Romeo And Juliet Rash Decisions Analysis

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written in the late 1550’s. The play, set in the city of Verona, tells a tale of two teenagers, Romeo and Juliet, who come from rivaling families, and fall in love. The progression of their love occurs over the course of only a few days, and their rash decisions affect their lives significantly. Romeo, in particular, rushes through his actions and follows his heart. Over the course of the play, Romeo’s hasty and thoughtless actions increase, ultimately leading to his death, demonstrating the consequences of rash decisions. Initially, Romeo is devastated from a broken heart; however, he quickly falls in love with Juliet, displaying his first hasty action and quick change of mind. Romeo is
devastated at the beginning of the play because he has come across romantic conflict with Rosaline, a woman whom he desired to marry, and he considers love to be deceiving.
While talking to Benvolio, his cousin, about love’s disappointment, he says, “She hath forsworn to love, and in that vow/Do I live dead that live to tell it now” (I.i 224-225). In this quotation, Romeo cannot focus on anything besides the damage love has caused him. When Romeo says, “Do I live dead that live to tell it now,” he is displaying that love has figuratively killed him and the only reason he is alive is to tell everyone what happened. The use of the word “dead” validates the extremity of Romeo’s broken heart. Romeo is using hyperbole to exaggerate the extent of his loss of love. Despite being in enormous pain caused by his love for Rosaline, Romeo sees Juliet and quickly falls in love with her. The moment he sees her he says, “It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night/Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear,/Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear” (I.v.42-45). Here, Romeo has just seen
Juliet and is explaining how beautiful she is. When he says, “Beauty too rich for use,” he is saying that her beauty outshines everything in the world: no one deserves her beauty. He also sees Juliet as somewhat of a higher power similar to an angel. Romeo’s quick change of mood exhibits his exaggeration of tempers. Romeo also uses a simile when comparing Juliet to a “rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear” displaying how Juliet seems like a beautiful and expensive jewelry piece. He quickly idolizes Juliet and makes her his first priority, demonstrating his impulsive decisions. The haste in many of Romeo’s actions influences him not to think about the consequences of his actions but to follow his passion.
Romeo falls in love with Juliet rapidly, and they decide to get married within a day. The morning of their wedding, Romeo is talking to the Friar and says, “Amen, amen. But come what sorrow can, /It cannot countervail the exchange of joy/That one short minute gives me in her sight” (II.vi 3-5). In response to Romeo’s comment, the Friar advises, “Therefore love moderately. Long love doth so. /Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow” (II.vi 14-15). Here, Romeo explains to the Friar that looking at Juliet for “one short minute” fills him with joy. In response to Romeo’s speech, the Friar tells him to slow the relationship down. Soon after Romeo and Juliet’s wedding, the consequences start to come into effect. Romeo, not thinking through his actions, kills Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin. Romeo kills Tybalt because he is filled with rage after Tybalt has killed Mercutio, his dear friend. When Benvolio is explaining the fight to the citizens, he says to the Prince, “And to't they go like lightning, for ere I/Could draw to part them was stout Tybalt slain. /And, as he fell, did Romeo turn and fly” (III.i 134-136). Romeo quickly makes a decision to kill Tybalt after a fight that broke out in haste, not thinking about the consequences of his actions. Benvolio uses a simile, “’they go like lightning,” demonstrating how fast the fight started and ended.
The decision to kill Tybalt shows swiftness as well as rage, because Romeo was not thinking of how the fight would affect his and Juliet’s relationship. Romeo is so profoundly in love with Juliet that when making his choices he does not consider any factors other than being with her. After receiving the false news of Juliet’s death, Romeo rushes back into Verona and goes to an apothecary where he asks for poison, planning to kill himself with the substance. Romeo says, “Let me have a dram of poison, such soon-speeding gear/As will disperse itself through all the veins/That the life-weary taker may fall dead” (V.i 61-64). In this quotation, Romeo rushes back into Verona to get poison, not using his logic, but following his passion. He desires the poison because he wants to kill himself as fast as possible, displaying another action of haste without reasonable thinking. The use of the phrase “soon-speeding gear” emphasizes Romeo’s urgency to be with Juliet. When Romeo arrives to Juliet’s sepulcher, he decides to kill himself the moment he sees her. He says to Juliet, “The dashing rocks thy seasick, weary bark. /Here’s to my love! O true apothecary, /Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die” (V.iii 128-130). Here, Romeo drinks the poison with hopes of being reunited with Juliet. Instead of waiting for more information on Juliet’s “death,” he uses his desire to be with her to make a rash decision. All of his hasty actions have led to cruel consequences; yet, his love for Juliet overcomes his sense of reason and thoughtfulness. Throughout the play, Romeo makes many rash and unreasonable choices for the purpose of being with Juliet. Instead of being sensible, Romeo decides to follow his heart. These actions severely affect his life, and he receives the consequences of his haste. Shakespeare illustrates that rushing is not always the best decision. In today’s world, many people make hasty decisions and don’t take time to reflect. Shakespeare demonstrates through the character Romeo, that everyone needs time to contemplate their actions to reduce hastiness and the severe consequences that come with it.