Please review my essay and see anything that can be fixed. I have a final tomorrow and I need to write an essay for my topic in class: Who is most responsible for the tragic events of Romeo and Juliet? My opinion is Romeo. It is not too long because I need to memorize it (I can't bring a written out essay).
Title: A Heart's Ruin (I haven't really thought of one. Please make one for me?)
"Love moderately. Long love doth so" (2.6.14-15). Love of haste makes no love. We can see this wisdom of men from the ages of old and modern, and none more than from The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. We behold a blood-stained story of two lovers perishing for the hate of their families in William Shakespeare's world-famous play of Romeo and Juliet, a story much loved by countless generations of children, adults, and the elderly. But a question long discussed has aroused our thoughts: Who is most responsible for the tragic events of this heart-breaking tragedy? A controversial answer, one from only an out-thinking mind, is presented in this essay. There are more characters that take part in the fault of the tragedy, more than one may think, but the center of the deaths and misery take part in Romeo. Romeo would have not have banished if he had not killed Tybalt, and it was on his part that both his ally and enemy were slain; Friar Lawrence's ingenious plan, though not of faults, was ruined by Romeo's impulsiveness and naivety, and the grasp of love that holds Romeo weakens him, which causes disaster.
First and most important is the reason of the deaths of Juliet, Romeo, Lady Montague, Paris, and perhaps many others: Romeo is banished, and if not it was the fates of the stars, it would have been the stupidity of Romeo. Why had he killed Tybalt, one of his own family, and, attempting to defend Mercutio, accidentally allowed Mercutio's life to go to waste? As he stands shaken by the fate of Mercutio, he says, "This gentlemen, the Prince's near ally / My very friend, hath got this mortal hurt / in my behalf" (3.1.114-116) Romeo was present at the scene of two men fighting: one his dear friend and the other of his family. What is the end? The protection of Mercutio, resulting in his dear friend's death, and then an attack on Tybalt, the one who less than a few hours ago he had stated his love for, slaying him? He knew full the consequence: death or worse. Romeo had not been able to control his vengeance and realization that he was weak. And in killing Tybalt, weaker did he become. Also, now that Romeo is banished, he ignores the Friar and returns to wreak havoc. "...but the kind Prince, / Taking thy part, hath rushed aside the law / And turned that black word "death" to / "banishment" (3.3.26-29). He is given a gift of mercy, and he takes it as punishment, and denies his punishment. He returns to Verona and kills Count Paris unlawfully and unjust. It is not just Romeo's fault of the disaster of the story, but his morality also.
Furthermore, Romeo expresses an uncommon impulsiveness throughout the story, especially when he hears of Juliet's death. "I do beseech you, sir, have patience. / Your looks are pale and wild and do import / some misadventure" (5.1.28-30). Panicking is not an efficient way to solve problems, or so Balthasar to Romeo. Romeo replies with what would be in modern language a "whatever" and starts moving as fast as possible to the Capulet's tomb. Have he thought about the situation, he may have been stopped just in time by the friar, but he had not, and his decisions were not the right ones. Then, once again we use one of Friar Lawrence's quotes: "Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here! / Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear, / So soon forsaken?" (2.3.69-71) Romeo decides as a bear hunts fish. When a bear sees another fish, he drops his first and tries to catch the fish. It is not saying that Romeo drops one love for another. What it is saying is Romeo does not think before doing something, making him impulsive and careless.
Last but not least is Romeo's major and reappearing weakness: love. Romeo mourns during his aside "O sweet Juliet, / Thy beauty hath made me effeminate / And in my temper softened valor's steel" (3.1.118-120). Beauty has indeed weakened him. Tybalt was part of his family now, but as an enemy he stays. If Romeo has not been too busy thinking about his wedding with Juliet, he may have stopped Tybalt from killing Mercutio and prevented many mourners. Finally, we take from the play yet another saying of the friar: "Art thou a man? Thy form cries out thou art. / Thy tears are womanish" (3.3.119-121). Romeo believes that Juliet thinks of him as a murderer, and desires to kill himself. Even the friar tells him not to be weak, and to stand for what will make the best in the world. If the friar and his friends had not supported him, he would have decided to commit suicide long ago, perhaps when Rosaline gave him up.
Most characters of the play take major roles in the tragedy, but Romeo presents the greatest evidence that he is the most important cause of the tragic events. With his unlucky timing and decision-making and his weakness for beauty, he causes many to lament over the deceased. If one's mind is not set straight, use it not. If you are under a cloud of love and deceit, let things be and analyze what you must do next. Do not be like Romeo and act on impulse, for live moderately. Long life doth so.
