Tragic hero Romeo

Romeo Montague is a tragic hero, He is one of many tragic heroes created by Shakespeare in one of his greatest ever tragedies. Romeo posses all of the characteristics one must have to be a tragic hero, these are, a tragic flaw, the idea of being doomed, a moral dilemma, and the sense of catharsis around Romeo.

Romeo’s tragic flaw was his attempt to see the good in everybody even if they had wronged him, this was very naive of him. This is a tragic flaw because although it may seem as if it is a good quality,  this is a flaw as in the end it brings upon his fate. This caused the death of his best friend Mercutio ‘Draw, Benvolio. Beat down their weapons.’ as Romeo splits up the fight, the Tybalt he believed could change for the better and change his ways stabbed Mercutio and killed him.

Romeo tried to change his fate, however what Romeo thought his fate and what we knew it was were totally different concepts. Romeo believed his fate was that God wanted to split him and Juliet up and he had been following this by staying in Mantua and living. When Romeo was in Mantua and Balthazar told him Juliet was ‘dead’ .Romeo felt as if he had followed God’s will and he would do so no longer and Romeo openly expresses he will no longer obey the will of God and says  ‘I defy you Stars’ this is when Romeo decides to kill himself to be with Juliet. But, as we know this brings his fate even closer and the fact that Juliet and himslef will kill themselves. This in my opinion is complicated topic because why would God want people to kill people.

Romeo’s moral dilemma was having to choose between his friends and family and then Juliet. One of the key events in the play was the death of Mercutio who was killed by Tybalt Juliet’s cousin. Romeo refused to help Mercutio and kill Tybalt and said ‘But love thee better than thou canst devise,/Till thou shalt know the reason of my love.’ He could not choose between Juliets cousin and his best friend Mercutio this is his moral dilemma.

The feeling of  catharsis around Romeo Montague was when   he drank the poison which killed him.“Here’s to my love! O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.” we feel pity because we feel sorry for him because all he wanted to do was be with his true love but it was never meant to be. We also feel terror because of the fact we are going to witness someone kill themselves.

In conclusion this proves Romeo Montague was a tragic hero he has all of the characteristics of a tragic hero and in my opinion the greatest tragic hero, this is because of the fact his motivation was not power but just being with someone he loves.