Romeo and Juliet- Who Is to Be Blamed?

885 Words4 Pages
‘Romeo and Juliet are not to blame for their deaths.’ Do you agree? A commonly debated question in Shakespeare’s play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is ‘who is to be blamed?’ Many state that Romeo and Juliet are to be blamed; however this is not entirely correct. To find the true answer to this question, certain factors must be considered such as the ways of human nature and emotion, the role of fate and most importantly, whether it is necessary to blame a certain individual. Shakespeare’s works are known for their expressions of human nature and emotions, and Romeo and Juliet is no exception to this. They contribute largely to the final and most significant part of the play; the death of the ‘star-crossed lovers’. This contribution begins well before the pair was even born, at the true beginning of the story when the Montagues and Capulets developed hate for each other. Hate, a base emotion, is described as an emotion that spreads when Mercutio dies while exclaiming ‘a plague on both your houses!’ Mercutio dies from the hate between the two houses, suggesting that ‘hate’ is like a plague, spreading and bringing forth unfavourable outcomes. This continuous hate is caused by human nature. Humans have a tendency to feel the need to follow in their family’s footsteps, regardless of whether it is illogical or not. This is also caused by pride- a trait that is evident in Capulet when he asks why Juliet is ‘not proud’ about marrying Paris, to which he receives a baffling response, that Juliet ‘can never be [proud] of what [she] hates’. He does not understand this statement because he is so caught up in his pride of his ‘idealistic’ family. He hates what he hates and he is proud of that, for that is what defines him and his family. This seemingly never-ending ‘hate’ between the two families leads their children to make outrageous decisions, causing the ultimate demise. Love,
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