Romeo and Juliet' Research Paper

There are always consequences to bad choices in one way or another, just as committing a crime results in imprisonment. William Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet shows a pair of star-crossed lovers who make dangerous and risky choices they would not make otherwise in hopes of being with each other, ultimately leading to their deaths. This tragic story takes place in a city called Verona, where two families have been feuding for centuries. Romeo and Juliet are the children of these two families, Romeo is a Montague, and Juliet is a Capulet. The family rivalry makes it difficult for the two lovers to be together. Romeo and Juliet were so deeply in love that they married less than twenty-four hours after meeting at a Capulet family celebration. Tybalt, Juliet's cousin, was furious at Romeo for having attended a Capulet celebration and challenged Romeo to a duel, which Tybalt lost and died in. Romeo was banished from Verona after it was discovered that he had killed Tybalt in a street brawl. Despite being banished and never being seen in Verona again, Romeo risks his life and comes back to Verona to be with Juliet.

Before Romeo met Juliet, he was deeply in love with another woman named Rosaline. Romeo describes Rosaline as a very beautiful woman, although the love he shows her was never reciprocated. Benvolio and Romeo were walking down a street in Verona, arguing about Rosaline when a Capulet servant showed up. The servant’s name was Peter, and he was unable to read and asked Romeo and Benvolio for help reading an invitation list. When Romeo read the letter it was revealed that there was a party happening at the Capulet’s place and that Rosaline would be there because she was on the invite list. Before Peter departs to invite more people, he invites Romeo and Benvolio to the party assuming they are Capulets. Benvolio explains to Romeo that this will be a big feast and there will be many other beautiful women to compare to Rosaline. Romeo then agrees and goes only because Rosaline is there. Mercutio, Romeo’s best friend, Benvolio, and Romeo all walk to the Capulet party and wear masks so they do not get caught. While they were at the party, Romeo spots a girl, Juliet, and is attracted to her meanwhile, Tybalt recognizes Romeo as a Montague and plans to kill him as Lord Capulet did not kick him out. Whilst at the party, Romeo sees Juliet for the first time and says “ O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night As a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear Beauty too rich for use for earth too dear!”(1.5.44 - 47). Romeo falls in love at first sight of Juliet and goes to talk to her and kisses her before their conversation ends. When the Nurse tells Romeo that Juliet is the daughter of Lord Capulet, Romeo reacts and says “Is she a Capulet? O dear account! My life is my foe’s debt” knowing that he could be killed for trying to get into a relationship with Juliet. Benvolio tells Romeo that the party is over and they leave. While they were walking back, Romeo suddenly disappeared, and Benvolio and Mercutio believe he went back looking for Rosaline when Romeo was actually jumping the Capulet orchards to see Juliet once again. Romeo does this knowing he could face death, but the power of love keeps him going. Juliet sees Romeo and they have a long conversation expressing their love for each other. They exchange love’s faithful vow and Juliet tells Romeo that if they want to get married, Juliet will send someone to him to get word from him and they can be wedded tomorrow.

Once Romeo had received word from the messenger, he agreed to marry Juliet and they later met that same day at Friar Laurence’s place where they wedded. Later that day, Romeo, Benvolio, and Mercutio were walking under the boiling sun on the streets of Verona, when Benvolio says to Mercutio “ I pray thee, good Mercutio, let’s retire. The day is hot, the Capulets abroad, and if we meet, we shall not scape a brawl, For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring”(3.1.1-4). Benvolio believes that the hot weather will cause a fight as the Capulets will be around at this time. Although Benvolio tries hard to tell him, Mercutio decides to keep going because he does not want to back down to the Capulets. Just as they were arguing, Tybalt, Petruchio, and a few others show up looking for Romeo. Mercutio was very annoyed with Tybalt and begins to taunt and provoke him. While Mercutio continues to taunt Tybalt, Romeo walks in and Tybalt turns his attention toward him and demands a dual. Romeo replies “I do protest I never injured thee, but thee better than thou canst devise Till thou shalt know the reason of my love; And so good Capulet,- which name I tender as dearly as my own, be satisfied” (3.1.60-64). The quote shown here shows that Romeo is unwilling to fight Tybalt as he is now married to Juliet, meaning he is related to Tybalt by law. Romeo is unable to tell Tybalt about this as it will only make things more difficult in his relationship with Juliet. Mercutio intervenes and draws his sword and Tybalt is left with no choice but to also battle him. Mercutio was stabbed and killed while Tybalt fled the scene. Romeo was grieving over the death of Mercutio when Tybalt returned once again to complete what he had come for in the first place. Romeo was angered now that his best friend was killed, so he finally decides to draw his sword and fight Tybalt. Even though Tybalt was an amazing swordsman, he was still defeated by Romeo and unfortunately died, causing further complications for Romeo. Once Prince Escalus was informed of this, Romeo was not sentenced to death for fighting on the streets of Verona, but instead, he was banished from Verona because Tybalt killed Mercutio first and started the trouble. All of this could have been easily avoided if Tybalt and Mercutio had kept their cool and left the scene. Now Romeo is unable to see Juliet again without the risk of being caught and put to death.

