Suicidal impulse by Romeo and Juliet

Test 1
NURUL NAJIHAH BINTI ROSLI (2012689224) (ED220 6B)
1. How does the suicidal impulse that both Romeo and Juliet exhibit relate to the overall theme of young love? Does Shakespeare seem to consider a self-destructive tendency inextricably connected with love, or is it a separate issue? Why do you think so?
Romeo and Juliet, one of the Shakespeare’s tragedy plays was written in the mid-1590s, does portray the correlation between the suicidal impulse by both main protagonists, which are Romeo and Juliet, and the overall theme of young love.
The most significant theme of this play is love and to be more specified, it is actually the young love of the main protagonists. The love between Romeo and Juliet is so powerful that it has blinded them over other concerns such as the feud between their families, the true personalities of their lover, and the repercussions of their actions. Their love also is emotionally driven that shows their immaturity and foolishness. For example, they fall in love for each other in a gathering, and then the next day they decided to marry secretly. They believe love will conquer everything to the point they are willing to die for each other. In act 1 scene 4, Juliet says “Go, ask his name: if he be married, my grave is like to be my wedding bed.” This line shows Juliet’s immaturity since it is the very same night they meet that she already think of killing herself if she could not be with Romeo for the rest of her life. Juliet, who is not quite 14, has made a rash decision with her first love by willingly to marry someone that she does not even know his real personality is.
While on the other hand, Romeo, who is actually heartbroken with his unrequited love towards Rosaline, suddenly fell in love with Juliet and in the very same night he sees Juliet, he has already vowed his love eternal. This can be seen in act 1 scene 5, “… And, touching hers make blessed my rude hand. Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.” Romeo’s ocular love can be seen in those lines as the audiences could make the assumption that Romeo could fall in love again if there is another prettier woman than Juliet in front of him. Then, their decision to get married the next day, which is a rash and emotionally driven, also shows the young love that they have.
Furthermore, their impulsive love shown in the early part of the play signifies more on the suicidal impulse by both of them throughout the play. Romeo and Juliet, who are in their adolescent stage, tend to be controlled by their emotions rather than reasons and repercussions of their decisions. The swiftness of their feeling of love for each other also displays their impulsive love. Both of these young lovers truly believe that only death can preserve their love since they are even willing to undergo double suicide in this play even though they could have thought of another solution such as telling the truth of their marriage. This can be seen in act 5 scene 3, where Juliet, who is just waking up from her deep sleep, says “Yea, noise? Then I’ll be brief. O happy dagger! [Snatching Romeo’s dagger]. This is thy sheath [Stabs herself]; there rust, and let me die.”
In conclusion, I believe Shakespeare does consider the connection between the tendencies of self-destruction with the love portrays by Romeo and Juliet. This is because their so called love at the first sight is so powerful that they are willing to experience double suicide rather than exposing the truth of their marriage to their families. The immaturity shown by them is also one of the factors that they tend to choose self-destruction over confession. Both of them are afflicted with thoughts of suicide and they are dared to experience it. For example, in act 3 scene 3, Romeo says “There is no world without Verona walls… Hence banished is banish’d from the world, and world’s exile is death…” And in act 3 scene 5, Juliet says “… I’ll to the Friar, to know his remedy: if all else fail, myself have power to die.” These lines take place after Romeo killed Tybalt and has been banished by the Prince. They believe death is a better choice if they have to be away from each other. The thought of living far from each other on the earth is unbearable for them. Thus, Shakespeare seems to be saying that young love is lovely, but full of recklessness.