Who Is Responsible For Romeo's Downfall

Who truly holds the key to the tragic fate of “Romeo and Juliet”: the stars above, the demands of society, or the choices made by the ill-fated lovers themselves? In Shakespeare’s classic play “Romeo and Juliet,” the tragic deaths of the main characters are the culmination of a series of unfortunate events, driven by a combination of fate, societal pressures, and personal choices. While there are multiple factors at play, I argue that the characters themselves bear the most responsibility for their own demise. Romeo’s impulsive nature, as well as his tendency to act rashly, contribute to the escalating tensions between the two families. An example of when he acts impulsively is when he fought Tybalt, as well as when he purchased poison. Romeo says, “Away to Heaven, respective lenity,/And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!/Now, Tybalt, take the “villain” back again” (3.1.124-125) Romeo's impulsive intervention deprived Mercutio of his sword's defense, leading to his stabbing.

In addition, Romeo acts impulsively to the news of Juliet’s death by purchasing the poison from the apothecary and saying “Come, cordial and not poison, go with me/To Juliet’s grave, for there must I use thee.” (5.2.85-86) Instead of taking a moment to verify the information or consider alternate courses of action, he rushes to procure poison with the intention of using it to end his life at Juliet’s grave. Due to this, he tragically passed away, not knowing that Juliet was never dead after