Open Prompt

2004, Form B. The most important themes in literature are sometimes developed in scenes in which a death or deaths take place. Choose a novel or play and write a well-organized essay in which you show how a specific death scene helps to illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.

                  “Death is a natural part of life” is a clichéd phrase recognized since the dawn of the search for greater human understanding. However, in plays such as “Romeo and Juliet,” death goes beyond serving its core function and hints at its possible manifestations and effects in the context of the play. In “Romeo and Juliet,” the scene of the death of Romeo and Juliet points to how the play as a whole is reflective of the internal conflict that exposes itself externally in the form of hopelessness and also references the consistently present worldly message of standing strong in the face of opposition and advocating for one’s own control over one’s life and choices.

            The death of Romeo and Juliet, an end result of the priest’s efforts to reunite the two lovers, was caused due to an intricate plot to feign the death of Juliet in an attempt to forever untie the two star-crossed lovers. The futility and desperateness was clearly reflective in the death scene where Juliet held the already dead Romeo in her arms and lamented the passing away of her true love. The discouragement that Juliet experienced was immense, an emotion that manifested itself to directly portray how the friction between the two houses led to the eventual death of the two lovers. Despite of Romeo and Juliet’s persistent efforts to live together forever, the conflict between the two houses was too great and deep-rooted to move their families enough to accept the pair of lovers with open arms. Furthermore, the consequent death of Juliet after Romeo references the hopelessness of their attempts to convince their families. Despite of working tirelessly, Romeo and Juliet were never able to reconvene these to enemies of old in order to allow for the ever-lasting presence of their love.

            Beyond the context of the play, the death scene of Romeo and Juliet serves a critical function to apply the theme globally. I feel that Shakespeare intended to use this play as a basis for applying the concept of initiative, confidence, and belief emanating from one’s self. Through the death scene, a reader can obtain a perspective on how the root cause of the death of these two lovers was their inability to stand strong in the face of opposition. Applying it to the modern world, Shakespeare is trying to convey how it is essential to advocate for one’s choices in order to establish a sense of satisfaction in life rather than pass away with regrets in your heart. With the freedoms that we possess today, it would be easier for us to root for our opinions than it was for Romeo and Juliet. The only thing we need is a passionate purpose in mind to drive us towards our distinct goals without concern for society’s restraints. In the face of discouragement and limits on one’s choices, we can progress forward confidently to achieve fulfillment and prosperity in life.