Romeo And Juliet: A True Tragedy
A tragedy, at its core, is a story in which the central characters meet an unhappy or disastrous end. But there is much more to it than that. The playwright artfully creates the storyline in a way that this outcome is the pinnacle of despair after a long, equally harrowing passage. William Shakespeare has written many well-known plays, which have stood the test of time and are still popular today. As one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies, Romeo and Juliet follows the ill-fated story of the two lovers as named in the title. This play is an effective tragedy because it includes the qualities of contrast of happier times, a series of misfortunes, and a final culminating event of grave consequences.
In order to emphasize times of misfortune …show more content…
This event of tremendous proportion is obviously how both Romeo and Juliet commit suicide at the sight of the other, dead. Not able to bear the thought of living without Juliet, Romeo poisons himself. “Here’s to my love. [Drinking.] O true apothecary, Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.” (V, iii, 119-120) When Juliet awakens, she expects to find Romeo waiting for her, but instead finds him dead. She stabs herself with Romeo’s dagger, and dies. Everyone in town comes running to the churchyard, and only the death of their children ends the conflict between the Capulets and Montagues. As the Prince says, “For never was a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo.” (V, iii, 320-321). As one of William Shakespeare’s incredible works, Romeo and Juliet uses qualities such the contrast of happier times, a series of misfortunes, and a final culminating event of grave consequences to increase the reader’s sense of tragedy. This piece of literature was brilliantly crafted and well thought-out, so that it was not just characterized by an unfortunate ending, as the definition of tragedy describes. Described in one sentence; “In this violent, death-filled world, the movement of the story from love at first sight to the union of two lovers in death seems almost inevitable.”
In order to emphasize times of misfortune …show more content…
This event of tremendous proportion is obviously how both Romeo and Juliet commit suicide at the sight of the other, dead. Not able to bear the thought of living without Juliet, Romeo poisons himself. “Here’s to my love. [Drinking.] O true apothecary, Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.” (V, iii, 119-120) When Juliet awakens, she expects to find Romeo waiting for her, but instead finds him dead. She stabs herself with Romeo’s dagger, and dies. Everyone in town comes running to the churchyard, and only the death of their children ends the conflict between the Capulets and Montagues. As the Prince says, “For never was a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo.” (V, iii, 320-321). As one of William Shakespeare’s incredible works, Romeo and Juliet uses qualities such the contrast of happier times, a series of misfortunes, and a final culminating event of grave consequences to increase the reader’s sense of tragedy. This piece of literature was brilliantly crafted and well thought-out, so that it was not just characterized by an unfortunate ending, as the definition of tragedy describes. Described in one sentence; “In this violent, death-filled world, the movement of the story from love at first sight to the union of two lovers in death seems almost inevitable.”