Who ultimately caused the death of Romeo and Juliet?

The death of Romeo and Juliet was a horrible event in Shakesphere's story. But the question remains, what caused their death? Well the answer to that is that many people were involved in their death. Even the ones that died. From analyzing the text, many pieces of evidence are discovered that led and foreshadowed their tragic death. Romeo's and Juliet's death was no consequence, it was all planned out from the beginning not by one person, but many people.

The first thing that caused their death is the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets. This feud is shown in Act 1 scene 1 where Gregory and Sampson are talking. They say, 'The quarrel is between our masters and us their men.' 'Tis all one. I will show myself a tyrant. When I have fought with the men, I will be civil with the maid--I will cut off their heads." This shows that the two families are in a huge rivalry since Sampson said he will take the maids heads off. This is also shown by Gregory talking about a "quarrel between our masters and us their men." It plainly states that there is a quarrel between the two families. This led to Romeo and Juliet's death because if they were two normal people with families that didn't hate each other, their families could've gotten along and have had a relationship that didn't result in death.

Speaking of the families, Benevolio, a Montague, convinces Romeo to go to the Capulet's party to get over Rosaline, Romeo's "true love" in Act 1, scene 2. Benvolio says, "Tut! You saw her…Herself poised with herself in either eye.." This statement basically means that Rosaline didn't compare with anybody else and wasn't all that special. He replies with, "I'll go along, no such sight to be shown. But to rejoice in splendor of mine own." This means that he will attend the party but he's still going to "rejoice in splendor" of his own love, Rosaline. Since Romeo went to the party, he met Juliet and instantly fell in love with her which caused their death. This event could've been avoided if he never attended the party in the first place. Romeo, even though he died, he predicted he would die in a sense. He says in Act 1 scene 4 at line 106, "I fear. Too early; for my hand misgives Some consequence yet hanging in the stars Shall bitterly begin his fearful date With this night's revels and expire the term By some vile forfeit of untimely death..." This statement alone foreshadows his death because what he said literally means, that he is fearful a future event will end his life too shortly which occurred in the story.

The last person that caused Romeo and Juliet's death was Friar Lawrence. In Act 2 scene 3, Romeo and Friar discuss Rosaline and who exactly Romeo wants to get married to. Romeo explains that he wants to get married to his enemy, Juliet, a Capulet. Friar disagrees with the idea of marrying them at first, but then is convinced since the marriage of them may help stop the feud between the families. Although Friar meant well, the outcome of their marriage didn't turn out the way he planned. The second way he caused Romeo and Juliet's death is by giving Juliet a poison that slows her heart so greatly that she is presumed dead to others. Since Juliet accepted this poison with no hesitation, she also had a part in her own death. Since Romeo was banished from Verona, Juliet couldn't be with him so Friar's idea was to bring them back together without anybody knowing. Since Juliet would be presumed dead, everybody would believe she's in her burial grounds and not living her life with Romeo. Friar and Juliet talk about the poison in Act 4 scene 1. After this time, Friar sends a letter to Romeo discussing their plan but the letter doesn't make it in time and Romeo flees to Verona considering that Juliet is dead. In Act 5 scene 3. He gets there and battles with Paris, her "groom to be" and Romeo slays Paris. Romeo commits suicide to be with his wife "in heaven" and Juliet soon wakes up and does the same, killing herself to be with her husband "in heaven."

In conclusion, from the evidence presented in the text, it is clear that many people and a variety of situations led to the horrifying death of Romeo and Juliet. The two feuding families, Benvolio, the Capulet's party, Romeo's intuition, the Friar and Juliet all had a part in their death. This was planned, even though no individual person actually put together the murder, many people pursued actions that led up to their death.