Romeo and Juliet: How Hate, Rivalry, and Consequence Bring the Lover's Their Demise

  Hate in itself is a terrible thing. Whether justified or not, it can lead to poor decisions with dire or specifically criminal consequences. Throw a rivalry into the mix, and you've got a Romeo and Juliet-like situation, literally. Hate, rivalry, and consequence are all major factors to the plot of Romeo and Juliet, especially resulting in the act of being the driving force for several unfortunate events. If we think abut this further, this is how most tragedies occur. The hate, rivalry, and consequence in Romeo and Juliet are all that makes the play a tragedy, for without it, the whole play would end at Romeo and Juliet's wedding. William Shakespeare  incorporates the themes of hate, rivalry, and consequence to reinforce the dangers and dire fate associated with the three by making us feel pure sorrow in the concluding act of Romeo and Juliet.

  Rivalry is apparent between all the members of the Capulet and Montague families, except for between Romeo and Juliet of course. The first major, plot affecting instance of rivalry is presented to us in the very first scene of the first act. A pair of Capulet goons confront and taunt two other Montague kinsman until a street fight is instigated. Tybalt then continues the fight and basically gives away the fact that both families are in a dire, fatal feud. From that point on, Tybalt basically embodies the Capulet's hate for the Montagues. This is especially true when Tybalt quotes, "...I hate the word/ As I hate I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee."(1. 5. 69-71). 

  Then comes the idea of hate that is sprouted from these roots of rivalry. For example, Tybalt proclaims his strong hate for Romeo as he spots him at the Capulet party, but his uncle, Lord Capulet resists him, as Tybalt quotes "I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall/ Now seeming sweet, convert to bitt'rest gall."(1.5.102-103). This directly foreshadows the street fight instigated by Tybalt in Act 3. After Mercutio is killed in the duel between him and Tybalt, Romeo is sent into a hysterical rage. From this point on until he kills Tybalt literally minutes later, the hate between Tybalt and Romeo is mutual. This is seen in Romeo's quote: "...Staying for thine to keep him company./ Either thou or I, or both, must go with him."(3.1.133-134). This is basically Romeo saying he wants to avenge Mercutio through fighting Tybalt and taking his life, even if it means his is taken as well. When Romeo in fact does succeed at this, big, fatal consequences surely follow.
  Consequence is the final major theme to direct the plot of Romeo and Juliet. Although it breaks the chronological set of themes found in the plot, Friar Laurence early on warns of possible consequence coming from Romeo and Juliet marrying so early and young. For example, he says "These violent delights have violent ends/ And in their triumph die, like fire and powder."(2.6.8-9). More so in Act 4, that consequence starts to materialize and become a reality. This is seen through the events following Tybalt's murder by Romeo's hands, as he is banished from Verona. Prior to Romeo's departure from Verona, Friar Laurence proposes Romeo goes to stay in Mantua until he can convince the Prince to lift Romeo's banishment.  Although it seems like harmless idea, it proves to have great misfortune as Juliet is to be married to the County Paris within two days. Another plan produced by the Friar is for Juliet to fake her death so Romeo can meet her at her tomb and they can run off somewhere together. However, Romeo is never warned of such a plan since Friar John who was supposed to send the message caught the plague. This has fatal consequences now, as Romeo believes he has found Juliet dead in her tomb, and they both commit suicide from that point on. I believe Romeo killing Tybalt almost immediately set a series of consequential events to unfold, leading to eventual suicide of both lovers
  Romeo and Juliet may be a tragedy of a love that was meant to be but was thrown away by irony and misfortune, however it's more than just a sad love story. The plot of the play itself is embodied by three central themes: Rivalry, Hate, and Consequence (almost chronologically in that order). If anything, the saddest part of all was the amount of coincidental misfortune and death it took for the two families to stop feuding. The Prince put it best as he said, "Where be these enemies- Capulet, Montague,/ See what a scourge is laid upon your hate,/ That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love,/ And I, for winking at your discords too,/ Have lost a brace of kinsmen. All are punished."(5.3.301-305). A feuding rivalry fueled the hate of a relentless villain. When good intent was believed to justify the villain's execution, fatal consequences were set in motion. Such has led to the death of a pair of star-crossed lovers. Maybe it is in fact true that may never actually be a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.