The Death of Romeo and Juliet

Fisher Connell
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy play, written in the 1500s by the famous William Shakespeare
and acted out in the Globe Theatre. This play has many deaths, including Romeo and Juliet, and
much sorrow, as well as the desperate plan of a friar and some comedy from the Princes son.
There were many factors causing the deaths of Romeo and Juliet but three stand out,
contributing the most to it. In William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet, Friar Laurence,
Romeo and Juliet themselves, and the Family Feud caused the death of the two young lovers.
Friar Laurence contributed to the deaths by being the mastermind behind the secret
marriage of Romeo and Juliet and the desperate plan to get them back together after Romeo is
banished for killing Tybalt, Juliets cousin. The Friar said, I do spy a kind of hope, which craves
as desperate execution as that is desperate which we would prevent. (pg 1074) His plan was
easily ruined by one servant who had no idea of the plan, believing in the fake death of Juliet,
which was part of the plan. The servant told Romeo she was dead before Friar John, who was
sent by Friar Laurence, could tell Romeo of the plan. Friar Laurence went through with his plan,
which he knew was desperate and not safe. Balthasar, the servant of the Montagues, told
Romeo Juliet was dead and he went to her tomb and killed himself. When she woke up, she
found him dead and killed herself as well. If the Friar had not married them and went through
with his plan, they would not have died.
Romeo and Juliet contributed to their own death with how they acted and the lies they
told. The two rushed into marriage, Juliet wasnt honest with her parents, and Romeo could
not control his emotions. They were married the day after they met, knowing almost nothing
about each other. Romeo killed Tybalt after Tybalt killed Romeos friend Mercutio, which got
him banished from Verona. Juliet told her parents, I will not yet marry; and when I do, I swear
it shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate, rather than Paris. (pg 1067) Romeo and Juliet did
not tell their families of the marriage, so Juliets father set her up to be married to Paris. Tybalt
kills Mercutio who was defending Romeo, so Romeo kills Tybalt in his anger and is banished.
This sends Juliet to the Friar for his desperate plan. In the quote, Juliet tells her parents she
doesnt want to marry Paris but also the she hates Romeo and isnt married. If she had been
honest with them, the feud between the Capulets and Montagues may have been ended and
they could have asked for the Prince to pardon Romeos banishment. Instead they set
themselves up for the Friars plan ending in their deaths.
The Family Feud between the Capulets and Montagues caused many other factors
resulting in the death of Romeo and Juliet. The two families have been fighting for longer than
anyone remembers but the script does not say why or how long. The feud caused Tybalt to
become angry when Romeo went to the Capulet party and he embarrassed himself in front of
Lord Capulet, making him angrier and want to fight Romeo. It is also why Romeo and Juliet
married in secret. Juliet told Romeo, If they do see thee, they will kill thee, (pg 1024) when
they were talking in her courtyard. This feud caused deaths and secrets that led up to Romeo
and Juliet killing themselves thinking the other was dead.
Friar Laurence, Romeo and Juliet, and the family feud should be held responsible for the
death of Romeo and Juliet. Friar Laurence married them in secret and made a desperate plan to
get them back together that just killed them. Because they married in secret, Juliets parents
tried to marry her to Paris and Juliet went to Friar Laurence for a plan. Romeo got himself
banished by killing Tybalt. Juliet told her parents she hated Romeo instead of being honest.
The feud caused deaths, lies, and secrets that made Juliet go through with the Friars plan,
which was ruined by Balthasar and got Juliet and Romeo to kill themselves but also ended the
feud.