Look at your notes and the definition of tragedy. We use this word often. People will often say "It is such a tragedy" or "tragedy has struck again." Yet, Romeo and Juliet is considered a tragedy.How does a story that is about true love get titled, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet? In looking at the definition from our notes, argue why the play is considered a tragedy. You must have quotes to support your answer to get all of the points.
Once you have made your argument, go back and comment on a peer's argument. You may discuss their points, ideas, but do not be nasty. If I find your response to be rude or nasty, I will remove it and take points off. This blog is also worth 25 points.
103 comments:
it is considered a tragedy when the main charcter dies showing what could have been with romeo and julit's future that they hoped for has been lost only to find grief this to an extant explain's the reason for it being a tragedy showing that such love diedyoung
According to the notes, it says that a tragedy is considered, "... a type of drama, which is pre-eminetely the story of one person, the hero. Then is states that "Romeo and Juliet" span off from this, however, many portray them as one protagonist. In my opinion, I can see this as a tragedy, because of the dramatic elements behind the two protagonists. In Romeo's case, he had threatened to kill himself in grief that he had been exiled from Verona. He states,"
As if that name, Shot from the deadly level of a gun, did murder her: as the name's cursed hand murdere'd her kinsman. O, tell me, friar, tell me
In what vile part of this anatomy doth my name lodge? Tell me, that I may sack the hateful mansion."
(Romeo and Juliet A3. S3. 102-108). Here, Romeo complaines on how him killing Tybalt caused him to be banished. From juliet's side, she plane to do the same thing, only she palns on doing it in order to escape an arranged marriage to Paris. She states," 'Twixt my extremes and me this bloody knife/Shall pay the umpire..." (romeo and Juliet A4. S1. 62-63). In these lines, she states that she would favor suicide, rather than try to solve her problems by talking them out. This is why I consider the play "Romeo and Juliet," a tragedy.
A tragedy is generally seen as a drama or play dealing with tragic events and having an unhappy ending, with the most common concerning the downfall of the main character with whom the majority of the drama centers around. In the final scenes of Romeo and Juliet, both of our main characters take their lives, ending the play on a rather unhappy note. It is clearly stated at the end that, "Never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo." This, in my opinion, accurately places our story in the "tragedy" genre.
Romeo, our naive hero, admits, "Indeed I must die. And that’s why I came here." He makes it clear that his death was of his own choosing, and the fact that he so openly accepted it makes the ending ever more dramatic and tragic. As if his death wasn't enough, Juliet proclaims "O happy dagger! This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die," and stabs herself. I think, in the eyes of Shakespeare's audiences and readers today, that the most tragic of all tragedies is the unfair death of lovers.
Tragedy is an unexpected pain that comes upon in drama. I think Romeo and Juliet got the title The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet because of the way they stuggled to be with eachother, and then unexpectedly commiting suicide due to the fact they couldn't be together. " I must be gone and live, or stay and die." Here in act 3 scene 5 Romeo tells Juliet that he must have to leave and hide in order to stay alive because he had just killed Tybalt. He know's that there is definately going to be people coming after him so he has go someplace else. "Go in: and tell my lady, I an gone." In act 3 scene 5, later on when Juliet talks to the nurse she tells her that she can't marry Paris, and she wants the nurse to some how get the marriage to get delayed a week or a month. She then just tells the nurse to tell Lady Capulet that Juliet is gone after displeasing her father. She doesn't want to commit a sin by being married to Paris , that too against her wishes.
@Nicole R
I agree with you about how the most tragic of tragedies is when when the unfair death lovers occurs. Romeo and Juliet does end exactly like this, and that's where it gets called a tragedy. And yes the majority of the downfall does circle around the main characters. In R&J they both have stuggles and most of them are downs. They choose it's better to die than to live and fight for the love they cannot have.
A tragedy is a drama (usually a play that is acted out), that has an unhappy tragic ending dealing with death; usually concerning the main character. This play is a tragedy because both the main characters (Romeo and Juliet) kill themselves in the end. The Chief Watchman calls the sight “Pitiful sight! Here lies the County slain” (5.3.174.). He is saying that the murders are of those the county loved and cherished. This makes a very sad sight and a tragedy as a play.
@andrew:
I agree with the fact that Juliet says that she would rather kill herself then be without Romeo as being one of the reasons to classify Romeo and Juliet as a tragedy.
A tragedy is a very hard thing to go through like how you can see Juliet sobbing over Romeo for killing himself for her and realizing it and must kill herself for she misses herlove. Tragedy effects everyone who has had something sad happen in there lives and tragedy can lead to very bad things in someones life like Romeo killing himself for his true love.
I think it is obvious that RnJ is a tragedy because Romeo and Juliet, which is the name of the play, both die. I consider a tragedy to be something bad that makes anyone sad.
@39leader
I agree with you, a couple that dies young is rather tragic.
-Christopher Fassih
Tragedy is a decline from happiness to misery, usually with the main character, because of some flaw in error or judgement. Romeo and Juliet start in a blissful, unaware happiness. There are two young children whom have no worries: "Then have my lips the sin that they have took./Sin from my lips? O trespass sweelty urg'd!/Give me my sin again" (Romeo and Juliet 1.5.106-108). This shows that they are stealing kisses from each other and happy. Their downfall begins when the Capulets, Juliet's parents, force her to marry Paris when she has already married Romeo in secrecy
Marry, my child, early next Thursday morn
The gallant, young, and noble gentleman,
the County Paris, at Saint Peter's Church, Shall happily make there a joyful bride (3.5.112-115).
