What Was The True Cause Of Romeo And Juliet's Demise?

Suhas
Mr. Jordan
Honors English 9
03/04/2023
What was the true cause of Romeo and Juliet’s demise?
Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is a tragic play that delves into the themes of love, family, and communication. The play put simply is about two lovers from two rival families, and how the lovers attempt to navigate those differences. But unfortunately, fail. The lack of effective communication among the characters in the play played a significant role in the tragic ending. The characters' inability to express their feelings and the breakdown of communication between the Capulet and Montague families led to misunderstandings, conflict, and death. By examining the characters' struggles with communication, it becomes clear that better communication

In Shakespearean society, it was typical for parents to arrange marriages for their children based on social status and financial gain, regardless of love or compatibility. Juliet's father, Lord Capulet, initially agrees to Paris's marriage proposal for his daughter, without considering her feelings or desires. In Act 3, Scene 5, he declares, "I tell thee what: get thee to church on Thursday, / Or never after look me in the face" (3.5.163-164). This ultimatum shows that Lord Capulet is more concerned with maintaining his family's reputation and status than his daughter's happiness, a sentiment shared by many in that society. Juliet's struggle to conform to these societal expectations and follow her heart ultimately leads to her tragic end. The societal norms and expectations of the time make it challenging for Romeo and Juliet to communicate and express their feelings openly. It is evident in the play that the societal conventions of Shakespeare's time are strict and rigid, and failure to adhere to them results in severe consequences. The inability of Romeo and Juliet to challenge these societal norms and communicate their feelings openly ultimately leads to their tragic

As Romeo proclaims, 'But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? / It is the east, and Juliet is the sun,' in Act II, Scene II (2.2.2-3), the deep and passionate love between Romeo and Juliet was hindered by the feud between their families. The feud prevented Romeo and Juliet from being together openly and forced them to resort to desperate measures to be together. Furthermore, Juliet's question 'What's in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet,' in Act II, Scene II (2.2.43-44), suggests that the feud between the Capulet and Montague families is rooted in a meaningless tradition and shows how this tradition has caused the tragic outcome of the play. The inability of the families to communicate and reconcile with each other shows how the lack of communication played a crucial role in the tragedy. It is only after the deaths of the young lovers that Prince Escalus observes, 'For never was a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo,' in Act V, Scene III (5.3.309-310), and the families finally put their feud aside and reconcile, realizing the tragic consequences of their