Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and juliet essay : who plays a tragedy Romeo and Juliet: Who is Responsible for the Tragedy? Does Fate play a role? Who is responsible? This question is always asked of any conflict, and usually no one wants to admit that it was his or her fault. It then must be determined what the conflict was, who is responsible, and to what extent. Shakespeare’s, Romeo and Juliet, is based on a conflict. In Romeo and Juliet the conflict turns into a tragedy. Now that we know what the conflict was, which is a tragedy, the next step is to determine what a tragedy is?A tragedy is a conflict that ends up with something very sad happening. In Romeo and Juliet, the tragedy, is that both of these lovers kill themselves, to join the other in death. â€Å"For never was a story of more woe Than this of Juliet and her Romeo† (5,3,309-310). The next step in the problem solving process is to assess who is to blame for the tragedy. To do this we must first determine the different types of ro les played in a conflict. There are 5 main roles; there is cause, an instigator, retaliator, passivist, and moderator.The first is the cause, which can be a person or thing, that starts everything, and sometimes people don’t even realize that they are playing this part. In Romeo and Juliet, one of the causes is the ancient feud between the families. Tybalt says â€Å"What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues and thee. † (1. 1. 61-62) The second is the instigator, who is usually very mean, and something that they do or say, is usually the cause of conflict. What this person does or says is meant to provoke someone.Tybalt says to Romeo â€Å"Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford No better term than this: thou art a villain. †(3. 1. 53,54). These words are designed to provoke Romeo to fight. The third role, is that of the retaliator, who responds to the provocative nature of the instigator. Mercutio says to Tybalt â€Å"Consort ? What, dost thou make us minstrels? And thou make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but discords. Here’s my fiddlestick, here’s that shall make you dance†(3. 1. 40-43) in retaliation to a verbal jab made by Tybalt. The fourth is the passivist, who does nothing to hinder or help in the conflict.Usually someone who hasn’t decided who is right and hasn’t picked a side. The fifth is the moderator, who is trying to prevent or stop the conflict from happening. Benvolio is trying to prevent a fight when he says â€Å"I pray thee, good Mercutio, let’s retire: The day is hot, the Capels are abroad, An if we meet we shall not escape a brawl, For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring. † Now that we have determined the roles played in a conflict, it makes the next step, of determining who is responsible, and to what extent easier. Shakespeare wrote this tragedy with a lot of complexity to it.I know this because each of the people inv olved play more than one role throughout the play. First the Ancient Grudge, is a cause of fighting between the families. It has played a major role in the development of hatred in some of the people, for instance, Tybalt has picked up a hatred for the Montagues, from his Uncle Old Capulet. This Ancient Grudge has caused two brawls previous to the one we see at the start of the play. Prince says â€Å"Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word, By thee, old Capulet, and Montague, Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets. †(1. 1. 1-83) By this speech we learn of the nature of the ancient grudge. I believe that the ancient grudge is to be blamed for quite a bit of the tragedy, seeing as none of the fighting would have happened if there was no grudge, and Romeo would have been allowed to marry Juliet, without the secrecy. Second Tybalt is to be blamed for most of the tragedy, because he started the first fight on the street. He also started the fight on the beach. He killed Mercutio, which caused Romeo to retaliate and kill him. Throughout the play Tybalt is always the instigator, he is always looking for a fight.He says himself that he hates peace â€Å"What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee. †(1. 1. 61,62) Romeo played an important role in the tragedy, but should not be blamed for any of the tragedy. He played the role of a Moderator, most of the time, like when he was on the beach and Tybalt challenged him to fight he says â€Å"Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee Doth much excuse the appertaining rage to such a greeting. Villain am I none; Therefore farewell, I see thou knowest me not. †(3. 1. 5-58) He also plays the role of the retaliator when Tybalt kills Mercutio. Romeo goes after Tybalt to avenge Mercutio’s death. Romeo says â€Å"for Mercutio’s soul is but a little way above our heads, staying for thine to keep him Company: Either thou or I, or both must go w ith him. †(3. 1. 117-120) so in this sense Romeo’s only fault was that he killed Tybalt, but Tybalt had tried to kill him, and had killed Mercutio, so Romeo should not be blamed. Mercutio’s is but, a very little bit to blame, for his own death, which made Romeo kill Tybalt, and then get Banished for that crime.Mercutio wasn’t going looking for a fight, But he wasn’t looking not to fight either. When Tybalt, comes and wants to fight, so Mercutio responds by challenging him to a fight as well. Mercutio says, â€Å"Here’s my fiddlestick, here’s that shall make you dance. †(3. 1. 41,42) We also learn that he is very proud. â€Å"Men’s eyes were made to look, and let them gaze; I will not budge for no man’s pleasure, I. †(3. 1. 47,48) From these passages, from the book, I have decided that Mercutio played the role of the retaliator.Therefore his fault is only in that of Tybalt’s, so that he should only be slightly blamed. Benvolio’s Role in this conflict was nothing but as a passivist/moderator. I came to this conclusion when he says things like â€Å"I pray thee, good Mercutio, let’s retire: The day is hot, the Capels are abroad, And if we meet we shall not escape a brawl† And â€Å"We talk here in the public haunt of men: Either withdraw unto some private place, or Reason coldly of your grievances, Or else depart; here all eyes gaze on us. †(3. 1. 43-46) By these speeches he is always trying to prevent or postpone the fight.In this case Benvolio is not to blame at all, but rather should be commended for his attempts for peace. Friar Lawerence is to be blamed also, for he had great idea’s of peace after he married Juliet to Romeo. He validated the marriage of these two people, because of his ideas, and he didn’t do the right thing, which would be to tell the parents, and make them see that Romeo and Juliet were really in love. And to let the parents decide what would be best. He messed that up, and then he messed up some more, when he helped Juliet to deceive her parents, by faking her death.He continues to screw up to protect his original mistake of marrying Romeo and Juliet. Juliet’s Parents also contributed by forcing her to marry Paris, and this forced her to fake her death, to get out of her marriage, and to get to Romeo. They were unaware of her previous marriage, so it is not really their fault. After determining this, there is still some confusion over the fault of some people, so that we have to look upon another factor, which may make things a little clearer. That factor is fate. Before determining what role fate played we must first determine the meaning of fate.Fate stems from the Ancient Greek Mythologies, when there were three female goddesses, who were believed to spin a thread that was your life, and they would shake it, to shake up your life. It was also believed that the Fates were in charge of when you died and when you did die, they cut the thread. To make that more clear, Fate, is when something happens or is going to happen, and you have no control over it. It tells us right in the prologue that Romeo and Juliet’s love is fated â€Å"A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life. I don’t really believe in fate, but in this fictional tragedy, fate was an excellent choice to explain some of the things that happened. In conclusion this exciting tragic romance, has utilized a intricate web, in the responsibility for the tragedy, so that no one can be held entirely responsible, and no one is left without a part in tragedy. The way that Shakespeare makes a person play more than one of the basic roles, throughout the conflict, is a stunning way to spark interest, because people are confused by a sudden change of attitude or character. This process leaves the audience, trying to understand, so they become intrigued.