There ultimate downfall is brought upon by the friars lateness to deliver a letter to Romeo, informing him that Juliet is not dead, but merely in a drug induced coma. Romeo then kills himself, and upon awakening, Juliet promptly kills herself with Romeo's dagger. (Act 5) With this play, Shakespeare has defined a tragedy and paved the way for future tragedies.
@Nicole
I agree with your concept of the most tragic death is the death of lovers. But in Romeo and Juliet's death, there death prompts a bond between the Capulets and Montagues, a new love all in of itself. Death has occurred, but also a birth.
A tradegy is the fall of persons of high degree due to their own failures, through fate,destiny, or the human condition to suffer, fail and die. Romeo and Juliet is considered a tradegy because 2 families have trouble with each other because they don't like each other and the 2 families cause a lot of people to die between the 2 families troubles.
Act 3 Scene 1
"Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee
Doth much excuse the appertaining rage
To such a greeting: villain am I none;
Therefore farewell; I see thou know'st me not.
Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries
That thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw.
I do protest, I never injured thee,
But love thee better than thou canst devise,
Till thou shalt know the reason of my love:
And so, good Capulet,--which name I tender
As dearly as my own,--be satisfied."
Matthais lohr
i would have to agree with andrews comment because he has some good evidence to back up his explenation that he gives.
Nicloe R
I agree with what you are saying about the classification of Romeo and Juliet as a Tragedy. The Suicides of Romeo and Juliet make it so, and the way they act so dramatic toward this make it a tragedy
Well, it is considered a tragedy because people are dying young for their love. It shows true devotion to one's significant other.
oops. last post was me, a. plumlee. I agree with Nicole R when it comes to the unfair death of lovers.
I think the play is considered a tragedy because of the star crossed lovers ill fate even before they found eachother. Most love stories have happy endings where the boy gets his girl and they live happily ever after but that's not the case in Romeo and Juliet. They are doomed from birth to have the ending theydidn't but they didn't know it. In Act 5 Scene 3 line 309-310 it says, "For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo." The play is considered a tragedy because even though it is a love story the lovers don't get their happily ever after. They died far to young (Juliet being 13 and Romeo 18) never experiencing they joys of life or having children of their own. All that remains of Romeo and Juliet's love are two statues their parents had made in their honor. That is why Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy.
~Rebecca H.~
I agree with Ian when he said the murders of people the county cherished make a very sad sight and make it a tragedy but I also think it has some good part through the tragedy succh as when Romeo and Juliets parentd decide to leave the hate behind them and start again.
~Rebecca H.~
Tragedy is a situation where everything seems to work out, but in the end a terrible turn of events happen and sadness and grief are brought to people. In the case of Romeo and Juliet there story is considered a tragedy because the two star crossed lovers had devised a plan to free them from their feuding families so they could escape to be together forever. Friar Lawrence states, "Hold; get you gone, be strong and prosperous
In this resolve: I'll send a friar with speed
To Mantua, with my letters to thy lord" (4.1.124-126). With this, the Friar is devising a plan with Juliet where everything has been planned and Romeo simply needs to receive a letter explaining the events about to unfold. But according to our notes, a tragedy is a story where the conclusion has a disastrous and sorrowful end. And the story takes a disastrous turn. "I could not send it—here it is again —
Nor get a messenger to bring it thee,
So fearful were they of infection" (5.2.14-16). The Friar John is explaining that he could not deliver the letter to Romeo and therefore Romeo buys poison to kill himself and the tragedy continues from there on through the story. BY the end of the story, Romeo, Juliet, Tybalt, Paris, Mercutio, and others are dead. This in itself is a tragedy but also adding on the turn of events and horribleness that if everything happened five minutes later then all this death could have been prevented and the play would have ended joyfully.
@Adam
I agree with you Adam about how the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet unraveled throughout the play. It is true that the final downfall of the play was the lateness of the delivering of the letter to Romeo.
I agree with Adam. Shakespeare did pave the way for most modern tragedies, as his tale of Romeo and Juliet is most likely one of the most celebrated tragedies in history. And in his response to my comment, I do agree that their death created a common bond between the Montagues and the Capulets.
Tragedy is defined as something having a sad or unhappy ending. Romeo and juliet is a tragic love story because Romeo and Juilet are in love, but in the end they both end up dead becasue they kill themselves for eachother through a misunderstanding. The misunderstanding is where the tragedy lies. Had Romeo waited 5 more minutes before he drank the poison, Juliet would have awaken and they would have happily lived together. But he drank it and died just as she was waking." pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life/whose misadventur'd piteous overthrows" this quote from the prologue forshadows that the 2 main characters will die, and its through their misadventures or misunderstandings that they die. The fact that the death could have been avoided, and that it was a death between two children in love is what makes the play all the more tragic.
_alex boac
also at nicole R I agree with the statement that the most tragic of all tragides is the the one of lovers. especially the unfair one of Romeo and Juliet. Their families were the reason they ended up dead, and that cold have been prevented. That adds to the tragedy a reader feels becasue we had extra information that helped us predict the lovers death, but also ways it could have been prevented
Our notes tell us that a tragedy is the fall of a person of a high degree due to their own failures through Fate. This is exactly why Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy: they killed themselves because of their own mistake. If Romeo would not have taken the potion when he did, or if Juliet would have woken up just a couple minutes earlier, then they would have both lived. But this obviously did not happen, so this play is a tragedy. As a result of Romeo's mistake, Juliet takes her own life for real this time, "... O happy dagger!/This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die" (5.3.167-170).
