Teenage Irresponsibility In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

In modern times, teenagers are often seen as irrational and irresponsible. Some would argue that this is because the brain is not yet fully developed or because of emotional challenges. Whatever the cause, in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, teenage irresponsibility and irrational thinking is put at extreme, which ultimately causes the death of the star-crossed lovers. The friar is often blamed for the couple’s death because it is though that he falsely led the couple down a path that was far more dangerous than needed. However, this argument is flawed because even though the friar does indeed give the couple advice as what to do about their situation, he is not their guardian and it is ultimately Romeo who is accountable for his actions. Romeo often dismisses the warnings the friar gives him. A considerable example of this is his quickness to marry Juliet despite the friar saying it was not wise. This is not an unusual action for Romeo as he often does things without thinking with these actions causing mayhem. Romeo’s overall
This is because Romeo ignores the warnings the friar gives him and denies any reasonable consequence because of the infatuation he feels for Juliet. The friar is not to blame for their deaths, because Romeo ultimately dismisses the warnings the friar gives and makes rash and immature decisions without being ultimately affected by the friar’s opinion. Despite the friar’s opinion, it is ultimately Romeo who makes the decisions and carries out the actions. Romeo is a perfect example of how the stereotypical characteristics of teenagers are echoed throughout the ages and that the characteristics shown during these teenage years can be harmful to those around them and themselves. The characteristics that people have throughout their teenage years, such as impulsive nature and haste, lead to arguments and problems that could be easily resolved