Saja Ahmad 

January 12,2019 
English 1 
 
R+J Final Essay  
 
William Shakespeare, author of Romeo and Juliet, tells the tragic love story of 
two teens names Romeo and Juliet. The teens love each other, but their families are 
enemies, which prevents them from being together. In the end, the two lovers feel 
the only way to be together is in death. The play talks about how all problems in 
Romeo and Juliet end in sadness mostly caused by death. Throughout the play, 
Shakespeare expresses his belief that conflicts have severe consequences through 
major events and character actions.  
Shakespeare’s tragic play, Romeo and Juliet, show how that conflicts have 
severe consequences. For example, the text implies, “Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier 
up.” ​Tybalt stabs Mercutio. ​“I am hurt. A plague O both your houses!” ​(Line ​85​)​This 
quote shows that when Tybalt refuses to make peace with Romeo, causes Mercutio 
to argue with Tybalt. When Tybalt stabs Mercutio, his last words were cursing on the 
Montagues and Capulets, which was the severe consequence that led him to his 
death. In addition, the text states, “Thou wretched boy, didst consort him here...​They 
fight. Tybalt falls.​”​(Lines 135-138)​ This demonstrates that Tybalt killing Mercutio was 
the conflict and Romeo killing Tybalt in revenge was the severe consequence. 
Shakespeare shows that conflicts have severe consequences throughout 
Romeo and Juliet based on character actions. For example, the author quotes, 
“From ancient grudge to new mutiny,”​(Line 3) ​mutiny means war, rebellion, riots, 
etc.Since the Montagues and Capulets have been fighting since the beginning, all of 
Verona have been involved and dies from this war. Eventually, when the families 
children end up fighting, it causes the prince to punish Romeo since he was 
involved. Shakespeare tells that in the story the prince’s response was, “and for that 
offense immediately we do exile him hence.”​(Lines 196-207)​ This shows that 
character actions can affects you in the future depending on a punishment 
someone gives you. 
Another reasons that conflicts have severe consequences is that based on 
the text, Shakespeare quotes showing Benvolio’s response was, “O Romeo, Romeo 
brave Mercutio is dead, that gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds, which too 
untimely here did scorn the earth.”​(Lines 121-123)​ This quote shows that when 
Mercutio’s dead, Benvolio delivers the news to Romeo. This is shows a major event 
because this type of tragedy demonstrates death and physical pain since Mercutio 
is dead and people are getting hurt from this fight. Later on, while Juliet is at home, 
her mother comes in and tells her she has to marry Paris. When Juliet refuses, her 
father responds, “Gaze where you will, you shall not house with me. Look to ‘t; think 
on ‘t. I do not use to jest. Thursday is near. Lay hand on heart; advise. An you be 
mine, I’ll give you to my friend.” ​(Lines 200-203) ​This is a major event because Juliet 
is getting married to someone she doesn’t like. Meanwhile, her father disapproves 
and threatens to kick her out and let her starve if she refuses to marry Paris. 
In Shakespeare’s play, he expresses his belief that conflicts have grievous 
punishments through major events and character actions. When Tybalt refused to 
make peace with Romeo, that causes Mercutio to argue with Tybalt. Shortly after, 
Tybalt kills Mercutio. When Tybalt kills Mercutio, Romeo kills Tybalt in revenge. In 
the prologue, since the Montagues and Capulets have been fighting, all of Verona 
have gotten involved with their feud. Also, when Romeo kills Tybalt, his actions 
made the prince punish him and banishes him from Verona. Before Romeo was 
punished, Benvolio tells Romeo that Mercutio is dead and that he was too young to 
die. Meanwhile, Capulet is forcing Juliet to get married to Paris, and since she 
refuses, her father threatens her. What the reader learns about his own 
development through Romeo and Juliet’s actions is that it is unnecessary to do the 
sames actions they did. The reader learns that in Romeo and Juliet, therefore all 
conflicts eventually lead into a type of tragedy such as death, great suffering, 
emotional pain, and physical pain.