Act 5 Scene 3: The Fate of Star-Crossed Lovers

Prompt A

In this scene, Romeo believes Juliet has died even though she is really under the effects of a potion that makes her appear to be dead.  Romeo takes a vial of poison to die next to her, and when Juliet wakes up, she stabs herself out of sorrow.  This reminds me of the scene in The Hunger Games where the main characters Katniss and Peeta almost eat poisonous berries together.  Since a rule change was announced that they could not win together, Katniss and Peeta chose to eat the berries and commit suicide together rather than kill each other.  Although in the end they survive because the Hunger Games must have a winner, this scene relates to the feelings that Romeo and Juliet were feeling when they each killed themselves.  In both Katniss and Peeta's heads, they are feeling desperate and defeated, just like Romeo and Juliet when they each see that the other is dead.  Also, both scenes inspire change for the better.  In the play, this scene inspires the Montagues and Capulets to stop fighting.  In The Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta's rebellious action inspires the system of districts to rebel against the corrupt Capital.