Isabella Chen Ms. Rivera Honors English 9 4 June 2024 Poisons Disguised As Potions The poison quickly seeps through the body, touching every possible end of it. The sound of breathing begins to fade rapidly, and begins the eternal slumber. Cold. Lifeless. The. Gone. In the drama, Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare, two star-crossed lovers, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, love each other deeply, yet fate does not allow them to be together as they come from rival families. Nonetheless, since they are determined to be together, they slowly evolve from two innocent individuals into violent individuals, ensuring they do everything they can to stay together. Shakespeare’s recurring use of the symbolism of potions and poisons as a portrayal of the protagonists’ attempt to …show more content…
Friar Lawrence devises a plan: “Take thou this vial, being then in bed, / and this distilled liquor drink thou off,” (Shakespeare.4.1.93-94). Hence, Juliet must drink the potion in order to fake her death and avoid her arranged marriage with Romeo. In essence, by not succumbing to her arranged marriage, Friar Lawrence’s solution ultimately allows Juliet to assert her freedom against a patriarchal society, and obtain the freedom to be with Romeo. Regardless, her potion soon turns into a poison because her “death” results in Romeo’s depression and willingness to be violent to himself. He purchases a poison from an apothecary and states: “Come cordial and not poison, [to] go with [him],” because Romeo is also relieved that he found a last resort to be with Juliet (Shakespeare.5.1.85). The protagonists’ willingness to exert violence upon themselves inevitably leads to both of their deaths: Romeo illegally purchases and consumes poison, and Juliet dying from a “happy dagger”