Examples Of Impulsive Decisions In Romeo And Juliet

Mini-Essay: Romeo and Juliet

The play, “Romeo and Juliet,” revolves around two feuding families. The plot of this play occurs over a span of three days. In this time, Romeo and Juliet meet. Romeo is from the Montague family and Juliet is from the Capulet family. Since they were from feuding families, they were not supposed to meet, or get along. Not only do Romeo and Juliet fall in love with each other; but they also get married, and ultimately end up killing themselves in order to be with each other. In William Shakespeare's tragedy, “Romeo and Juliet,” the impulsive decisions of the two main characters prove that young love is often irrational.

Although they have only just met that evening, Romeo and Juliet make the impulsive decision to get married the following day. Romeo and Juliet met each other on a Monday night at a party. By midday Tuesday they are married in secret. Their marriage was an irrational decision for many reasons.

After Romeo was banished from Verona, he was speaking to Friar Laurence and commands him to; “Be merciful, say ‘death’; For exile hath more terror in his look, Much more than death. Do not say “banishment” (3. 3. 12-14). This seems irrational because he has only known Juliet for about fourteen hours and is now saying that he would rather die than be without her. Juliet also claims that she would rather kill herself than marry Count Paris and be without Romeo. When she stages her “death” and Romeo finds her, unaware of her plan, Romeo does not hesitate to kill himself. This seems very irrational, as most people would not execute themselves just because somebody they loved died. Juliet also does the same when she finds that Romeo is actually dead. The willingness to risk death by getting married in secret and then actually killing themselves all proves that young love can lead to irrational and impulsive