Title: A Heart's Ruin (I haven't really thought of one. Please make one for me?)
"Love moderately. Long love doth so" (2.6.14-15). Love of haste makes no love. We can see this wisdom of men from the ages of old and modern, and none more than from The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. We behold a blood-stained story of two lovers perishing for the hate of their families in William Shakespeare's world-famous play of Romeo and Juliet, a story much loved by countless generations of children, adults, and the elderly. But a question long discussed has aroused our thoughts: Who is most responsible for the tragic events of this heart-breaking tragedy? A controversial answer, one from only an out-thinking mind, is presented in this essay. There are more characters that take part in the fault of the tragedy, more than one may think, but the center of the deaths and misery take part in Romeo. Romeo would have not have banished if he had not killed Tybalt, and it was on his part that both his ally and enemy were slain; Friar Lawrence's ingenious plan, though not of faults, was ruined by Romeo's impulsiveness and naivety, and the grasp of love that holds Romeo weakens him, which causes disaster.
First and most important is the reason of the deaths of Juliet, Romeo, Lady Montague, Paris, and perhaps many others: Romeo is banished, and if not it was the fates of the stars, it would have been the stupidity of Romeo. Why had he killed Tybalt, one of his own family, and, attempting to defend Mercutio, accidentally allowed Mercutio's life to go to waste? As he stands shaken by the fate of Mercutio, he says, "This gentlemen, the Prince's near ally / My very friend, hath got this mortal hurt / in my behalf" (3.1.114-116) Romeo was present at the scene of two men fighting: one his dear friend and the other of his family. What is the end? The protection of Mercutio, resulting in his dear friend's death, and then an attack on Tybalt, the one who less than a few hours ago he had stated his love for, slaying him? He knew full the consequence: death or worse. Romeo had not been able to control his vengeance and realization that he was weak. And in killing Tybalt, weaker did he become. Also, now that Romeo is banished, he ignores the Friar and returns to wreak havoc. "...but the kind Prince, / Taking thy part, hath rushed aside the law / And turned that black word "death" to / "banishment" (3.3.26-29). He is given a gift of mercy, and he takes it as punishment, and denies his punishment. He returns to Verona and kills Count Paris unlawfully and unjust. It is not just Romeo's fault of the disaster of the story, but his morality also.
Furthermore, Romeo expresses an uncommon impulsiveness throughout the story, especially when he hears of Juliet's death. "I do beseech you, sir, have patience. / Your looks are pale and wild and do import / some misadventure" (5.1.28-30). Panicking is not an efficient way to solve problems, or so Balthasar to Romeo. Romeo replies with what would be in modern language a "whatever" and starts moving as fast as possible to the Capulet's tomb. Have he thought about the situation, he may have been stopped just in time by the friar, but he had not, and his decisions were not the right ones. Then, once again we use one of Friar Lawrence's quotes: "Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here! / Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear, / So soon forsaken?" (2.3.69-71) Romeo decides as a bear hunts fish. When a bear sees another fish, he drops his first and tries to catch the fish. It is not saying that Romeo drops one love for another. What it is saying is Romeo does not think before doing something, making him impulsive and careless.
Last but not least is Romeo's major and reappearing weakness: love. Romeo mourns during his aside "O sweet Juliet, / Thy beauty hath made me effeminate / And in my temper softened valor's steel" (3.1.118-120). Beauty has indeed weakened him. Tybalt was part of his family now, but as an enemy he stays. If Romeo has not been too busy thinking about his wedding with Juliet, he may have stopped Tybalt from killing Mercutio and prevented many mourners. Finally, we take from the play yet another saying of the friar: "Art thou a man? Thy form cries out thou art. / Thy tears are womanish" (3.3.119-121). Romeo believes that Juliet thinks of him as a murderer, and desires to kill himself. Even the friar tells him not to be weak, and to stand for what will make the best in the world. If the friar and his friends had not supported him, he would have decided to commit suicide long ago, perhaps when Rosaline gave him up.
Most characters of the play take major roles in the tragedy, but Romeo presents the greatest evidence that he is the most important cause of the tragic events. With his unlucky timing and decision-making and his weakness for beauty, he causes many to lament over the deceased. If one's mind is not set straight, use it not. If you are under a cloud of love and deceit, let things be and analyze what you must do next. Do not be like Romeo and act on impulse, for live moderately. Long life doth so.
