Romeo considers his banishment to be worse than death. After getting banished from the city of Verona, Romeo believes that his life will lack happiness, freedom, and meaning. Romeo assumes that this banishment will make his life become pure suffering, without any happiness. When Friar Lawrence delivers the message about his exile to him, he says he can’t picture a world or life if he isn’t in the walls of Verona. Any place outside of Verona means hell to him but living in Verona is like heaven for him due to the presence of his lover, Juliet. Romeo also believes that this banishment will lead to lose freedom in his life because his life will become a prison. He will no longer be able to do whatever he wants. For example, Romeo would not be able to visit Juliet whenever he wanted to. Lastly, Juliet’s lover believes that the banishment will make his life meaningless. Romeo’s belief is that his life does not mean anything without the presence of Juliet because Juliet means everything to him and he cannot bear to survive without her. Therefore, Romeo looks at his banishment in a negative point of view.
On the other hand, Friar Lawrence considers Romeo’s banishment an act of mercy. After hearing about the banishment Friar Lawrence sees it as a merciful punishment because he sees hope in the fact that Romeo is allowed to live and he also sees that Romeo is granted life without really deserving it. Friar Lawrence believes that there is hope that Romeo’s banishment will not be permanent