To Blame In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

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Pages: 4

Who is to Blame For Shakespeare's biggest Tragedy?

When we are young, all of us learn to blame others for misfortune, mistakes, false steps, and faux pases. Even now as we grow older we blame people for larger problems such as death, poverty, and war. In William Shakespeare's famed play Romeo and Juliet two lovers from two loathing families take their own lives in devotion to each other. Prince Escalus’s responded to the news of Romeo and Juliet’s death by saying, “All are punished” (V . iii . 305) Yet should someone more particular be blamed for this calamity? The suicide of the two star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet was conclusively caused by the lovers themselves and the playing hand of fate. The fault of the lover's death should be
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However it was Juliet who angered her father by opposing his decision to have her marry when he believed it would make her happier. When hearing of the news fromby Lady Capulet, Juliet replies “Now, by Saint Peter’s church and Peter too, \ He shall not make me there a joyful bride” (III . v . 121-122). When hearing of the news from his wife, Lord Capulet goes to his daughter and reacts with anger, “Hang thee, young baggage, disobedient wretch! \ I tell thee what: get thee to church o’ Thursday, \ Or never after look me in the face” (III . v . 166-168). Juliet’s love for Romeo converted her into believing that marrying Paris would be a life worse than death. Due to this it prevented her from fully assessing the situation instead responding with an emotional reaction that provoked her father's rage. In summation, the unfortunate and untimely deaths of the lovers Romeo and Juliet wereas ultimately the fault of Romeo and Juliet themselves and their blind love along with events controlled by fate. Without these factors in place the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, even though they were self inflicted, were