Romeo and Juliet - Who is to Blame?

Jane Zeman 811

Romeo and Juliet essay

The events that take place in the play, Romeo and Juliet, all lead up to the tragic ending consisting of multiple deaths, including the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. The character that is  mainly responsible for these deaths is Friar Lawrence. After Romeo and Juliet fall in love, Romeo goes to the Friar to marry them and the Friar says yes. The Friar know that this is not socially acceptable as Romeo’s family (the Montagues) and Juliet’s (the Capulets) have a long-standing grudge. If Friar Lawrence had stepped in and ended Romeo and Juliet’s relationship, lives would have been spared.

When Romeo came to the Friar and asked him to marry them the Friar did it because he thought the marriage of Romeo and Juliet would help resolve the grudge between the two groups. The Friar’s intentions were good, in the play it says, “…For this alliance may so happy prove To turn your households’ rancor to pure love.” This quote means that he would marry them if only to end the grudge between the two families. However, by doing so, he put Romeo and Juliet in a bad position with their parents. In the text it says, “Is Roseline,that thou dist love so dear, So soon forsaken? Young men’s love then lies Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.” This quote shows that Friar Lawrence doesn't believe that Romeo is acting rationally or responsibly in terms of his desire to get married to Juliet. The Friar should have prevented Romeo from marrying Juliet because he knew that he was not using the best judgement and also because the Friar understood the consequences of marrying them.

After Romeo was exiled for killing Tybalt, a Capulet, Friar Lawrence helped Juliet fake her death so that Romeo could meet her in the cemetery. A number of things could have gone wrong with this plan. In Juliet’s internal monolog, she says, “How if, when when i am laid into the tomb I wake up before that time that Romeo come to redeem me?” This quote shows that Juliet is worried about the possible consequences of taking the poison the Friar gave her. Both of them know that there are many things that could go wrong with this plan. Also in Juliet’ monologue she says, “What if it be a poison which the Friar Subtly hath ministered to have me dead, Lest is this marriage he should be dishonored Because he married me before to Romeo?” This quote shows that Juliet is doubting that Friar Lawrence did the right thing by marrying them and is wondering if the Friar would take action to cover up his mistake.

In conclusion, the deaths of Romeo and Juliet could have been avoided if Friar Lawrence had refused to marry them or if he had put a stop to their relationship after Romeo had been exiled. Both the Friar and Juliet had doubts about the safety of their relationship at times in the play. While Romeo and Juliet should have been expected to behave as adolescents, without fully developed judgement skills, Friar Lawrence was an adult and knew exactly what he was doing. Friar Lawrence should have been the responsible one in the situation and persuaded Romeo to forget Juliet the first time she was mentioned. This point illustrates the fact that peoples’ judgement can sometimes become clouded and that they make bad decisions in situations like the one shown in the play.