@ alex boac
I completely agree with your last sentence about how they death could have been avoided, which makes it a tragedy, and the fact that two young children take their own lives because of a mistake, when they truly love each other completely and utterly leaves us as the audience sad, which is the effect of a good tragedy.
The story is titled The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, because it is through stupid decisions, human errors, and fate that ultimately results in the death of the two star crossed lovers. Romeo and Juliet fit the definition of a tragedy perfectly because it consists of all the elements. A tragedy is defined as the fall of persons of high degree due to their own failures, through fate, destiny, or the human condition to suffer, fail or die. Romeo and Juliet are both from wealthy families, high up in the class system. It was their fate to meet each other at the party because, Romeo never intended to go until the last minute, and he ended up meeting his true love. They ended up dying in the end, due to mistakes made along the way, and the inevitability of fate.
Adam, I agree with your idea that Death occured, but also a birth, however i do not think the reconciliation of the two feuding families made up for the fact that Romeo and Juliet were dead. I think everyone would have been much happier if Romeo and Juliet had lived and the families were still fighting.
Tragedy is a drama in which normally the protagonist gets killed or dies some how. Its a tragedy because Romeo and Juliet die in the end. We see this in the quote “Pitiful sight! Here lies the County slain” (5.3.174.) this is when the Watchman finds Romeo and Juliet dead in the tomb. This shows that its a tragedy because both of the protagonists die when you want them to live and its the end of the story.
@chase
That is an excellent explanation of a tragedy.
Mitch Slyman
Tradegy to me is when someone or something that is important to the stry. And in Romeo and Juliet 5 people die who have importance to the story. Romeo and Juliet obviously are the most important. The worst tradegy to me is the death of family which Juliet experienced when Tybaly was killed. Romeo also felt that since he had married Juliet and Tybaly was now his cousin.
-Mitch Andzelik-
Tragedy is a the type of drama, when an ending of a story ends sad or happy. The story of Romeo and Juliet is the type of drama that they both have problems to be with eachothers and then at the ending ended up both dying as a tragedy.(Romeo and Juliet 5.3.114-120)
"The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss A dateless bargain to engrossing death! Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavoury guide! Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on The dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary bark! Here's to my love! O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die." This quote is right when romeo drinks the posion and dies.(Romeo and Juliet 5.3.161-167) "What's here? a cup, closed in my true love's hand? Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end:
O churl! drunk all, and left no friendly drop To help me after? I will kiss thy lips; Haply some poison yet doth hang on them,
To make me die with a restorative.Thy lips are warm."(Romeo and Juliet 5.3.169)
" Yea, noise? Then I'll be brief. O happy dagger!" and then this is the part when Juliet kills her self with Romeos dagger.
@39leader
I agree with you, beacause Romeo and Juliet dies at a young age and it is rather consired tragic.
according to the dictionary, a tragedy is "An event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress, such as a serious accident, crime, or natural catastrophe". Romeo and Juliet is considered a tragedy because two star crossed lovers kill themselves to be with one another.
an example of tragedy durin the play would be "I could not send it—here it is again —
Nor get a messenger to bring it thee,
So fearful were they of infection" (act5.scene 2. lines 14-16)
This is an example of tragedy because this leads to romeo thinking his love is dead, causing him to kill paris and himself, which then causes juliet to kill herself as well. And the worst kind of death there is is the death of love.
@Mitch Slyman
i also believe that tradegy is when the protagonist dies, and i believe that you picked a very good quote to show this is a tragedy, because that is the most tragic part of the story.
Tragedy is a drama in which a character of importance dies. Throughout the story "The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet", we see love and hatred and conflict and confusion. In the end, the two main protagonists commit suicide. The story is ultimately about their eternal, undying love, but in the end they each die for the other. Romeo and Juliet would still have been alive were it not for a series of misunderstandings. These misunderstandings brought about the lovers' demise and caused the story to have a tragic ending. Had the two not died in the end, it would not have been considered a tragedy, but because their forbidden love and mishaps did bring about their deaths, it is tragic. Although the original conflict is resolved as a result of their deaths, it is still a tragedy. The story is summarized in the very first prologue:
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life,
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
Doth with their death bury their parents' strife (1.1.6-8)
It shows that the two star-crossed lovers (Romeo and Juliet) take their lives as a result of "Misadventures" and it ends the long-time feud between their families.
@erdlycommaerin,
I like how you said "And the worst kind of death there is is the death of love." I agree with that. The whole story is about their deaths because of their love for each other and that statement summed it up nicely.
~Brooke C. 1st period
i think that romeo and juliet is considered a tragedy because the main character dies, also not telling their familes about their marriage brought some tragedy because in the end it caused more feaud. in my notes it says "tragedy is a type of drama, which is preeminetely the story of one person, the hero" (Romeo and Juliet A3, S3 lines 100-120 Romeo is saying, that him killing tyblat is causing him to be banished.
anonymous before is me audraa
@nicole r
i agree with your definition of the word tragedy and i think that you described it very clearly. and the major downfall is between the main characters.
from audraa
Matthias i also agree with what you said. People sometimes cause their own tragedy by themselves.
-Mitch Andzelik-
Romeo and Juliet is considerd a tradegy because they tragically end their lives. The story does not have a happy ending. instead it has a tragic ending when Romeo and Juliet kill themselves in order to be with each other. this makes the viewer sad because the viewer may think that Romeo and Juliet is a happy story about two people that fall in love and live happily ever after. instead they end up dying to be together. Shakespesare writes"never was there a story of more woe than this Romeo and her Juliet" This makes the reader sad because they have connected with the characters and at the end of the story both of them die.
