Romeo and Juliet

Felix Levine                                                                                                    5/15/14

ELA                                                                                                                 ELA

Romeo and Juliet Essay

            In the book “Romeo and Juliet” written by William Shakespeare, there has always been one question that’s always asked once you’re finished reading this legendary book, “Who’s to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet?” The people to blame for Romeo and Juliet’s deaths are their parents. Had the friction between Capulets and Montagues not been so tense and had they allowed for their children to be married at will and to whomever they wanted, Romeo and Juliet could’ve lived longer and peaceful lives.

            One example is, the two families had similar goals in terms of lifestyles, except they were in two different groups who hated each other. For example, in the prologue it says “Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.” The “ancient grudge” is speaking about the grudge that the Capulets and Montagues have had for years and years, and it’s implying that the families are forced to believed that the others are bad because there’s been a long and rough history between the two families.

            Another reason why the families are to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet is that there families completely deprive them of being happy with just being together. For example, Shakespeare writes in the prologue “Do with their death bury their parents' strife.
The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,” this quote means represents that their love had death written all over in it from the beginning. Meaning that they were always going to be overshadowed by their families hating one another and they would be unable to make the most of their love and live a happy life together.

            A third reason why the families of Romeo and Juliet are to blame for their deaths are just simply for never really coming to terms with it and not being understanding that Juliet isn’t trying to provoke or to start a feud, but simply wants to be with the one she loves. As she says in Act 2 Scene 2 “Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet.” This shows that she would do anything to be with Romeo and even go against her Father and on top of that, no longer be a Capulet. Her parents can’t force to her love someone that she does not love, and if they had realized that earlier, it could’ve saved not only her life, but also Romeo’s.

            In conclusion, the families of Romeo and Juliet are the cause of Romeo and Juliet’s deaths. A famous love story of two young people who had their families and a history standing in their way were unable to overcome it. It shows how much society and traditions can sometimes ruin a life, ruin a life to the point of death.