“I defy you stars!” (5.1.24). In Verona, Italy, where two fateful lovers were born foes, take their lives for each other in order to be together forever. In William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, the theme of decisions causes the characters unhappiness when Romeo attends the Capulet’s party, Mercutio fights Tybalt, and Juliet and Romeo kill themselves.
Because Romeo attends the Capulet’s party, he makes Tybalt very unhappy and upset with him because he believes Romeo is there to “scorn at his solemnity” (1.5.63). Tybalt immediately tells Lord Capulet that a “Montague, their foe” (1.5.61) is present at the party and he might be there to sabotage and ruin the celebration. Tybalt knows that Romeo is a Montague based on the way he talks. Lord Montague tells Tybalt to settle down and not to cause a scene as there are many people at the celebration. It is, after all, an important event for the entire town. Because of Romeo attending the party, he increases the tension between the Montagues and the Capulets.
When Mercutio fights Tybalt and is killed, Romeo is very unhappy with Tybalt and wants to avenge Mercutio’s death. Mercutio was one of Romeo’s closest friends and Romeo has sworn “either Tybalt orRomeo, or both, must go with him” (3.1.126). Romeo will even die in order to avenge Mercutio’s death by killing Tybalt. He tells Tybalt that he is a “villain” (3.1.122) and that he doesn’t desire to be “alive in triumph” (3.1.119) while Mercutio is dead. Even though Romeo is mad, he is very upset and unhappy that he lost one of his closest friends. Because of Mercutio dying in the fight between him and Tybalt, the tensions between Tybalt and Romeo arise greatly.
After Romeo and Juliet kill themselves, all their loved ones are unhappy and are mourning for their loss. Romeo and Juliet committed suicide to ultimately be together eternally. They loved each other so much that they wanted to be together through the living or through the dead. But even though they are happy they will be together forever, they still have all their loved ones mourning. Romeo’s mother Lady Montague died because the “grief of Lord Capulet’s son exile hath stopped her breath” (5.3.211). Lady Montague died of a broken heart because her Romeo died, her only child, and she couldn’t live without him. Lord Montague is unhappy because Romeo and his wife are dead. Lady and Lord Capulet were also heart broken of the real death of their daughter. In honor of Romeo and Juliet’s love for one another, the families built golden statues of them and the family feud ended.
By Romeo attending the Capulet’s party, Mercutio fighting Tybalt and dying, and Romeo and Juliet committing suicide, we can learn that the characters are unhappy based on the decisions they’ve made. Could fate have played a part?