NicoleR:
I agree with you when you said that the audiences find it sad that the lovers had to die because i think it is something that tha audience can connect with. therefore it touches the audiences heart after Romeeo and Juliet die.
The play is a tragedy because both of the main characters end up dieing. It was a death the no one would have expected. Fate brought them to their 'tragic' ending. Romeo forshadows, "...With this night's revels and expire the term/of a despised life, clos'd in my breast,/by some vile forfeit of untimely death" (132-133). He believes that he will soon die a terrible death. Due to misunderstandings, both Romeo and Juliet die to be with each other. Juliet goes to the extent to fake death just so that she could be with her lover. Romeo was supposed to get a letter of the plan that they created, but it was never delivered. Friar Laurence says to Friar John, "The letter was not nice, but full of charge, of dear import; and the neglecting it may do much danger" (332). It was a series of unfortunate events that lead to the star-crossed lovers death. Never would that have thought that they would kill themselves over love.
@belle2014
I like how you viewed the story as a 'happily ever after' gone wrong. I agree with you when you say that they were doomed before even meeting. I also like your quote to support your view.
Tragedy something terrible happens to the main character of the story or a hero. Romeo and Juliet is indeed a tragedy because these kids are stupid enough to die for each other when they met only so many times dose Juliet even know Romeos last name? Honestly ridiculous.
The definition of tragedy in our notes fits perfectly with the story of Romeo and Juliet. Our notes say that tragedy is when one fails due to their own failures through fate, destiny, or when a person suffers, fails or dies. Both Juliet and Romeo died at the end. They also suffered throughout the story with the restrictions that they had for seeing each other. Juliet was the one who decided to drink what the friar had given her, which led to her own downfall. In the play it says, "Never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo." which also shows that it was a tragedy.
Liz 2
I agree with Fillippo, the play is considered a tragedy because the characters died and suffered from their own mistakes.
-Liz2nd
The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, got its title because, the story/play really is a tragedy. Two people are in love but both families dislike each other, so the two young lovers have to sneak around and in the end both lovers die because of the family fueds. Young Juliet says "dely this marriage for a month, a week, or if you do not make the bridal bed. In that I am monument where Tybalt lies." The tragedy here is shes saying she loves Romeo not Paris and she rather die than marry anyone else but him.
Romeo and Juliet is considered a tradegy because though they truly love each other they end up dying together over a family fued.
"Good night, good night! Parting is such a sweet sorrow, that i shall say good night till it be morrow." (Romeo and Juliet.2.2) this quote shows how much it hurts for them to be apart showing true love. 39leader said that romeo and juliet had a future together and that they ended love young but i feel that romeo and juliet never really had a future or any chance to be together.
Romeo and Juliet surely is a tragedy. The Montague’s and the Capulet’s perpetually hate each other. Theorized to have been guided by fate, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet fall in love, and slowly suffered incredible sorrow. However, unfortunately their love cannot be a celebration between the families (which is a tragedy in itself). They were forced to hide their marriage from everyone but the nurse. At the ball Juliet states, “ My only love has sprung from my only hate!”(1.5.126) Then, tragically the day Romeo and Juliet marry, Mercutio is killed by Tybalt and Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, is killed by Romeo. It is quite tragic that he ends of killing a relative of his new wife, getting himself in quite the pickle. Benvolio sets the scene, “Romeo away be gone! The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain” (3.1.128). Tragic event, after tragic event, Juliet is being forced to marry Paris, a man who she does not truly love. She goes far enough to threaten to kill herself than marry Paris. “Do thou but call my resolution wise, and with this knife I’ll help it presently”(4.1.53-55). Also, they both clearly killed themselves out of the mix of love and stupidity. Both Romeo and Juliet were deeply in love, though unfortunately they were both incredibly rash, led through unfavorable circumstances. They both died simply from love guiding them to make rash decisions.
Haylie R. 2
@ Sarah.
First off, your blog is very well done; detailed, well structured and much deep thinking is present. The way you exquisitely incorporated fate into your ideas, surely made me think about tragedy. Overall, very nice job! :)
-Haylie R. 2.
Romeo and Juliet can be seen as a happy love story or a horrific tragedy, it all depends on the reader. With all the love going on in the story, there is still the presence of tragedy in the air. A quote to show the idea of tragedy is, "A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life/Whose misadventured piteous overthrows/Doth with their death bury their parents' strife. (1.1.6-8)" The Montagues and Capulets hate each other, but their children are madly in love. That is a tragedy in itself. But the end of the story is the worst, Romeo and Juliet take their own lives for each other. In a sick and twisted way, I think that's cute, but still rather unfortunate. Seeing that they were so young was a big factor, they still had so much to do together. Back to the idea of the family feud, if that weren't to have ever happened, I don't think they ending if the story would be so horrible. A quote to show this idea of tragedy is, "A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life/Whose misadventured piteous overthrows/Doth with their death bury their parents' strife. (1.1.6-8)" If anything good came out of the teen's deaths, it would be that the feud between the two houses is now coming to an end.
@Filippo
I like how you brought in fate. I didn't really think about that, so now I have a little bit of a different way of thinking. If Romeo and Juliet's timing were a little off, the story probably wouldn't have ended like it did.
