Death is and always will be a hard topic to talk about, especially when someone is to blame. In the play, Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, many characters could take responsibility for the deaths of the young lovers, but who is ultimately to blame? In my opinion, Romeo is the main cause of their deaths. He rushed into marriage without thinking ahead as to what they would do or tell their rival families. He then got himself banished from Verona for killing Tybalt, and lastly, instead of moving on from Juliet, he killed himself. Firstly, Romeo rushed into finding love.
Before the night of the Capulet party, he had been weeping over Rosalie. Just a few hours later, Romeo says, “Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, As yonder lady o’er her fellows shows. The measure done, I’ll watch her place of stand, And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand. Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night. ” (I, V, 52-53).
By this time, Rosalie was long forgotten. Romeo speaks of love when he has only just seen Juliet for the first time; he was head over heels in love after that one night.
Everything that happened between Romeo and Juliet occurred so quickly that they did not even have time to stop and think. When he met Juliet at her balcony, they realized they had discovered newfound love, so of course, Romeo proposed. Back tracking, this all happened in the span of one night. Romeo clearly took things way too quickly and fell hard for Juliet right when they met, regardless of their family rivalry. This also holds him responsible for Juliet and his own death because things would not have escalated nearly as quickly if Romeo hadn’t wanted to get married the day after they met.
Even at in the balcony scene, Juliet brings up the dangers of their relationship. Juliet says, “The orchard walls are high and hard to climb, And the place of death, considering who thou art, If any of my kinsmen find thee here. ” (II, II, 62-65).
She brings up their difference and challenge, but of course, he did not take her seriously, and went to love for his answer. He was selfish and wanted her all to himself, again, not weighing the fact that he was a Montague and she was a Capulet as hard as he should. He was irresponsible and acted out with his heart, not his brain. Secondly, Romeo had gotten banished from Verona.
Yes, it is understandable that he took Tybalt’s life for taking his cousin’s, but it was all terrible timing. Romeo says, “Now, Tybalt, take the villain back again The late thou gavest me; 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 got with him. ” (III, I, 124-128).
If Romeo had kept a low profile, and not taken revenge for his cousin, he would not have been banished. If he had not been banished, Friar Lawrence would have been able to deliver the letter to him, which would make him learn of Juliet’s real status.