Consequences of Secrecy in Romeo and Juliet

Introduction Many people have read Romeo and Juliet and agree that this play is a tragic love story. However, could the tragic love story had turned out differently if some different elements in the play were changed? What is the secret marriage between Romeo and Juliet was not a secret and the families got along after the knowledge of the marriage of Romeo and Juliet when they were both still alive? The purpose of writing this essay is to explain the ambiguous incident of a secret marriage of Romeo and Juliet and if the nurse or the Friar disclosed the marriage than Romeo and Juliet might not have died and lived a happy life.

Background

Romeo and Juliet was written by William Shakespeare during the Elizabethan era of theater. The play

She is presented as a young and innocent adolescent, at the age of 14 years old. Her youthfulness is stressed throughout the play to illustrate her progression from adolescence to maturity. Juliet's love for Romeo gives her the strength and courage to defy her parents, in addition to facing death two different times.

The Nurse is Juliet's nursemaid, who acts as a confidante and a messenger for Romeo and Juliet. The Nurse loves to talk and reminisce, and her attitude toward love is bawdy. The Nurse is loving and affectionate toward Juliet; however, the Nurse compromises her position of trust when she advises Juliet to forget Romeo and comply with her parents' wishes and marry Paris.

Friar Lawrence is a brother of the Franciscan order and Romeo and Juliet’s confessor, Friar Lawrence advises both Romeo and Juliet. The Friar agrees to marry the couple in secret in the hope that the marriage will restore peace between their families. His plans to reunite Juliet with Romeo are spoiled by the influence of fate. Friar Lawrence creates the potion which has Juliet appear dead for many hours in order to avoid marrying Paris. At the end of the play, the Prince seems to recognize the Friar's good

Outside of Romeo and Juliet, two other main characters knew of their secret marriage and either of these two people, Friar Lawrence or the Nurse could have spoken up and possibly saved Romeo and Juliet life. In act IV, Scene I, Friar Lawrence and Paris were discussing Paris marrying Juliet, Friar Lawrence clearly knows that Juliet is already married since he married Romeo and Juliet. When talking with Paris, instead of Friar Lawrence saying “You say you do not know the lady’s mind. Uneven is the course. I like it not” (Shakespeare) or line 16 “I would I knew not why is should be slowed. Look sir, here comes the lady toward my cell” (Shakespeare). Friar Lawrence could have right then put a stop to keeping Romeo and Juliet’s marriage secret by telling Paris the truth that he could not marry Paris and Juliet. Friar Lawrence could explained that he would go with Paris to the Capulet’s and explain why Paris and Juliet could not be married. However, I unfortunately think that Friar Lawrence would have kept the secret as he originally did since he was bound by duty of confidently being the