A tragedy is when that character's tragic flaw, leads to their destruction.Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy, the "star-crossed" lovers are victims of situations between feuding families that stand in the way of their love. In scence 3 act 2, "A plague o' both your houses!" This tells us that something bad will soon happen to both families.
ptoorxx3..i agree that Tragedy is an unexpected pain that comes upon in drama. The deaths between both families cause the characters in the story pain.
tragedy is played out and it starts with happiness and slowly starts to show the main characters or character dying in the end. this is portrayed in the play romeo and juliet because they both kill themselves in belief the other is dead. "... O happy dagger!/This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die" (5.3.167-170). juliet takes the dagger that romeo had and killed herself because her lover was laying there dead.
i agree with belle2014 about how fate had brought the star crossed lovers together and in the end made the play rather tragic. and how she said they were doomed at birth and did not know it. i think a little could be added about the death romeo and juliet encountered.
"Tragedy: the fall of persons of high degree due to thier own failures, through fate, destiny, or the human condition to suffer, fail, and die."
Romeo and Juliet were members of high class families. It is argued that they both came to thier death through fate as "Two star-crossed lovers". As for the human condition to fail: both Romeo, Juliet, and other characters made multiple mistakes leading up to their death. They lied to thier parents, the friar didn't send the letter in time, Paris got in the way, Romeo killed himself just before Juliet woke up, and more little mistakes leading up to this tragedy.
Although Romeo and Juliet is a stroy of love, it was filled with tragedy. Mercutio, Tybalt, Paris, Lady Montague, Romeo, and Juliet all ended up dead due to the love of two people and the tragedies involved with that. The Prince finishes the play with the line "For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo".
~aPerkins~
@jkbrown04
I loved you idea of tragedy through thier love. You said "this quote shows how much it hurts for them to be apart showing true love". My first thought of the tragedy was in the overall play that they ended up dead due to thier love for eachother. Though I love how you saw that Romeo and Juliet suffered their own tragedy for living a forbidden love. Thanks for the great viewpoint!!
~aPerkins~
OH YEAH!! 50th comment again!! (look up) XD
~aPerkins~
A tragedy is usually defined as a play that deals with unhappy elements or has an unhappy ending. Many of these revolve around the idea of the "Fall" of the main character(s). This comes to pass when Romeo and Juliet take their own lives at the end of the play. A quote that cements that this is a tragedy is, "Never was a story of more woe, then of Juliet and her Romeo". There are also quotes from the main characters that do the same, Romeo's, "Indeed I must die, that's why I came here". This shows he meant all along to take his own life, and when his words become actions, then, "Tragedy has struck again." This is undoubtedly why I would consider this a tragedy.
I do not have my notes handy but according to dictionary.com, a tragedy is "a dramatic composition, often in verse, dealing with a serious or somber theme, typically that of a great person destined through a flaw of character or conflict with some overpowering force, as fate or society, to downfall or destruction". As you can see by the definition, Romeo and Juliet follows it very closely. We have discussed in class before, fate plays a large role in the play. An example of fate playing a role is in the prologue. It is, "The fearful passage of their death mark'd love,/ And the continuance of their parents' rage,(Romeo and Juliet.Prologue.9-10.)" This shows that fate is going to play a role in the ending of the play. The definition of a tragedy says fate or society leads to the downfall of the story.
Kevin 1st
@Kristine
I like your definition of what a tragedy is. I also think that the quotes you selected really helped back up what you were saying.
According to the notes, a tragedy is “the fall of persons of high degree due to their own failures, fate, destiny, or the human condition to suffer, fail and die.” Romeo and Juliet is considered a tragedy because both Romeo and Juliet fall from their dazed state of being in love to much suffering and eventually death. Towards the beginning of the book, Romeo states, “Ah, Juliet, if the measure of thy joy/Be heap'd like mine and that thy skill be more/To blazon it, then sweeten with thy breath/This neighbour air, and let rich music's tongue/Unfold the imagined happiness that both/Receive in either by this dear encounter.” Here he is exclaiming his love for Juliet and says how happy he is with her. However, as the definition says, Romeo falls from this happy state because of fate. From the very beginning, it was said that Romeo and Juliet were “star-crossed” lovers, meaning they were doomed. When Romeo is banished and the couple finds they must be apart, Juliet cries, “'Romeo is banished,' to speak that word,/Is father, mother, Tybalt, Romeo, Juliet,/All slain, all dead. 'Romeo is banished!'/There is no end, no limit, measure, bound,/In that word's death; no words can that woe sound./Where is my father, and my mother, nurse?” Here we see the descent from a state of pure happiness to sadness. After Romeo’s exile a sequence of unfortunate events follow, eventually leading to the death of both lovers, embodying the very definition of a “tragedy.”
Morgan
A tragedy is a play dealing with tragic events and having an unhappy ending, esp. one concerning the downfall of the main character. Romeo and Juliet is considered a tragedy from the beginning. The prologue says, "From forth the fatal loins of these two foes a pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;" (1.1.5-6). The Montagues and the Capulets are enemies, but their children brought together by fate are in love. We also learn from this that sometime during the play they will kill themselves which is the most tragic part. Their families being enemies led to them not being able to be together. This led to Romeo and Juliet killing themselves because they could not stand to be apart. The last line of the play also sums up why this play is a tragedy. The final lines are, "For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo" (5.3.309-310). All of the killings in this play also is depressing. Many new bodies now lay in the Capulet's tomb in the final scene because so many have been killed. This is what makes Romeo and Juliet a true tragedy.
Kaitlyn R. 2nd period
@Haylie
I agree with how you say that Romeo and Juliet not being able to celebrate their marriage is a tragedy itself. It is sad that this cannot happen because of their family's fued. The only people who can be happy for them are the nurse and the friar because they are the only ones who know. You made some very good points in your blog and did a very nice job.
