punishment for one who did nothing more than save themselves, would that truly be fair? Some people may argue that murderers are still dangerous, no matter the reason for killing. They may say that criminals shouldn’t be allowed to live after taking someone else’s life. According to Romeo and Juliet, Romeo does, in fact, commit murder once again after slaying Tybalt. This is shown in the piece of evidence, “Romeo: ‘Wilt thou provoke me? Then have at thee, boy!’” (5.3.70). Paris, the one who was meant to marry Rome’s wife, fell to Romeo as well, and some may say that the Prince’s decision to let Romeo stay alive was what prompted this second