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Allusion to Romeo and Juliet in "Don't Fear the Reaper"
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Works Cited
"Don't Fear the Reaper" by Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult. “Don’t Fear the Reaper.” Agents of
Fortune. July, 1976. Web.
"Agents of Fortune." AllMusic. Web. 5 March, 2016.
<http://www.allmusic.com/album/agents-of-fortune-
mw0000599232>.
"Romeo and Juliet at Balcony." Pinterest. Web. 5 March,
2016. <https://www.pinterest.com/mamalaka/my-
craft/>.
Blue Oyster Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper 1976 [Studio
Version]cowbell link in description. 3 December, 2009.
YouTube. Web. 5 March, 2016.
Allusion to Romeo and Juliet in "Don't Fear the Reaper"
Explanation of Allusion
Relevant Lyrics
Romeo and Juliet
Are together in eternity... Romeo and Juliet
40, 000 men and women everyday... Like
Romeo and Juliet
40, 000 men and women everyday... Redefine
happiness
Another 40, 000 coming everyday... We can be
like they are
Come on baby... don't fear the reaper
Baby take my hand... don't fear the reaper
We'll be able to fly... don't fear the reaper
“Don’t Fear the Reaper” by Blue Öyster Cult contains an allusion to the end of Romeo and Juliet, when the two kill themselves. This song is about the inevitability of the “Reaper,” or death, and how one should not be scared of that which one cannot change. In Romeo and Juliet, both lovers kill themselves thinking the other to be dead, fitting the context of the song. However, this allusion goes much further than just an instance in which two people face death. In the line “40,000 men and women everyday,” Blue Öyster Cult wants to indicate that death is such a common occurrence that one has to face its ultimate coming. This line could also be consolation that nobody is leaving this world alone or without being loved like Romeo did to Juliet. Lastly, when the lines “Romeo and Juliet / Are together in eternity” are sung, the artist is implying that Romeo and Juliet could be living happily in heaven, making the expectation of dying less frightful to the listener, even if they don't believe that. Similarly, in the text, Romeo says “How oft when men are at the point of death / Have they been merry which their keeps call / A lightning before death,” making death seem peaceful (V, iii, 97-99). The allusion to Romeo and Juliet in "Don't Fear the Reaper" helps to convey the theme that death is inevitable and one shouldn't fear that. It is remarkable how much and impact just a few words referencing something well known can have on the meaning of a piece as a whole.