Romantic love stories are often ended with a tragedy, because of loss of passion or a loved one. These tragedies are often the result of one person’s actions that ended someone’s life or love. In the Romeo and Juliet play written by William Shakespeare, two citizens of Verona come together and fall deeply in love. Unfortunately their love comes to an end, along with their lives, because of a misunderstanding and a persistent feud between their families. Although there are many characters in this play that have contributed to Romeo and Juliet’s death, Friar Laurence is the person most to blame.
Friar Laurence’s actions throughout the play resulted in the two star crossed lovers’ death. He assisted the two when they wanted to get married, which began the disastrous events in the play. Friar Laurence says to Romeo:
In one respect I’ll thy assistant be.
For this alliance may so happy prove,
To turn your households’ rancour to pure love.
(II.iii.86-88)
When he says this, he is stating he will assist Romeo by marring the two, because through the marriage their families may learn to love each other; therefore ending the fight. Friar Laurence only married the two lovers because he thought it would have a positive impact on the families’ feud. However, he should of thought about the consequences and how since the head of the families were unaware, the marriage could only have negative affects. Also, they were never married they would not have such passion and reason for wanting to be together and therefore would not have killed themselves because their spouse was dead. A second reason the Friar should be held most responsible is the fact that he gave Juliet a remedy in order to “fake” her death. Friar Laurence tells Juliet:
The Essay on Analyzing of Friar Laurence in Romeo and Juliet
One character seen guiding them in most of these scenes is Friar Laurence. He is a very important character that helps many other characters out with their problems. Even though he is a Friar, his main role in the play is acting as a mentor for Romeo and Juliet. He is favored by all the other characters as a holy man. He is also well liked by the audience because secretly helps Romeo and Juliet ...
Take thou this vial, being then in bed,
And this distilled liquor drink thou off;
When presently through all thy veins shall run
A cold and drowsy humour, for no pulse
Shall keep his native progress, but surcease.
(IV.i.93-97)
In this quote Friar Laurence is telling Juliet to take the vial and to drink it when she goes to bed. This fluid (while going through her veins) will make her cold and drowsy and make it appear as if she does not have a pulse. However, her blood will continue moving naturally and will not stop. If the Friar had not given her the vial, Romeo would not have heard the news that she was dead and therefore would not have killed himself in Capulet’s tomb. Another basis of accusing Friar Laurence of the deaths of the two, is the fact that Romeo did not receive the information about the plan. The Friar tells Juliet, “In this resolve. I’ll send a friar with speed/To Mantua, with my letters to thy lord” (IV.i.1123-124).
The Friar is telling Juliet that he will send a friar to Mantua with a letter, saying their plan. He should have sent the letter personally and not relied on another friar to deliver such an urgent and important message. Since the entire plan was his idea he should have followed through with it, making sure the information was delivered accurately and quickly to Romeo. With these facts it is evident that Friar Laurence is the most responsibility in their deaths.
The deaths of Romeo and Juliet are Friar Laurence’s fault because of his impulsive behaviour and choices he made. His first wrong action was marring the two, which began the horrible event in the play. The Friar’s second awful mistake was giving Juliet a mixture, which caused Romeo to be misinformed on Juliet’s death. Lastly, he did not personally send a letter telling Romeo of their plan as he promised. If people in life thought before they acted, choices would be better made and regrets would occur less often.
Theme of fate in Romeo & Juliet – GCSE coursework
Despite fate’s grasp on Romeo and Juliet being clear from the beginning, their choices in the play cause fate to build momentum and accelerate their lives to their inevitable end. Shakespeare’s original presentation of fate is of an inescapable event, but how the characters get there is less certain and more chance. Whereas Luhrmann’s fate is cruller and more controlling, but both interpretations ...