Kaitlyn R. 2nd period
How can it not be considerd a tragedy!? The notes say a tragedy is the fall of a person's high degree due to their own failures, through fate, destiny, or the human condition to, suffer, fail, and die. That's what Romeo and Juliet was all about, death, losing one's love, and banishment. For example, in the book when the watchmen look for what/who is causing so much trouble in the cemetary he says,"Pitiful sight! Here lies the County slain;And Juliet bleeding, warm, and newly dead..." (shakepeare 5.3.174-175) When Juliet finds Romeo dead she says, "Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end. O churl! Drunk all, and left no friendly drop to help me after? I will kiss thy lips. Haply yet some poison yet doth hang on them to make me de wih a restorative." (shakepeare 5.3.162-165)With all of these events someone died. Obviously because of their own faiures to communicate and what they believed to be fate. In all of these someone suffere wether it be they thought their love had died o they died slowly. In then end Romeo and Juliet lost their love as young as it was. Also, in the story Romeo falls from high degree. In the story it says, "But Romeo may not, he is banished." (shakepeare 3.3.40) He is banished for klling Tybalt. Romeo compare banishment to death. This play is considerd a tragedy for good reasons.
Abbi R. 1st period
I agree with both @jkbrown04 and apple101. Romeo and Juliet dying isn't the only tragedy. They were living a tragedy because of their forbidden love. I think that often gets left out as a tragic part ofthe tory, just becase tey are still alive.
Abbi R. 1st period
A story gets titled the Tragedy Of Romeo and Juliet because it is a clever protrayal between two characters that fall in love and would do anything to protect eachother. While, protecting eachother because they love eachother. This play is a tragedy because Romeo and Juliet didn't want to be with anyone else, but eachother. So they took thier lives for one another because they wanted to be with eachother forever even if dead or alive. A quote to support all of this is in the prologue in the very beginning saying, "From forth the loins of these two foes, A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whose misadventur'd piteous overthrows,Doth with their death bury their parents' strife"
-Jordan M.-
kristinec140455 I agree with you because Romeo loved Juliet that he decided to take his own life to be with her even in the afterlife. This is because they loved eachother so much that nothing could break that not even death.
-Jordan M.-
@ kristinec140455
I started to think after reading that you said the most tragic part of the story was when Romeo killed himself when if he would have come five minutes later, he would have found juliet awake from her sleep. This is why we find the story so tragic. The death of both lovers could have been avaoided if only Romeo was a tad bit late. Still, fate decided that Romeo would come to find her right at the moment he did,for they were doomed from the very start.
Morgan 2
A tragedy is a genre that gets bestowed on plays that have a deep sad theme.
Tragic plays are titled tragedies because they cause sadness or even grief.
In act three Romeo is loving to Juliet when she asks him to stay with her and Romeo simply says,"Let me be ta'en. Let me be put to death.I am content, so thou wilt have it so.I’ll say yon grey is not the morning’s eye."(3.5.17-19)
This is tragic because it shows that Romeo is so devoted to Juliet that he is willing to get killed just to spend a little more time with her.
This play is considered a tragedy because most people spend so much time dreaming that they will find the one person for them.This is the one person that they will love and grow old with. In Romeo and Juliet, they are each others one and only and they end by killing themselves.This makes people feel sad for them, resulting in being named a tragedy.
I agree with Nicole R
I think the end:
"Never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo."
Accurately depicts the sadness of the story, and makes me understand why this story is named a tragedy.
A famous rule of thumb is that a comedy ends in a wedding, and a tragedy ends in a funeral. It is written in our notes that a tragedy is "the fall of persons of high degree due to their own failures, fate, destiny, or the human condition to suffer, fail, and die." In Romeo and Juliet, they know that it will end in death from the beginning. In act three, scene five, Romeo states "I must be gone and live, or stay and die" He has a premonition that some way if he stays with Juliet, he will have an ill fate. It may have been viewed as a comedy from the beginning--a wedding, a few jokes, teenagers in love-- yet it ultimately turned out as a tragedy-- young deaths, ill fates, a funeral.
@Adam
I like the idea you brought up of how shakespeare used this play to define tragedy and make it the basis for future tragedies. that statement really makes you think.
I agree with 39leader when they say "it is considered a tragedy when the main charcter dies" because the main charcter "is the story" and when they are gone the story is finished.
A tragedy is a play dealing with unhappy events/endings, especially when concerning the main characters.
Even though Shakespeare tells the audience at the beginning, "A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life"(1.Prologue.6), it still sad that the two and others die, and all of their lives could have been saved if only they had waited a few more minutes. With this, Shakespeare toys with the audience's feeling of suspense and fate.
@Kristine
I completely agree that the fact that the majority of the tragedy could have been avoided in five minutes makes it that much more tragic.
^Jshaw
A tradgedy is when the protagonist(s) dies. In romeo and juliet they both die. It is also a tragedy because it is not a fun love story where everyone is happy, the only good thing that happens is that the families are not fighting anymore, but they are still all unhappy. The prince prove that veveryone is sad when he says, "A glooming peace this morning with it brings. The sun, for sorrow, will not show its head. Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things. Some shall be pardoned, and some punished. For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo."
Hallie 2nd period
Taejoh:
i agree with you, it does cement the idea of tragedy with the fact that the whole thing could have been avoided with things being sped up by just a few minutes.
By the way Mrs. P, it was the friars fault.
