Examples Of Impulsiveness In Romeo And Juliet

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Shakespeare wrote very famous literature in the 1500’s that influenced our language and never ceases to amaze our culture, yet the stories are still timeless. His characters and personalities used in his stories so long ago are still relevant and can be applied to times today, nearly five hundred and sixteen years later. One of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies is Romeo and Juliet, and he clearly demonstrates the relevant human fault of impulsiveness through his character the Friar Laurence and two very differing sides of Romeo Montague. Friar Laurence is a very impulsive character throughout his play, in situations such as the bond of marriage and his plan towards Juliet Capulet. During Act 3, A request comes abroad of marriage between …show more content…

Romeo was the cause of several characters death, and his own. Throughout the play, Romeo and the hot-headed Tybalt have been neck and neck, but the tension finally breaks during Act 3, Scene 1 when Mercutio taunts Tybalt, and the two duel. Mercutio falls with the blood on Tybalt, but Romeo loses it. The calm, collected Romeo turns to a “wretched boy”(3.1.135), directly after stating he loved Tybalt, and couldn’t kill his own family. His impulsiveness led him to have Capulet blood stains over his Montague hands, and push him into exile over the Prince’s orders. In Act 5, Scene 3, Paris and Romeo run into each other while they are both trying to visit Juliet and give their final farewells. Paris calls out to Romeo and gets angry at him, in fear that he will disrespect Tybalt and Juliet in their resting grave. Romeo gets angry at Paris and draws his sword, after being provoked. Romeo becomes a “condemned villain” (5.3.56), after killing a man he did not know. The “condemned villain” never knew Juliet and Paris were even engaged. In line seventy eight, Romeo even ponders if he was told that Juliet and Paris were told to be marred, or if it was all just a dream. And finally, Romeo famously looks over his seemingly “dead” wife, and drinks the potion just like that. He does not take the time to stop and think about any other way to live, or to talk to the friar