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Academic year : 2009 -

UNIVERSITE DE LOME 2010
FACULTE DES LETTRES ET Semester 3:
DES SCIENCES HUMAINES Harmattan
(FLESH)

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH
LITERATURE (I.E.L)

TOPIC:

WHAT ROLE DOES THE

HISTORICAL FEUD
PLAY IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF
THE TRAGIC
CHARACTERS IN
ROMEO AND JULIET?

(NOTE)
This is a homework, if you have any suggestions you can give some corrections.
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INTRODUCTION

Written by William Shakespeare, the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, published in 1597,
used to be one of the famous plays of the Elizabethan era in English literature during the
sixteenth century.
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare introduces to the audience two families, the
Montagues and the Capulets, involved in a feud that goes back many years before the story of
Romeo and Juliet takes place and which has a great influence on the tragic destiny of the play.
Based on precise examples from the play, this work shall study the importance of this
strife in this tragedy.

I. DEFINITIONAL APPROACH TO THE CONCEPT OF TRAGEDY.

A. What is a tragedy in literature?

A tragedy is a story in which the hero or heroine suffers and is destroyed because of
personal weakness and which paradoxically might offer pleasure or sadness to the audience.

B. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet as a tragic play.

Romeo and Juliet of William Shakespeare is a tragedy because it relates the story of two
main characters that have a deadly ending.

I. IMPORTANCE OF THE HISTORICAL FEUD BETWEEN MONTAGUE AND

CAPULET IN THE TRAGEDY.

In this story of the “star-crossed lovers”, the two main characters Romeo and Juliet are
the children of the feuding fathers. They both confess that the fact they are from these
families precisely is a barrier. In the Scene II of the Act II, Juliet says: “... Tis but thy name is
my enemy”
And Romeo to reply: “... Because it is an enemy to thee
Had I it written, I would tear the word.”[Act II, Scene II]
Knowing that their parents will not agree to let them love each other because of their
rancour, Romeo and Juliet married in secret. Friar Lawrence who agrees to marry the young
lovers because he was hoping that by this union the historical strife will end for the sake of
everyone.
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He utters these words:

“... For this alliance may so happy prove,
To turn your households’ rancor to pure love.” [Act II, Scene III]
The historical feud is the major cause of the dispute which leads to the death of
Mercutio, Romeo’s friend, who originally have no relation with the feud between the families,
and Tybalt, the nephew of the Lady Capulet during another public fight in Verona, previously
forbidden by the Prince Escalus, when he said:
“… If ever you disturb our streets again,
Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace”. [Act I, Scene II]
As a direct result of the public battle and as a consequence of the feud, Romeo kills
Tybalt, and is forced to exile, banished from Verona, his birthplace. This event marks the
turning point of the story. The feud can be directly pointed as the cause of the tragic ending of
the story. Romeo died near Juliet by suicide, after taking away the life of Paris, a relative of
the Prince. Juliet also kills herself after noticing that her life worth nothing without Romeo.
This is obvious in the words of the Prince of Verona:
“Where be these enemies? See Capulet! Montague!
See what scourge is laid upon your hate.” [Act V Scene III]
It’s also illustrated in the sorrowful tone of Lord Capulet:
“As rich shall Romeo by his lady’s lie;
Poor sacrifices of our enmity” [Act V Scene III]

CONCLUSION
The feud between Montague and Capulet caused pain, sorrow and sadness. It is
responsible for the death many characters, not only from the family involved, but others like
the Prince Escalus’ relatives, Mercutio and Paris. The Prince confesses that this feud
provoked an unforgettable tragic story, the one of Romeo and Juliet:
“… For never was a story of more woe
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.” [Act V, Scene III]