Decisions and their Results

Narendran Sairam

Introduction to Shakespeare

Mr. Lubawski

October 8th, 2010

Prompt:
We often make decisions, not realizing how they shape the direction of our lives. Explore the decisions made in
the text; then tell a “decision” story of your own. Be sure to fully explore long-term effects, lessons learned, and
the questions one should/does think about when making a decision.
 Anthony Robinson, an American political advisor once said, “your life changes the moment you

make a new, congruent, and committed decision,” and he could not have been closer to the truth. Every

decision made by us alters, not only our lives but also the lives of the people around us: our families,

our friends and even the people we come in contact with everyday. The problem, if any, arises when we

do not consider the effects that our decisions will have on other people and this selfishness and

disregard for others causes most of the problems in the world, if not all. Shakespeare's characters are no

exception to this for, after all, they are only human.

The most obvious proof to this claim is held in the grudge between the “Two households, both

alike in dignity,” (Prologue.1) that causes “A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life;” (Prologue.6).

The entire play is based on a single powerful feud between the Capulets and the Montagues and the

past decisions of these families causes a myriad of problems. Firstly, their quarrel is so far reaching that

even their servants fight amongst each other. These skirmishes disturb the public peace in Verona and

make “Verona's ancient citizens Cast by their grave-beseeming ornaments to wield old partisans in

hands as old, Cankered with peace, to part [their] cankered hate.” (1.1.92-95) Although the “three civil

brawls,” (1.1.89) between the families show their lack of regard for other people, their attitude towards

their own people, Romeo and Juliet, amplify this characteristic. It is because of their problems from

generations ago and their decision against reconciliation that the two lovers do not make their love

known to their families in fear of drastic consequences. This ultimately causes Romeo and Juliet a lot

of grief. The feud is a result of the decisions of the Capulets and the Montagues and clearly, neither

family understood the consequences of the decisions or cared about their effect on other people which

led to them being scorned at by the people of Verona and despised by their own kin.

Another example of sheer selfishness and blind decision making is Juliet's decision to accept

Friar Lawrence's “distilling liquor,” (4.1.94). She never once thinks about how Romeo would feel if he

saw her and she was “stiff and stark and cold and appear[ed] like death.” (4.1.103) Instead, all she cares

about is her need to be “an unstained wife to [her] sweet love.” (4.1.88) This leaping before thinking
costs her dearly when Romeo does find her in the Capulet tomb with dead looks and commits suicide.

Juliet is left with no choice but to suffer the same fate. With the words “let me die,” (5.3.170) on her

lips, she stabs herself and dies. But this event, this decision, is not completely bad. While it does result

in a lot of lamentation, Romeo's unfortunate death and Juliet's untimely suicide, it also serves to knit

the Capulets and the Montagues together; something Juliet had no intention of doing. This incident

shows how one decision can have many unexpected results and the lesson that one should take away

from it is to consider, for a little while, the reaction of other people to one's decision.

I too have made decisions that have had unexpected consequences for me and for others. In the

beginning of eighth grade, at AMSA, I was offered to join 8F. 8F was the most difficult class in the

school in that all the courses the people in that class were subjected to were of the highest level offered

at AMSA. I remember agreeing take up the school on its offer. Back then, I was a quite person that kept

to myself and my books. Moreover, I was not smart and I had no particular skills. The only reason I

agreed was because I wanted to explore more. Today, I am a very different person and I attribute it all

to that one winter morning. All of my “smarts,” my friends, my socialization skills and my attitude are

a result of that one decision and I would like to think that only good came of that decision but the truth

is, there were bad things that came of it too. I began spending less time with my family because I

became very involved in academics and I just lost track of my priorities. Both of these outcomes, good

and bad were unintentional but I learned that I should be conscious of my actions and how they affect

the ones I love and only then, if the effects are acceptable, should I go with it.

Decisions can ruin lives or they can make life a pleasure but a decision that might bring you

happiness might be detrimental to someone you love. This is exemplified in Shakespeare's Romeo and

Juliet and in my personal life and it is your duty to take away a useful message: Think about the effects

of your decision on you and on the people around you before you make it because once you make it

there is no going back.