Death is a very sensitive subject. Death occurs in people of all ages and for many different reasons. Suicide is one devastating cause of death. Suicide rates vary with different age groups, but have increased over the years. Teen suicide is more common than generally discussed. Causes of suicide today are similar to those that have occurred for several hundred years. There are many root causes for suicide, one of which is personal relationships. Romeo and Juliet faced relationship issues that brought them to the ultimate solution of ending their life together. Their difficulties in their youthful world are similar to the challenges that adolescents face today.

Romeo and Juliet’s relationship created family conflicts that led them to ending their life by committing suicide. As well as them, suicide is a common cause of death for other people. Therefore, many researchers have studied the statistics of this cruel death. Romeo and Juliet represent one statistic of the many that suicide has created. There are various statistics for suicide especially amongst teens. Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death of all ages. However, suicide is the third leading cause of death for people between the ages of fourteen and twenty five and in some cases known to be the second leading cause of death amongst college students. It is the sixth leading cause of death between the ages of five and fourteen. Over the years, teen/youth suicide has had an intense increase. Teen suicide rates have tripled since 1970. As a result of this increase, approximately one half million teens make an attempt of suicide a year. Also, every forty-five minutes, another young person commits suicide. It appears that suicide has grown common over the years, therefore it was not as common during the time period Romeo and Juliet was written.

Romeo and Juliet experienced many aspects of their short life together that led to their awful suicide. Teenage suicide has many factors that lead up to it. Untreated depression is the number one cause of suicide of all ages. Depression in adolescents can begin with many things. Teenagers deal with many issues and complex decisions. For starters, teens look for an independence and individuality for themselves and a loosening tie from their parents. They also discover their sexuality and identity. This brings periods of self-doubt, and feelings of inferiority, isolation and expendability. Because of their emotional changeability, they become frustrated easily. When teens have problems that they feel they cannot cope with, they sometimes feel death is a way out of their problems. They also feel a lot of times that no one else cares enough about them and they become desperate to take their own lives. Four large suicide factors are difficulties with communication, lack of a solid family unit, lack of self esteem and lack of clear goals. Communication is something that puts people in touch with the outer world and when teens have trouble communicating its hard for them to resolve their difficulties. Family unity is important for teens because family is the most important influence on youth’s emotional stability and growth. Clear goals affect teens because teens often pressure themselves for the future, therefore if they don’t succeed in one area, their self esteem and self confidence loosens. There are many specific causes for teenage suicide. Some causes are breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, witnessing family turmoil, big exams, coping with crippling stressors, recent disappointment, and getting in some sort of trouble. There are more causes to teen suicide, however those are the most common causes of today. The victims of teen suicide are many times unable to see that their life can turn around after a large conflict in their life. They also are unable to see that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. They deny the reality of death and think that death will end their sorrows and bring placidness. They blur distinctions between life and death and blend them together. There are many factors and causes to suicide and depression. Romeo and Juliet experienced conflicts that they felt they had no wait out of that caused their suicide.

Romeo and Juliet’s suicide was not expected by many of the people in their surroundings. Suicidal people sometimes have observable signs and symptoms, however signs can be very unrecognizable at times. Usually with suicidal teens, their feelings are often hidden at home or school. However they may confide in their friends who are sworn to secrecy. Usually, the suicidal teens might have persistent sad feelings, loss of interest in regular activities, irritable behavior, to the people around them, have physical complaints and physical pains that do not respond to treatment, abuse in drugs and alcohol, concentration problems and changes in their eating and sleeping habits. Surprisingly, suicidal teens sometimes will appear happier and calmer. This is because they have decided to end their life. They don’t care about anything and feel that nothing in their life could possibly be any worse than the actual cause of their suicide. They might set a date to commit suicide and then appear well with the people around them. Romeo and Juliet’s behavior was recognizable to the audience but not so much to the people around them.

Unfortunately because Romeo and Juliet’s suicide was not expected by their families and friends, it wasn’t prevented. Suicide is an extremely serious problem and an awful way to die. People should not avoid the fact if someone they know is suicidal. There are ways to help and prevent someone from committing suicide. First of all, never assume that people who talk about suicide will not commit it. Eight out of ten suicide victims have spoken about suicide. Never assume that suicidal people really want to die. In reality, they are confused, and their suicide is a cry for help. Many things that are important to do is to pay attention to the person, encourage talking, listen and reassure without dismissing. Talking to someone who is contemplating suicide about it is a common misconception that it will make things worse. People should not show shock or disapproval when talking about it. No one is suicidal all of the time, so panicking isn’t necessary. Raising the question doesn’t plant the idea nor encourages it. It also is not vital to underestimate the danger by not asking for details. As it might be hard to completely prevent suicide from someone, it does not hurt at all to help it. For Romeo and Juliet, no one knew how to help because they did not recognize their problems.

Romeo and Juliet are two victims of adolescent suicide. They both encountered many problems as well as their inseparable yet forbidden love together. For Romeo, love was something he was confused about. He originally loved a woman named Rosaline only for appearance, but she did not love him back. That for him was the first conflict. For Juliet, her mother wanted her to marry Paris however, Juliet was not interested in him nor to marry. At the Capulet's party, they meet and fall in love at first sight. They even decide to get married knowing each other for one night. Their huge dilemma is that their families are total enemies and would forbid them to be together. Juliet’s nurse and the Friar Laurence decide to secretly help to marry them hoping it will unite the two foe families. A conflict then arises when duel is challenged to Romeo by Juliet’s cousin and he ends up killing him in a big fight. Romeo is then banished from Verona. He is very upset by this and tells the Friar, "Ha, banishment! Be merciful, say death…... Much more than death. Do not say banishment." (3:3:12-14) "There is no world without Verona walls, but purgatory, torture, hell itself. Hence banished is banished from the world, and world’s exile is death." (3:3:17-20) Here, Romeo is describing that there is no life for him in banishment, therefore he shall not live. The Friar then tells him to go to Juliet before he has to leave Verona. Meanwhile, Juliet is only thinking about Romeo at home. Romeo finally comes and spends the night with her and when he leaves she is devastated and just her luck, she is told she must marry Paris the next day or her father will disown her. She is extremely upset by this. She tells Friar that she wants to kill herself. "If in the thy wisdom, thou canst give no help, Do thou but call my resolution wise, and with this knife I’ll help it presently, God join’d my heart and Romeo’s thou are hands." (4:1:50-55) Juliet is expressing the idea that if there is no way to prevent this unwanted marriage with Paris, she will end her life because she does not have Romeo and her parents don’t give her a choice about marriage. The Friar decides to give her a potion that makes her appear dead for twenty four hours so Romeo can come take her away from her family. The message sent to Romeo is misunderstood, hearing that she really is dead and he buys poison. He dies at Juliet’s side. Upon her awakening moments later, she sees Romeo dead and immediately kills herself. Everyone around them is devastated.

Romeo and Juliet ended their short life through the awful death of suicide. Their family conflicts and passionate and forbidden love for one another, made them commit suicide. Suicide is an awful death with many factors and symptoms that lead up to it. People can help prevent this cruel death, however no one could or did for Romeo and Juliet, therefore their life is over by suicide.