Punishment is defined as “the imposition of an undesirable or unpleasant outcome upon a person or group as a response to a particular action or behavior that is deemed undesirable or unacceptable” (Merriam-Webster, 2019). In other words, punishment is a way to enforce negative consequences in order to discourage a certain behavior. Romeo Montague is a perfect example of someone who has faced punishment as a result of his actions. After Romeo killed Tybalt in a duel, he was banished from Verona by Prince Escalus. This punishment seems fair at first glance, but upon further examination, it is clear that Romeo did not deserve to be banished and that this punishment is too harsh.
There are a few reasons why Romeo’s punishment is too harsh. First, Romeo was not the only one at fault in the situation that led to Tybalt’s death. Tybalt was the one who started the fight by provoking Romeo and then attacking him. If anyone deserves to be punished, it is Tybalt, not Romeo. Second, Romeo was only trying to defend himself when he killed Tybalt. He did not set out to kill Tybalt, but Tybalt’s attack left him with no other choice. Third, Romeo’s punishment is out of proportion to his crime. He killed Tybalt in self-defense, yet he is being banished from Verona while Tybalt’s body is allowed to remain in the city. This doesn’t seem fair.
Romeo’s punishment is too harsh because he was not the only one at fault, he was only defending himself, and his punishment is out of proportion to his crime. Prince Escalus should have taken these factors into consideration before issuing such a harsh punishment.
