The Price of Death: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

“To be consorted with the humorous night. Blind is his love and best befits the dark. If love be blind, love cannot hit the mark” (2.1. 31- 33). Among one of the most renowned contributions to literature is The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet written by the prestigious English poet, William Shakespeare. This tragedy of the sixteenth century concludes with the fate of the two star- crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, along with those attempting to see them apart. As the prologue states, The Capulets and Montagues are from separate rivaling households, both alike in dignity, whose children have fallen in love. It is believed that if the two were to marry then feuding in the streets of Verona would come to an end, but only further complications have risen. These complications result in six deaths total. Those responsible for these deaths are Romeo and Juliet themselves, Lord Capulet, and the one who holds this burden as his obligation, Friar Laurence.
The holy herbalist, Friar Laurence, is seen by the people of Verona as the most trustworthy and respectable individual of the city, and he means well but his decisions prove faulty. For instance, his first dire mistake is marrying Romeo and Juliet in sudden haste and in complete secrecy. “Thy love did read by rote and could not spell. But come, young waverer, come, go with me, in one respect I’ll thy assistant be; for this alliance may so prove, to turn your households’ rancor to pure love” (3.3. 88- 92). The Friar says this to Romeo to prove that he is willing to accept wedding the two, but only to end the turmoil between the Capulets and Montagues. As wise as this consideration may appear, the Friar did not account for the arranged marriage of Juliet to Par...

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...tch so he abandons her to kill herself, alone. This act is far too self- centered for the Friar because he is aware Juliet has the opportunity to do something regretful once he leaves, and he leaves due to him not wanting to be in a predicament. His “guidance” to Romeo and Juliet is what leads them to their downfall.
Friar Laurence, the man well respected by most characters of this tragedy, has proven to be the man most responsible in guiding Romeo and Juliet to their graves. This is so because the Friar secretly weds Romeo and Juliet without consent of anyone else, the Friar gives a vial to Juliet for her to fake her death rather than state the truth, the Friar fails to have his letter delivered to Romeo, and the Friar abandons Juliet before she kills herself.

Works Cited

The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy ofRomeo and Juliet by William Shakepeare