Romeo and Juliet: a tragedy or simply tragic? There are many tragedies in literature, but only a few are like Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It is a story of forbidden love in which a young couple is torn apart by their families' feud in Renaissance Italy; the tragic ending of the play causes the death of the two main characters. Many aspects of this play have sparked heated debate: Is Romeo and Juliet a tragedy or is it just tragic? Some critics argue that the play lacks elements necessary for tragedy. However, Aristotle explicitly states the essential components of a tragedy in his Poetics, and Romeo and Juliet meets these requirements. Romeo and Juliet can be considered an Aristotelian tragedy because of Romeo's impetuosity, Juliet's loyalty to Romeo, and the twists and turns of the play. The first reason the play is a traditional tragedy is that the hero, Romeo, has a major flaw that leads him to many things. trouble and ultimately his demise: his fiery and impetuous nature. In one of the many fights between the Capulets and the Montagues, Romeo shows recklessness. In this encounter, Tybalt and Mercutio, Romeo's best friend, joke while they fight, but the duel takes a turn for the worse when Tybalt kills Mercutio. Romeo, devastated by the death of his best friend and determined to avenge it, challenges Tybalt to a duel. Romeo kills Tybalt in anger and is banished from Verona, separated from his love Juliet. The punishment does not fit the crime, but it cannot be denied that Romeo inflicted it on himself. He acknowledges his own reckless behavior by saying, "Oh, I'm a fool of fortune!" » (III, I, 99). If he could have controlled his temper, the whole fight would have been avoided. Not only is Romeo impulsive in battles... middle of paper ... Romeo and Juliet's "intention" was to live a happy, loving life, but things take a dramatic turn when Romeo kills a prominent member of the family of his lover and is banished. The lovers both end up dying. This change of tide in the play makes the drama an Aristotelian tragedy. In conclusion, Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy due to the tragic elements of Romeo's unconsciousness, Juliet's attachment to Romeo and the dramatic twist of the plot. In the play, the two main characters tragically commit suicide, but there is much controversy over whether this should be considered a tragedy or just a tragic story. Aristotle's Poetics clearly describes all the elements necessary for a tragedy, and Romeo and Juliet fulfill these conditions. Despite all the controversies, the one agreement everyone can reach is that Romeo and Juliet is one of the most beloved works of literature in the world..