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Romeo was now living in a city close to Verona called Mantua, this is where he stayed while Friar Laurence plans out how he can be with Juliet again. Romeo wanted to spend the first night with Juliet, so he snuck back into Verona and climbed over the Capulet orchard, and went in through Juliet’s balcony. Romeo was to leave before the sun comes up or else he would get caught. After they spent the night, Romeo headed back to Mantua, meanwhile, Juliet’s parents were planning to marry her to another wise, noble kinsman because they thought she was grieving over Tybalt’s death when she was only saddened that she could not see Romeo again.

The marriage was going to take place on Wednesday, which was very soon. Friar Laurence had no choice but to fake Juliet’s death so that she can secretly be retrieved later and put with Romeo. Friar Laurence gave Juliet a sleeping potion that she was to take the night before the wedding so that she will appear dead at the time of the wedding and be put into the Capulet tomb where she can later be rescued by the Friar and Romeo. All was well and the plan was going perfectly, but the messenger that was sent to Romeo in Mantua was unable to contact him and this made the plan go horribly wrong. Romeo’s servant in Verona had informed him that Juliet was dead, and Romeo was deeply saddened not knowing that it was only a sleeping potion. Without patience, Romeo told Balthazaar, his servant “You know where I live, get me some ink and paper, and hire me some horses. I'll leave tonight”. Even though Balthazaar had tried to tell him to be patient, Romeo still continued with his plan. At night he set out to find an apothecary where he can get poison to kill himself. He found an extremely poor apothecary, and although it was illegal to sell poison, Romeo offered a large sum of money and the apothecary sold it to him. After he had the poison in his possession he and his servant went straight to Verona to Capulet’s tomb where he can kill himself and be with Juliet. Once he reached the tomb, there was a surprise waiting for him as Paris, the person Juliet was getting married to was standing right outside. Romeo told him to step aside and let him continue with his plan, but Paris believed he just came to take revenge on the Capulet family and disgrace the Capulet tomb. Romeo had no choice but to battle Paris, so he drew his sword and fought. Paris was killed in this fight and Romeo broke the Capulet tomb and enters to see Juliet laying in the middle unconscious. Seeing this, Romeo says his last words and drinks the poison. Soon after, Juliet was awakened and saw Romeo dead on the floor. Unable to bear this, she took the dagger near her and stabbed herself, and died.

Mistakes are very commonly made throughout this play and these mistakes are always related to Romeo and Juliet’s relationship. The relationship between these two lovers makes them take bad decisions and it is the reason their deaths occurred. One mistake leads to another when love takes control. The actions of Romeo and Juliet are what lead to their death slowly. Romeo makes the first choice of going to the party only for the Capulets. This is where he meets Juliet, the love of his life. This is also where Tybalt recognizes him and plans on getting revenge for making him look like a fool. Romeo had fallen in love at first sight and while he, Mercutio, and Benvolio were trying to leave, he had jumped the Capulet orchards to see and talk to Juliet once again. The next day, they made another bad decision to marry each other secretly and this causes a lot of trouble for them as the Capulets and Montagues hate each other very much. Romeo also sees Tybalt the same day and because Tybalt wanted to get revenge from the party, they duel in which both Mercutio, Romeo’s dear friend, and Tybalt had been killed. This action leads to Romeo being banished in which more bad choices occur, as Romeo keeps returning to Verona to visit Juliet. The final mistakes are made when Romeo decides to head straight to Verona impatiently thinking Juliet is dead when she is only sleeping. Romeo kills himself in the Capulet tomb where Juliet is knocked unconscious, and when Juliet wakes up to see him dead, she could not bear it and also killed herself. This truly shows how love controls people and makes them take decisions that lead to serious consequences.