Violence In Hamlet

For anyone growing up in London during the Elizabethan Era, it was an incredibly difficult time. The terrible disease of the Black Plague had affected families across the entire world and had some major consequences on the life of a very young William Shakespeare. Shakespeare had lost 3 of his sisters; Joan, Margaret, and Anne all at very young ages. Along with his brother Edmund, and his son Hamnet who he had gotten the inspiration to write the play Hamlet from. Where it was a time full of mixed emotions for young William Shakespeare, and through the times that we’ve gone through situations like this we may have done something that seems unordinary to us. Whether it’s acting violent, saying something we don’t mean, or making irrational decisions,

The initial spark to the cycle of violence was the fight between Mercutio and Tybalt. As Tybalt came looking for a fight with Romeo, he came across a bold Mercutio who was standing up for his friend. As words were exchanged, Tybalt’s emotions led him to draw his sword which sparked the first irrational decision with the stabbing of Mercutio. As the Montagues are surrounding Mercutio, they do not realize the severity of the stabbing until he removes his hand from his chest and says “Tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door, but ‘tis enough” (III.i.100-101). The meaning behind this quote is that although it was not Tybalt’s intention to kill Mercutio, the point of the sword was able to hit Mercutio’s heart just enough to result in his death. Emotions continue to flare throughout the day as Romeo seeks revenge on Tybalt. When the two come across each other once again, the cycle of violence continues. Prior to the fatal killing of Tybalt, Romeo says “This day’s black fate on more days doth depend. This but begins the woe others must end.” (III.i.124-125) In an effort to honor the death of Mercutio, his emotions get the best of him as he raced after Tybalt with the intention of killing

Prior to Juliet’s marriage with Paris, she is given a potion by Friar Lawrence that will make her appear as dead until the morning of the wedding. The Nurse comes across Juliet in her deathlike trance and announces her passing. Friar Lawrence overhears the conversation between the Capulet family, and begins to make arrangements for Juliet’s funeral. The tragedy begins. Romeo’s man, Balthasar, arrives in Mantua with the news of Juliet’s death. The news catches Romeo off guard and he demands horses so he can make a trip back to Verona to lay at rest with Juliet. Once Romeo arrives back to Verona, he meets with an apothecary in which he orders for Hemlock to evidently kill himself. On his way to Juliet’s tomb, Romeo says “Come, cordial and not poison, go with me. To Juliet’s grave, for there must I use thee.” (V.ii.90-91) In what doesn’t seem like an irrational decision for Romeo, it is unordinary for someone to kill themself in order to lay at rest with someone else. Especially in a situation like this where Juliet’s death is a false accusation because she is really under Friar Lawrence’s potion. The sudden ending to this tragic love story is what ties the final bow on the Montague-Capulet