R&J- Juliet Internal Conflict
People should not take control of another person's life.
Act 3 Scene 2:
Juliet's vicious cousin, Tybalt, hates Romeo with a passion because he's a Montague, and he wants Juliet to stay away from him. He kills Romeo's best friend, Mercutio. In return, Romeo kills Tybalt and is banished from his home, Verona. When Nurse breaks the news to Juliet, Juliet worriedly wonders, "Is Romeo slaughtered, and is Tybalt dead?/ My dear-loved cousin, and my dearer lord?/ Then, dreadful trumpet, sound the doom!" (1053, 71-73) Tybalt tried to control Juliet's life, which brought her heartache because both her cousin and her true love are gone.
Act 3 Scene 5:
Lord Capulet is very unhappy with his daughter, Juliet, because she is refusing to follow her parents' wishes and marry Paris. He doesn't understand why and believes Juliet is truly ungrateful. He scolds, "Unworthy as she is, that we have wrought/ So unworthy a gentleman to be her bridegroom?" (1067, 162-163) Capulet threatens Juliet, leaving her distressed.
Act 4 Scene 3:
Due to the fact the Juliet is being forced to marry a man she doesn't love, Paris, by her parents, she takes matters into her own hands and goes to Friar Laurence for a potion that will make her appear dead. This is so she can run away and be with Romeo. But after she is given the potion, Juliet talks to herself- "What if it be a poison which the friar/ subtly hath ministered to have me dead" (1079, 26-27) She has seconds thoughts, knowing that there is chance that the potion will truly kill her.
Act 5 Scene 3: Total Proof
Juliet is in her family's tomb after fooling her family into believing she had died. She woke up to find Romeo beside her, dead from taking poison. He committed suicide because he also thought that his one true love was gone forever. Juliet sees a sword and says, "This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die." (1098, 183) Out of grief, she takes the dagger and stabs herself, killing her. All of this is clearly a result of Juliet's family trying control her and keep her away from Romeo. None of it would have happened if they had let her make her own decisions rather than force her into something she didn't want, especially considering they did it out of pride and hatred for the Montagues, not out of love for Juliet. Therefore, they are responsible for the death of both Romeo and Juliet.