Impulsive Decisions In Romeo And Juliet

In the play Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare illustrates how impassioned actions can determine the tragedies that follow, as the two star-crossed lovers Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet make hasty decisions because of their love for each other. However, their admirable love also brought a new perspective to the two rival families. Thus, excessive passion without self restraint inevitably causes people to make impulsive decisions that bring misfortune, but the same passion with a calm composure can inspire growth and repentance.

Firstly, excessive and unrestrained passion leads to recklessness and thus impulsive decision-making, potentially bringing irreversible tragedy and regret. While Juliet mourns for Romeo’s banishment—though they believe

Paris says to the Friar, regarding the marriage, “That she do give her sorrow so much sway, / And in his wisdom hastes our marriage” (IV, i, 10-11). Capulet’s passion for his daughter to marry a gentleman and feel better leads to the impulsive decision to marry them immediately. Capulet’s immaturity makes Juliet feel forced to commit suicide, an impulsive decision on her part because of her excessive passion for Romeo. In the end, we know that this recklessness led to even more tragedies. For example, Juliet and the Friar come up with a plan to prevent the wedding by drinking a sleeping potion, and Juliet is scared of what the plan entails. She cries, “O look, methinks I see my cousin’s ghost / Seeking out Romeo that did spit his body / Upon a rapier’s point!” (IV, iii, 56-58). Before committing, she says to herself, “Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here’s drink. I drink to / thee” (IV, iii, 59-60). These quotes show that although Juliet is fully aware of the dangers of the plan, her excessive love for Romeo overrides her fear. This suggests that Juliet is able to think clearly about the consequences, but because of her excessive passion, she develops an unusual recklessness. Their plan failed to foresee the consequences of if it did not work, and could

At Juliet’s tomb, Romeo and Paris meet. Romeo says to Paris, “Put not another sin upon my head, / By urging me to fury. O, begone! / By heaven, I love thee better than myself, / For I come hither armed against myself. / Stay not, begone, live, and hereafter say / A madman's mercy bid thee run away” (V, iii, 62-67). Romeo is no longer as reckless nor as naive as he was before the fight with Tybalt. His offer for Paris’ surrender shows that Romeo is trying to atone for his mistakes by staying true to his vows of marriage, but chooses not to involve anyone else. However, Paris’ excessive passion for Juliet led to his death, while Romeo’s composure inspired growth and repentance in himself. However, Romeo cannot escape the fate he set upon himself by impulsively assuming Juliet is dead. When Montague and Capulet find out about the incident, they are sorrowful. Capulet says, “As rich shall Romeo's by his lady's lie, / Poor sacrifices of our enmity” (V, iii, 314-315). Their children’s deaths inspire the two men to end the feud and repent. They do not impulsively fight nor blame each other, unlike their past grievances. Their calm composure lets them see the true consequences of their immature fighting. However, the deaths of Romeo and Juliet are irreversible, and this repentance can only serve to prevent future