Romeo and Juliet A True Tragedy Essay - 1536 Words

Romeo and Juliet: A True Tragedy An Aristotelian tragedy consists of several different aspects. In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the main characters contain a tragic flaw, or hamartia, that contributes to their fall from esteem or regal status. Additionally, the audience experiences pity and fear evoked by Shakespeare for the duration of the play. Furthermore, the two star-crossed lovers undergo a catastrophe at the end of the tragedy, where the characters meet a tragic and horrendous death. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a true Aristotelian tragedy because both Romeo and Juliet possess a tragic flaw, a catastrophe takes place in which both characters meet a tragic death, and the audience is aroused with pity and fear.†¦show more content†¦Her death is so heart-rending for him and he cannot bear to live without her. So, he ends his life, thinking that they will never be able to be together ever again. This displays impetuousness because, once again Romeo does not think before he acts. Instead, he reacts impulsively and does not consider the consequences of his actions. Aristotle points out, â€Å"The role of the hamartia in tragedy comes not from its moral status but from the inevitability of its consequences† (McManus). This means that with any tragic flaw, consequences for a person’s actions are inevitable. Overall, Shakespeare’s play is a genuine tragedy because Romeo’s impetuousness is the justification for his downfall. Juliet makes certain decisions and does things that she would not normally, due to the fact that she is blinded by the love she feels for Romeo, or her hamartia. Because of her hamartia, Juliet ignores her duty to society to marry someone her parents pick out for her. By not obeying her parents’ wishes, Juliet is also going against the courtship and marriage customs of her time. Lord Capulet gives his approbation of Paris marrying his daughter and he tells Paris to woo J uliet and that his permission is only one small part of her decision. He is encouraging Paris to court Juliet and make her want to marry him, because he thinks Paris is worthy of Juliet. In those times, it was traditional for the parents toShow MoreRelatedThe True Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet819 Words   |  3 Pagesadults with worldly experience direct us down the path of good judgment in order that we may learn how to make good decisions. They near essential to us, even though not everyone has this advantage. 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