How does Shakespeare present Romeo as a tragic hero?
In this extract from Act V Scene I, Balthasar brings news of Juliet’s supposed death to Romeo.
ROMEO
News from Verona! How now, Balthasar?
Dost thou not bring me letters from the friar?
How doth my lady? Is my father well?
How doth my Juliet? That I ask again,
For nothing can be ill if she be well.
BALTHASAR
Then she is well and nothing can be ill:
Her body sleeps in Capel’s monument,
And her immortal part with angels lives.
I saw her laid low in her kindred’s vault,
And presently took post to tell it you.
O, pardon me for bringing these ill news,
Since you did leave it for my office, sir.
ROMEO
Is it e’en so? Then I defy you, stars!
Thou knowest my lodging, get me ink and paper,
And hire post-horses; I will hence tonight.
BALTHASAR
I do beseech you, sir, have patience.
Your looks are pale and wild, and do import
Some misadventure.
ROMEO
Tush, thou art deceiv’d.
Leave me, and do the thing I bid thee do.
Hast thou no letters to me from the friar?
BALTHASAR
No, my good lord.
ROMEO
No matter, get thee gone,
And hire those horses; I’ll be with thee straight.
Exit Balthasar.
Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight.
Let’s see for means. O mischief, thou art swift
To enter in the thoughts of desperate men!
How does Shakespeare present Romeo as a tragic hero?
Consider how:
[30 marks]
[4 SPAG]
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is about how strong emotions have tragic consequences. Romeo’s impulsive nature, and inability to regulate his emotions, result in him making rash decisions, which contribute to the deaths of multiple characters in the play. Arguably, Romeo’s impulsive decisions could be held responsible for the deaths of all of the characters in the play.
In the extract, Shakespeare makes clear that Romeo is impulsive and impatient. In the opening of the extract, Shakespeare has Romeo ask a series of rapid questions about Juliet, eager to hear news of her from Bathalsar. The use of several questions one after another indicates that Romeo is barely pausing for breath or to allow Balthasar to speak, which indicates that he is extremely patient. Upon hearing of her supposed death, Romeo immediately commands Balthasar to ‘get ink and paper’ and ‘hire those horses’. Shakespeare’s repeated use of commands convey the urgency in Romeo’s voice. It is clear that he is not taking the time to think, but is immediately ordering Balthasar to prepare what he needs to return to Verona. Shakespeare contrasts Romeo’s impulsiveness with Balthasar’s patience when he has Balthasar urge Romeo to ‘have patience’ because he fears that Romeo may have some ‘misadventure’ in mind. Moments later, after Balthasar leaves, Romeo states that he will ‘lie’ with Juliet, which implies that he is planning to kill himself in order to be with her in the tomb. Shakespeare seems to present Romeo in this way in order to emphasise how Romeo’s impulsive nature contributes to the play’s tragedy; if he were able to be patient, as Bathalsar advises, perhaps he would soon have received news from Friar Laurence of Juliet’s plan, and could have avoided the tragic end to both of their lives.
In the extract, Shakespeare also makes clear that Romeo is an extremely passionate character. When Romeo asks Balthasar for news of Juliet, Shakespeare has him say that ‘nothing is ill if she will well’. It is clear therefore that Romeo places all of his happiness in Juliet, and is far more interested in news of Juliet’s welfare than he is to hear news of other friends and family. He was similarly passionate earlier in the play, moments after he first met Juliet, when he described her as the ‘sun’, implying that his whole world revolves around her and that she is his source of warmth and life. The audience had previously seen Romeo passionately declaring his feelings towards Rosaline, so the audience is constantly reminded of the fact that Romeo is a deep-feeling character who often seems unable to manage his emotions; this is his tragic flaw. Shakespeare emphasises the passion and emotion in Romeo’s character in order to warn against acting impulsively upon these feelings. If Romeo were able to manage his emotions more effectively, perhaps he could have avoided placing all hopes in Juliet.
Early in the play, Shakespeare makes clear that Romeo and Juliet are fated to die. In the prologue, Shakespeare describes Romeo and Juliet as a ‘star-crossed lovers’ and their love as ‘death-marked’ in order to make clear to the audience that Romeo and Juliet’s love will meet a tragic end. Before Romeo goes to the Capulet ball, Shakespeare makes further references to fate by having Romeo declare a bad dream that he had and his fear that the ‘stars’ have a negative future planned for him. In inviting the audience to know Romeo’s fate even before the events of the play have begun, Shakespeare invites them to see Romeo as the tragic hero, who is destined for destruction and downfall.
In the play as a whole, Shakespeare demonstrates that Romeo’s impulsive and passionate nature contributes to the deaths of other characters. If Romeo had not been so quick to fall in love with Juliet, not considering the consequences of marrying the daughter of the enemy family, he may not have allowed Mercutio to fight in his place, thus could have avoided Mercutio’s death. If Mercutio had not died, Romeo would not have impulsively murdered Tybalt. Romeo’s impulsive decision to murder Tybalt without considering the consequence results in his banishment, which leads to Lady Montague dying of grief. Romeo’s impulsive decision to kill himself to be with Juliet leads him to murder Paris, who stands in his way at Juliet’s tomb. It also leads to Juliet killing herself. Had he waited, his and Juliet’s deaths could have been avoided. Shakespeare therefore presents Romeo as a tragic hero, whose character flaws lead not only to his own death but to the deaths of multiple other characters in the play.
At the end of the play, Shakespeare uses Romeo’s death to restore order in Verona. In the final moments of the play, Lord Montague and Capulet hold out a hand to one another and agree to end the feud that resulted in the deaths of their children. Both promise to raise a statue in honour of the other’s child. Shakespeare has Prince Escalus state that ‘all are punished’ perhaps because he wants to give a clear message to the audience, and to the characters, that all are responsible for the play’s tragic end. It is clear therefore that Romeo and Juliet have not died in vain. Although the play has a deeply tragic ending, there is hope that peace will be restored in Verona for the first time in years.
In conclusion, it is clear that many of Romeo’s actions make him the typical tragic hero, with a major character weakness that not only brings about his own destruction, but also the destruction of others. Shakespeare could be using Romeo’s character to challenge weaknesses in the human condition. At times our inability to regulate our emotions, our selfishness and our impulsiveness can have disastrous consequences. It seems we can all learn from the mistakes made by Romeo.