Is Mercutio To Blame For The Death Of Romeo And Juliet

Love, Death, and Romeo

Relationship problems are linked with over 40% of deaths by suicide. Similarly, the play Romeo and Juliet is 99% about relationship problems leading to suicides. One of the protagonists in this story, Romeo, is responsible for all of these deaths. Other characters like Friar Lawrence, Lord Capulet, and Mercutio also play a part in the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Friar Lawrence weds the two lovers, knowing from the beginning that it would be a bad idea to go behind the parent’s backs to do this. Lord Capulet forces Juliet to marry Paris, which makes her drink the poison resulting in the death of Romeo himself when he hears this news. Finally, Mercutio also played a part in the tragic ending of this play by making

One instance where Romeo is impulsive in killing both Mercutio and Tybalt. Romeo tries to stop a fight between Tybalt and Mercutio and makes Tybalt accidentally stab and kill Mercutio. Tybalt says “Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him here,” blaming Romeo for making him kill Mercutio (3.1.121-122). Another example of Romeo acting impulsive is when he murders Tybalt right after. He is trying to avenge Mercutio, but the irony is that he was the one who caused his death. Tybalt tries to kill Romeo and says that he will die when they fight. Before they fight Romeo says, “This shall determine that,” knowing that he is the better swordsman and will win the fight. (3.1.123.). Another instance of Romeo murdering people on impulse is when he kills Paris. Romeo does this because Paris doesn’t leave the cemetery when he tells him to, saying, “Put not another sin upon my head by urging me to fury. O, be gone!” warning Paris not to provoke him unless he wants to die (5.3.56-57). Paris refuses to leave and ends up fighting Romeo and gets himself killed. Romeo’s impulsive decisions cause all of the tragedy in this

He acts naive when he gets over Rosaline in less than a day. He then falls madly in love with Juliet after just seeing her once. Before he sees Juliet, Romeo whines to Benvolio about Rosaline rejecting him and how he is feeling, “O, teach me how I should forget to think!,” showing his naivety and immaturity (1.1.219 ). He is new to love and does not know how to accept rejection. Even though she did not reject him, she just is not going to marry anyone. He is even more naive when he asks Juliet to marry him not even 24 hours after meeting her. Friar Lawrence even says in act 2, “Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear, So soon forsaken?...How much salt water thrown away in waste [for Rosaline],” (2.3.65-71 ). The friar teases Romeo for crying over Rosaline just yesterday. He eventually agreed to wed Romeo and Juliet, even though he doesn’t think it’s a good idea at first. Romeo is also naive by not telling his parents or someone intelligent enough to stop him from his marriage to Juliet. The entire tragedy of the play could have been avoided had he told someone about their love. As a teenager, he has the naive mindset that he knows everything and that his parents do not know what is best for him. He develops a plan for Juliet to go behind her parent’s backs to marry him. He tells her to tell her parents that she is, “to come to shrift,” when they are meeting to get married at the