Name: ________________________________

Using William Shakespeare’s play ​The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet​, choose one character and analyze
his/her actions and motivations. What motivates him/her to make certain choices? How do his/her choices
complicate the plot?

Romeo is one of the main characters from the play The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Romeo strives to

marry Juliet and to be with her throughout the play. Romeo, a Montague, wants to marry Juliet, a Capulet, even

though they are from different families. Romeo and Juliet make a plan to get married and run away together.

Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, finds out about this relationship and tries to kill Romeo because of this, Romeo kills

Tybalt so he can be with Juliet. This action gets Romeo exiled and Juliet decides to take a potion to give the

impression that she is dead. Romeo doesn’t know about this and kills himself because he is so distraught about

Juliet's death. Juliet then awakens and stabs herself because she cannot live without Romeo.

Romeo’s love for Juliet causes Romeo to make irrational and sometimes unthoughtful decisions to be

with Juliet. Such as when Romeo kills Tybalt to be with Juliet, as Benvolio states, “The citizens are up, and

Tybalt slain” (Act 3, Scene 1). Romeo would do anything to be with Juliet. This act causes Juliet to be

distraught about the death of her cousin at Romeo’s hand. This caused Romeo to be exiled and caused Juliet to

take the potion. When Romeo does not get word of this he becomes consumed with sadness and takes his life.

Juliet then finds out that Romeo has died and stabs herself. Romeo’s love for Juliet was the very reason they

could not be together. When Romeo killed Tybalt it caused a chain reaction that caused the death of them both.

The feud between the Montagues and the Capulets affects Romeo’s decisions. This is shown when

Romeo goes to Juliet during the balcony scene. Romeo goes to Juliet even though their families are on different

sides of the feud. This causes Tybalt to have a hatred for Romeo because he has fallen in love with Juliet.

Romeo will do anything to be with Juliet. When Tybalt tries to kill Romeo for trying to be with Juliet, Romeo

kills Tybalt because he cannot be without Juliet. Romeo states, “Hath been my kinsmen, O sweet Juliet, Thy

beauty hath made me effeminate” (Act 3, Scene 1). This shows that Romeo would do anything for Juliet and
this is confirmed when he kills Tybalt. This feud causes Romeo to kill for Juliet and this causes Romeo to be

exiled because of this irrational decision.

Romeo has made several irrational decisions throughout the play. This is shown when Romeo kills

himself because he thought that Juliet died. This shows that Romeo does love Juliet but is not thinking clearly.

If Romeo was to wait and think about this decision then both Romeo and Juliet would be alive. Romeos

irrational decisions made things harder for Romeo. His love for Juliet has blinded him and not allowed him to

think clearly. This irrational decision is shown by Romeo when he states, “Here's to my love! [Drinks.] O true

apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die” (Act 5, Scene 3). This shows that Romeo doesn’t think

about his decisions. This is shown when he decided to take his own life as soon as he finds that Juliet has

possibly passed. Romeo is blind to reason when it comes to Juliet.

Romeo makes many irrational decisions throughout the play. This could be avoided if Romeo was to

think about his actions. Tybalt's murder could have been avoided and Romeo and Juliet could still be alive.

Romeo’s irrational decisions affected the storyline of the play although many people may say Romeo’s decision

didn’t have a great effect on the plot, it did have a great effect on the plot because of his irrational decisions and

because he killed Tybalt. Romeo’s irrational decisions and he killed Tybalt had a great effect on the storyline of

the play because of his love for Juliet.