In a moment of despair, Romeo looks down into the face of a lifeless Juliet. After one last kiss Romeo ends his fragile life with poison. The story of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare revolves around the decisions made by characters. Generally, these choices are poor and lead to the death of others. The deaths of Romeo and Juliet are controversial and have many possible culprits; however, the person most responsible for their deaths is the Prince. Even though he does not appear much in the play, his actions are the cause of this tragedy. The Prince is most at fault because his decree set up the tension between the Capulets and Montagues. These two families have been locked in a bitter feud for years, and it has escalated to a brawl. Before the families truly begin to fight, the Prince steps in and stops the conflict. He decides the best way to help the situation is to give a harsh decree. The Prince says, "If ever you disturb our streets again,/ Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace"(1.1.84-85). The Prince is fed up with this feud. He decides that anyone who fights again will receive the death …show more content…
The Prince barely attempts to end the feud between the Montagues and Capulets. By the time he decides to step in, the fight has gotten out of hand. The deaths of many have resulted from this carelessness. The Prince himself confesses his failure to help his citizens remain at peace. He says, "And I, for winking at your discords too, / Have lost a brace of kinsmen: all are punish'd" (5.3.298-99). The Prince has lost family members to the feud, Mercutio and the County Paris, so he explains how he has also been punished. By ignoring the "discords" of the families, many people died, and families are distraught. The Prince's inaction is the reason for all the deaths in the story, most notably for those of Romeo and