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The Prince judges the Montague’s and Capulet’s actions

and states that if they ever disturb the streets again
their ""lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace."" A) What
does he mean? B) Do you believe this indictment to be
fair? Explain your answer.

1 Answer

7 votes

Final answer:

The Prince threatens the Montagues and Capulets with death if they cause further unrest, reflecting a severe method of maintaining order, potentially viewed through the lens of John Locke's ideas on governance and societal trust.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Prince's statement that if the Montagues and Capulets disturb the peace again, their "lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace," means that he will hold them personally responsible, and the consequence will be death. This is an ultimatum that serves as a severe punishment for any further breaches of peace by these families. In considering whether this is fair, one might reflect on John Locke's assertion that the people should judge whether a prince is acting contrary to the trust placed in them. The Prince is enforcing a law to maintain order, which could be seen as just. However, one might argue whether the potential for capital punishment for peace disturbance is proportional or whether the Prince is exerting his will arbitrarily.

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