In the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, two star-crossed
lovers, Romeo and Juliet, are kept apart because of their families’ feud, and
eventually end up taking their own lives. If I were asked who was to blame for
these deaths and all of this suffering, I would say that Tybalt is the cause of
these lovers’ deaths. This is because if he had listened to his uncle’s orders
neither he nor Mercutio would have died in Act Three. If Tybalt had not challenged Romeo and fought
with Mercutio, then Romeo would not be exiled and Juliet would not have had to
partake in the Friar’s plans.
In Act One, Scene Five, Tybalt shows to Capulet that Romeo is
at their party Capulet answers by saying “Content thee gentle coz. Let him
alone.” Which shows that Capulet wants to keep the peace and therefore is less
to blame. If Tybalt had listened to Capulets’ orders, then he would not have
sent his challenge to Romeo which would have stopped the accidental encounter
of Mercutio and Tybalt. This would have eliminated all chances of Tybalt
fighting Romeo. Which would erase the tragic ending to this play. It would also
end up saving four lives or more, which were unavoidable after this event.
If Tybalt had listened
to Capulet’s orders, this would have stopped Romeo from killing Tybalt to
avenge Mercutio’s death, then Romeo would not have been banished after the
skirmish between himself and Tybalt. It is clear that Romeo did not want to
fight, as he says in Act Three Scene One, “Tybalt, the reason that I have to
love thee doth much excuse the appertaining rage to such a greeting.” However Tybalt does
not listen and instead fights and kills Mercutio. Due to this Romeo, feels that
he must avenge Mercutio and kills Tybalt in a duel, leading directly to his
banishment, when the Prince says that because he killed Tybalt “… immediately do
we exile him hence…” If this fight had not taken place it would have prevented
the series of events leading to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.
While you may argue that Tybalt is not to blame for their
suicides, as he had no role in the events occurring after Romeo’s banishment,
the death of Tybalt is a major reason for why Capulet decides to arrange a
marriage for Juliet immediately. In Act
Five Scene Three, Lady Capulet says, “Well, well, thou hast a careful father,
child, One who, to put thee from thy heaviness, Hath sorted out a sudden day of
Joy…” The threat of the marriage made Juliet take the sleeping potion that
would ironically be the cause of Romeo’s death.
In conclusion Tybalt is at fault for the deaths of the star-crossed
lovers, because if he had acted less rashly, Romeo and Juliet would not have
killed themselves. They might have found a way to run away together and live
happily for the remainder of their lives. However maybe it was a good thing
that it ended the way it did because peace could not be brought to the families
in any other way.
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