The Downfall of Juliet

“For never was a story of more woe/ Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.” (5.3.315-316) Though many critics would argue that the woe is due only to the theme of fate, but many other factors significantly contributed to this tragedy. The theme of love does not exist only between the play’s namesakes, but it extends to the love that many other characters share for this couple. Often, personal flaws interfere with love, and …

…she is left only with the power to die, or to consign herself to the horrible vault” (Stauffer). The cause of the deaths however, is not laid solely upon the shoulders of others, it caused by love itself. Love conquers all, and it is necessary to keep in mind that although others contributed to the actions which led to Juliet’s death, it was her love for Romeo that brought her to her final decision.