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Marina Armstrong
OConnor
Honors English 9
27 May 2016
Following a Feeling
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is thought to be one of the greatest love stories
of all time. This story is not a fairytale, although in some respects the act of Romeo and Juliet
falling in love with one another is like a fairytale, but what makes this not a perfect love story is
that it revolved around taking risks and jumping into the unknown for something, a feeling,
which in this case, was said to be love. The love between Romeo and Juliet made them take the
risk of denying their families, marrying one another, and taking their own death.
From the very moment Romeo set eyes on Juliet and says, Did my heart love till now?
Forswear it, sight! For I neer saw true beauty till this night!(Shakespeare 788 line 50) it was
evident that Romeo would pursue Juliet despite the major risk that she, the Montagues only
enemy, was a Capulet. When Juliet calls out from her balcony,
O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou will not, be but sworn my love,
And Ill no longer be a Capulet.(Shakespeare 798, line 35)
It is final that Romeo and Juliet will swear their love to one another at the expense of denying
their families and their names, Capulet and Montague. Not only do they swear their love to one
another but decide to marry without telling their families after knowing one another for less than
a day. They risk being outcasts disowned by their families in order to be with one another and

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share an assumed love although Shakespeare might have also been trying to show a love based
more upon looks and current emotions rather than a true sense of love.
After Romeo and Juliet were married by Friar Lawrence and Romeo was banished for the
killing of Tybalt, Juliets father, Capulet, declares that Juliet is to marry the Count Paris without
the knowing that Romeo and Juliet are married. With Romeo being banished from Verona and
Juliet in line to marry a man her father orders to marry, the love story has made a dramatic turn.
The risks which Juliet and Romeo took to ensure their love was from a standpoint all stupendous
and happy during the moment but over time the reader comes to see the consequences of their
actions. While the reader may be able to identify the absurdity of their love and the goodness of
it, Romeo and Juliet continue to live in denial, thinking only of the ways to get around the
obstacles and keep their love.
In order to prevent marrying Paris and to be with Romeo, Juliet takes the major risk of
faking her death by drinking a potion that puts her to sleep. Not knowing if the potion given to
her by Friar Lawrence even works, or if it will kill her, she declares, Romeo, Romeo, Romeo, I
drink to thee(IV iii 58). She risks being killed and bringing grief to her family so that she can be
with Romeo although she may not have the right reasons in mind or knowing the true meaning of
love.
Because of the many unfortunate series of events that play out through Romeo and Juliet,
it seems only fate that the love story would come to a fatal end. Juliet takes the medicine and is
found dead by her nurse who cries out, O me, O me! My child, my only life! Revive, look up,
or I will die with thee! Help, Help!(IV v 20). She is then mourned by the rest of her family and
her supposed-to-be wedding is turned into a funeral. After this comes one of the greatest risks in
all of the story. Romeo, without being informed of Juliets plan is wrongly told by his man,

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Balthasar, that Juliet is dead. He then comes to her tomb and seeing her lifeless, in all his
weariness and dread, drinks a deadly poison; he says, Heres to my love! O true apothecary!
Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die(V iii 120). Then when Juliet finally awakens from
her sleep, rather than seeing a lively Romeo waiting to take her away, she finds Romeo dead on
the ground. Only thinking of her love to Romeo, she takes the biggest risk as any person can and
as Romeo did, stabs herself with a dagger saying, O happy dagger! This is thy sheath; there rust,
and let me die(V iii 169-170).
The love story of Romeo and Juliet was made up of risks and sacrifices. Without Romeo
and Juliet sacrificing their families, taking the risk of marrying one another against their names,
and risking their lives for one another, there would be no story. Shakespeare was presenting a
story that was defined by taking risks and acting upon ones feelings rather than doing what is
expected of them. Without the tragedy of the death of Romeo and Juliet, this story couldnt be
considered the greatest love story of all time because it wouldnt show that the greatest and most
powerful love will make a person sacrifice their life for another.