@taejoh
I agree that a play has to do with unhappy endings and events, but I think the main character has to do with the unhappiness.
Tragedy is often considered as a downfall that results in grief such as death, loss of power, suffering, and great failure. In Romeo and Juliet, the presence of tragedy seems to always be lurking around each and every corner and page. We find it in suffering, such as when Juliet can't be with her beloved and she would rather die: "I must be gone and live, or stay and die". Without Romeo, she would be lost. Tragedy can exist in destiny as well, and the destiny of these two lovers seems to be the whole point of their death: "A pair of star-cross'd lover take their life; whose misadventur'd piteous overthrows...". By the power of fate, they are destined to live a life of tragedies. Death also is a great example of a tragedy. We see many lives lost during the play: "Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die", " This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die". The heavy sadness becomes a plague, infecting everyone with grief and some with suicide.
I am commenting on Adam's comment.
I agree that a tragedy's outline seems to begin with happiness in character's lives and then a sudden event that turns everything for the worst.
A story of true love gets The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet because of what happens to them in the end with them dying. This play is a tragedy because them dying is such a horrible thing. If would be a horrible thing to happen to any person and really them because they were so young and they didn’t have time to live their lives. Also because they were in love and they didn’t even get to spend a lot of time together as married people. “Romeo, there dead, was husband to that Juliet;/And she, there dead, that Romeo's faithful wife:” (5.3.240-241). This quote here is saying that they were married, but they both died. I guess this could be good that they both died together, but they did die and didn’t get to live happily together as married people.
@Haylie
I agree with what you say by it’s a tragedy that they don’t even get to celebrate it with their families that they got married. Also with what you say about every one’s death it all are tragedies.
The notes say that a tradgedy is when something terrible happens to the main characters. And the story of Romeo and Juliet truly is tragic. You look at the two of them thinking that they are so in love they would take their own lives to be with each other. Thats tragic if I've ever seen it. A quote from the text that shows how tragic is at the end of the book when the Prince is speaking of the death of both Romeo and Juliet "A glooming peace this morning with it brings; the sun, for sorrow, will not show his head: Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things; Some shall be pardon'd, and some punished: For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.". This pretty much sums up the tragedy of these to lovers. It was a tradgedy that they had to ruin something so special because of something that shouldn't have even happened.
To comment on Hallie's post I would say that she is right when she says that nothing really happened in this story. And I think that is a big part of a tragedy. Tragedy's are sad and that is exactly what happened in Romeo and Juliet.
The play Romeo and Juliet is considered a tragedy because at the end in act 5 Romeo kills himself with the poison because he thought that Juliet was dead. Then the other main character, Juliet, sees Romeo is dead and stabs herself with Romeo's dagger. "Some shall be pardon'd, and some punished; For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo." This qoute shows that this play was a tragedy.
@39leader
I think that you had a good point of why it was a tragedy because we said similar things.
"Indeed I must die. And that’s why I came here.
This quote is an example of how Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy. This is because Romeo came to Juliet's tombstone to say good-bye and kill himself. This is because he can't live on without Juliet.
emily 1st period
I agree with Chase when he says "A tragedy is a very hard thing to go through like how you can see Juliet sobbing over Romeo for killing himself for her and realizing it and must kill herself for she misses her love". I agree with Chase because this quote shows that Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy because all the main characters die in this play including Romeo and Juliet.
The play by Shakespeare is a tragedy based on the fact that both of the main characters die. It again is brought forth by the idea of fate. Mercutio and Tybalt also die which is another example of tradegy. Tragedies always end bad for the main characters which is why Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy.
@Nicole R
I think your view on Shakespeare's definition of a tragedy makes perfect sense based on the ending of the play.
-Pete
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy because they fall I love and then die. I think it is a bigger tragedy when Romeo dies because Juliet didnt really die and the Friar didn't tell him what Juliet was doing because he was to late to tell Romeo ecause he had already killed himself with the drink or drugs that what we would call today a drug dealer.
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy, because it is about love and how a sequence of events can affect the overall meaning and outcome of the story. An example of tragedy is when Mercutio and Tybalt both die, which caused another sequence of events that occured later on in the play.
39leader-
I agree with how you define what a tragedy is. It is when the main character dies or someone else important in the play. Just like Mercution and Tybalt triggered the death of Romeo later on.
@anselexa
I agree with you idea of how it had many element of unhappy. I also think that the majority of the unhappiness was because Juliet and Romeo could be in public with each other. I think Juliet would had wanted to have an public relationship with Romeo and to tell er parents. To have to hide that could cause tons of stress with not really seeing him and not know what is happening with Romeo
In our notes, tragedy is defined as a character's failure due to their own failures through fate, destiny, or when a person suffers, fails or dies. This definition applies to Romeo & Juliet because the story was entirely written to build up to the event of the two main characters killing themselves in the grief of seeing each other in a mortal position. Shakespeare predicts the event of the characters' suffering and death in the Prologue, "Whose misadventur'd piteous overthrows Doth with their death bury their parents' strife"(1.1.8-9). Here we can see how the tragedy is already implied, making the audience expect a dramatic ending of suffering, failure, or death.
@iamkoalaty
As for your second post, I think Romeo would have had the same fate if he got there any time later before the Friar arrived. Since Paris was going to leave the grave site sooner or later, Romeo might have had an even easier way killing himself, if he did so before the Friar arrived. In fact, if Romeo got there some time later, the story might actually have been even less tragic due to the lucky survival of Paris.
