Romeo And Juliet Who's To Blame Analysis

Romeo and Juliet were each from families that hated each other, but despite their differences, they loved each other. Throughout the play, they both keep their relationship a secret from their parents leaving only a few people to know about their love affair. Their parents could’ve been at fault for their deaths, even the nurse to some extent, but Friar Laurence is to blame for the tragedy that occured because he agreed to marry them in the first place, he gave Juliet the sleeping potion, and he didn’t alert Romeo on time about Juliet’s plan. To begin with, both Romeo and Juliet were desperate to get married, but they knew it was a bad idea to even be together. Friar Laurence agree to marry them because he thought that the secret wedding would put at rest the dispute that was created between their families. Laurence states “ But come, young waverer, come, go with me, In one respect I’ll thy assistant be, For this alliance may so happy prove To turn your households' rancor to pure love.” (2.3. 89-92), saying that this will fix the anger that their families hold for each other, but in the end that wasn’t the case.

Juliet was desperate for a solution, after all Romeo had been kicked out of Verona. Friar offered Juliet the potion stating “Take thou this vial, being then in bed, And this distillèd liquor drink thou off, When presently through all thy veins shall runA cold and drowsy humor, for no pulse Shall keep his native progress, but surcease.No warmth, no breath shall testify thou livest.” (4.1. 96-101). This proves that he in fact knew the potion would kill her, but he encouraged her to drink it anyways. Juliet didn’t think twice about drinking the potion, but if Laurence never gave her anything, then Romen wouldn’t have killed