Using William Shakespeare’s play ​The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet​, choose one character and

analyze his/her actions and motivations. What motivates him/her to make certain choices? How do his/her
choices complicate the plot?

During the play of ​The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet​ written by the famous writer William Shakespeare,

Romeo’s actions complicate the plot of the play. Throughout the beginning of the play, Romeo and Tybalt get

into a fight, causing Mercutio to die. Romeo soon gets revenge on Tybalt and killing him, soon the Prince

executes Romeo from the city for causing the death of Tybalt. Juliet and Friar Lawrence try to find a way to get

Romeo back into the city for good, they come up with the idea of “killing” Juliet until Romeo wakes her with a

kiss on the lips. Juliet then makes this plan happen and Friar Lawrence gives her a potion for the plan. He also

sends out a messenger to Romeo to tell him that he has to wake Juliet from death with a kiss, but the

messenger doesn’t make it to Romeo in time. Before the messenger gets to him, Romeo’s cousin tells him that

Juliet is dead. Later on Romeo buys a potion of poison to kill him for good, he then goes to the city and lays

beside her, giving her a last kiss, and then drinking the potion too early. Juliet wakes up and then realizes that

Romeo killed himself, and then she kills herself to be with him. Romeo’s actions complicate the plot because

he chooses to kill Tybalt and then he is sent out of the city, and he kills himself because he thinks Juliet is

dead, even though she isn’t, and when he wakes her he is dead so she kills herself.

During the play of ​The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet​, Romeo’s actions caused much complication in the

plot. Romeo and Tybalt have conflict after the Masquerade Ball because Tybalt doesn’t like how Romeo loves

his cousin, Juliet. They then fight in the street, Tybalt then kills Mercutio in the fight, causing Romeo want to

get revenge on Tybalt. Romeo then chooses to kill Tybalt which gets him executed from the city for the murder

of Tybalt. Benvolio states in Act III, Scene 1 “Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo’s hand did slay.” The Prince

states in Act III, Scene 1 “Let Romeo hence in haste, Else, when he is found, that hour is his last. Bear hence

this body, and attend our will. Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill.” The Prince is saying that he

should have mercy for killing a murderer, but he should still have a punishment for committing a crime of

murder and be exiled. This shows that Romeo’s actions complicate the plot, the plot went from Romeo and

Juliet loving each other and having a good life, to Romeo being exiled for killing someone.

Romeo complicates the plot by getting exiled, causing Juliet and Friar Lawrence to try to get him back

into the city. Juliet and Friar Lawrence soon come up with a plan to get Romeo back into the city. They make a
potion to “kill” Juliet until Romeo wakes her with a kiss on the lips. This complicates the plot because Juliet is

basically trying to kill herself to get Romeo back into the city. Friar Lawrence states in Act IV, Scene 1 “ And in

this borrowed likeness of shrunk death Thou shalt continue two-and-forty hours, And then awake as from a

pleasant sleep. Now, when the bridegroom in the morning comes To rouse thee from thy bed, there art thou

dead. Then, as the manner of our country is, In thy best robes uncovered on the bier Thou shalt be borne to

that same ancient vault Where all kindred of Capulets lie. In the meantime, against thou shalt awake, Shall

Romeo by my letters know our drift;” If Romeo wouldn’t have chose to kill Tybalt, then Juliet and Friar

Lawrence wouldn’t have to make a plan to get Romeo back, and “killing” Juliet. This proves that Romeo’s

actions complicate the plot from being peaceful, to committing suicide to get Romeo back in the city.

Romeo’s actions lead to many complications in the play of ​The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet​. When

Juliet took the potion to kill herself, Friar Lawrence sent a messenger to Romeo, but the message didn’t make

it to Romeo. Romeo’s cousin told him that Juliet died so Romeo went and bought a potion of poison to kill

himself to be with Juliet. When Romeo makes it to Juliet while she is laying dead, he gives her one last kiss

and lays with her while he takes his potion. Juliet wakes up before Romeo is dead, and Romeo realizes that he

killed himself and saved Juliet. When Juliet sees that Romeo is dead, she takes his sword and kills herself to

be with him. Romeo states in Act V, Scene 3 “Here’s to my love! [​drinks​] O true apothecary! Thy drugs are

quick. Thus with a kiss I die.” Juliet states after Romeo dies “Thy husband in thy bosom there lies dead;” and

“O happy dagger! This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die.” This proves that Romeo’s action to kill himself

to be with Juliet, even though she wasn’t dead, causes them both to be dead. These actions of Romeo

complicate the plot of the play tremendously.

During the play of ​The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet​, Romeo’s actions complicate the plot of the play.

Romeo chooses to get revenge on Tybalt for killing Mercutio by killing him, getting him exiled. This makes

Juliet want to get Romeo back into the city by “killing” herself and then being woke by Romeo’s kiss on the lips.

When Romeo finds out that Juliet is dead, he buys a potion of poison to kill himself to be with his love Juliet.

When Romeo sees Juliet lying on the bed dead, he gives her a kiss and then drinks the poison, Juliet wakes

up to dead Romeo, she then chooses to be with Romeo dead. She takes his dagger and kills herself. These

actions of Romeo, cause much complication in the plot of the play ​The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet​.