A tragedy is a play in which the main character or characters meet with disaster in the end, usually death or anything else unfortunate. In Romeo and Juliet's case, they both fall into death's grasp. Tragedy upon tragedy occurs in the story from Marcutio and Talbot' death to Juliet taking her own life.
The most tragic event in the story i believe is when Juliet wakes up right after Romeo's death. The story reads, "O comfortable friar! Where is my lord?/I do remember well where I should be,/And there i am. Where is my Romeo?" Juliet expects for Romeo to rescue her, instead she wakes and finds him dead by her side. Only lines before, Romeo is in remorse for he believes his Juliet has died, and poisons himself. If only he would have walked a bit slower to her grave, or stopped to tie his shoe, he may have found her awake upon his arrival.
Response to Nicole:
I agree that the most tragic ending is with the death of lovers, who came so close to being together, but permanently separated by death, for eternity.
Romeo and Juliet is considered a tragedy because of the ending. They were in love, yes, but the story is not about their love. Its about how two teens that loved eachother were forbidden to be together and died FOR EACHOTHER. That's why its a tragedy, because they couldnt be together and share their love. No quotes, sorry. Hey, some credit is better than none :P
Tragedy is an event that takes place that negatively affects somebody in an extreme way, most likely death. Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy because they obviously both kill themselves believing the other is dead. They both think life is just unbearable without the other because they are so in love. They feel as if they cannot live in a world without their soulmate, so they take their own lives, and decide this very shortly after finding out the other is dead. In act 5, scene 3, line 167-170, Juliet says, "O happy dagger/ this is thy sheath; dare rust and let me die." This is when Juliet realizes that Romeo is dead, so she decides to kill herself.
@ashley_fortney
I agree with you that this play is more of a tragedy because they are star-crossed lovers. I think the fact that they defied their destiny by being together and their love resulting in death makes the play a tragedy because it shows what some will do for love.
@39leader
Its not considered a tragedy if one of the characters dies when their not a main character? I believe you narrowed your reasoning/explain down to much.
Tragedy is a drama that has a sorrowful and miserable ending. Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy because both of the main characters die in the end. Romeo see's Juliet asleep and thinks she is dead. He kills him self because of it. Romeo states "O true apothecary!/ Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die" (Act 5, Scene 3). When Juliet awakens and see's her love dead she decides to also kill herself. While doing so she tells "O happy dagger!/ This is thy sheath; there rest, and let me die" (Act 5, scene 3). Therefore, Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy.
@Nicole R
I completely agree with your statement that the most tragic of all tragedies is the unfair death of lovers. Romeo and Juliet's deaths were completely unfair considering it was out of stupidity. They did not need to die but did it so they could be together forever.
Tragedies end in pain/misery. "never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo." Their story is so sad that it is considered a tragedy. It is also dramatic and tragedies are usually full of drama.
I believe it is considered a tragedy when someone whose a main roll in the book or film dies, also when something causes the audience to weep or cry. All hope is gone. The hero isn't coming back. In romeo and juliet, they both kill themselves at the end, bringing grief and sadness to their families as well as the reader. "... O happy dagger!/This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die" (5.3.167-170. This is why it is considered a tragedy. Juiet shows that she would rather die then be without romeo.
@nicole R
I agree with what youre saying that romeo is choosing to die. I love how you used the quote. I also believe that your explanation of tragedy itself is spot on. Very well done:)
Nicole R, I like how you noticed that both Romeo and Juliet decided to die of their own accords. I think that this is where they thought they were taking their lives into their own hands for once. Also I think that tragedies are what they are because they end in tragedy like the death of two lovers.
Tragedy is, according to our notes, "the fall of persons of high degree due to their own failures, fate, destiny, or the human condition to suffer, fail, and die." Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy because Romeo and Juliet are fated to die. In the prologue, it states, "From forth the fatal loins of these two foes / A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life." Star-crossed lovers are people whose relationships are thwarted by outside forces. Fate is the outside force in Romeo and Juliet. It is also a tragedy because Romeo and Juliet end up killing themselves at the end of the play.
Alyssa 9th period
kristinec140455
I agree with your definition and examples of tragedy. The example of Friar John is a good example of fate. Overall, I agree with your point of view.
A tragedy is a drama that ends in an unhappy ending. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet was considered a tragedy because the main characters die in the end. Although, one might argue that it was not really a tragedy because the fued was ended due to Romeo and Juliet's death. In the book it says, "A glooming peace this morning with it brings", "it" being the death of Romeo and Juliet. This is saying that peace was brought through their death.
-Nicole Lorig
@Fillipo
I agree with what you're saying about the Tragedy. I think that because it just so happened that Juliet didn't wake up five minutes later or that the letter couldn't get delivered that it was a tragedy.
-Nicole Lorig
I think Romeo And Juliet are conciderd a tragedy because both the main characters Die. It took the death of Romeo and Juliet for the familys to wor kout there differences. Both Romeo and Juliet died for eachothers love and at a young age which shows that it was a tragedy.
@39leader
I agree with you because the story ends with grief and in the end Romeo And Juliet die young
i would consider this a tragedy. this is a tragedy because in the end the could have lived but the word wasnt spread around. if the friar could have reached romeo it would have been a tragedy because they would have lived in the end. if romeo would have kept himself alive for ten more minutes it wouldnt have been considered a tragedy. the tragedy id that romeo killed himself over juliet but she was still alive and then when juliet woke up she saw the prince and romeo dead and commited suicide for love.
alyssa- i agree that they are star crossed lover and they werent supposed to be with eachother but in the end they killed themselves so they could be together
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