Relationships In Romeo And Juliet

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is a play written by William Shakespeare about two star-crossed lovers who are forbidden to love by their families. William Shakespeare’s telling of the setting is nice with giving us the details that there are two families that are serious rivals. Romeo is a teenage boy belonging to the Montague family and Juliet is a girl in the Capulet family. These two families hate each other with multiple fights and murders between them. The main point of the story is that Romeo and Juliet fall in love, but are restricted from each other because of the bad blood their families have. This story seems pretty attention grabbing and serious however, there are certain aspects to it that make it seem like the polar opposite
to a tragedy. Could it be The “Comedy” of Romeo and Juliet?
Romeo and Juliet is a story about two star-crossed lovers who will literally die for each other.
It is a pretty serious story that can however, be very much a comedy with a lot of sexual jokes and references. One example of this is on the beginning of the play when Sampson says to Gregory. He tells him, “T’is true, and therefore women, being weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall.” This line is Sampson comparing the fight between the Montague and Capulet boys to having sex with a women. Another instance of an inappropriate joke or reference being made is in Act 2, Scene 5 when the nurse says to Juliet that Romeo can “fetch a ladder, by the which your love must climb a bird’s nest when it is dark.” This line is the nurse inferring that Romeo will need a ladder to climb to the room of Juliet later that night. And what they will do in her room is to say the least, self
explanatory. Another example that I can point out that makes Romeo and Juliet not a tragedy is the character of Mercutio. A lot of the story is taken very seriously but one thing that stands out is Mercutio and his dialogue. An example of this is on page 736 and on line 56. The moment in which this line happens is in an intense moment in the play. Mercutio breaks the moment with a quote saying, “I am very pink of courtesy.” This means that Mercutio is a light-hearted man and it really doesn’t fit the setting. Mercutio also calls people “A bawd, a bawd, a ho” This one is an obvious one on why he is being used for comic relief in a serious moment. He flat out calls a woman a ho, and a bawd (a prostitute). Those are two examples of Mercutio being used as a comic relief character in the play. My third and final example of how The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet could actually be a comedy is how ridiculous the scenarios are.
The events in the play seem WAY too serious and over-exaggerated to be in a tragedy. An example of this is the beginning with Gregory, Sampson, and Abram. Sampson bites his thumb towards Abram, insulting him and he asks him, “Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?” And says it again, asking him over and over like a joke almost. Also, when the watchman discovers the bodies of Romeo and Juliet in the church. The way that he speaks is so over the top and that you can hardly take it seriously. “Pitiful sight! Here lies the county slain; And Juliet bleeding, warm, and newly dead.” This line of dialogue is so exaggerated that it must show that this play is a
comedy. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is a pretty serious story with many intense and moments that will leave you on the edge of your seat. But, there are certain elements within the story you can notice that are pretty “comedy” like. Like the over-exaggerated scenes and dialogue to the entire character of Mercutio, with his sex jokes and all. The idea of this essay being that you could prove that this tragedy is actually a comedy and I have to say, I still believe that it is a tragedy. All of the evidence of it being a comedy are most likely coincidental. So in conclusion, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is indeed a tragedy.