Friar Lawrence in Shakespeare´s Romeo and Juliet

The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet was a turning point in the city of Verona. It was the only thing that could bring peace between the disputing families of the star crossed lovers, the Capulets and the Montagues. The tragic end to their short life not only caused a new type of understanding amongst the families, but it brought up a new thought; who is directly responsible for the sequence of events? The most obvious answer is the feuding families but, there is one character who always had a plan for Romeo and Juliet. That character is Friar Lawrence, the master mind behind every move, large or small. Friar Lawrence is directly at fault for Romeo and Juliet’s death.

Friar Lawrence is at fault for the Romeo and Juliet’s death because he proposed the dangerous plan of giving the “poison” to Juliet when she threatened to commit suicide. In Act 4 Scene 1 Friar Lawrence says, “Thou has the strength to “slay” thy self… take thou this vial, being then in bed… a cold and drowsy humor; for no pulse shall keep his native progress.” (Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet 4.1, 73, 95, 98-99.) When Friar Lawrence gives the potion, Juliet drinks it later at night and is found supposedly dead by the Nurse. The word of Juliet’s death spreads all the way to Mantua by Balthasar, Romeo’s serving man, who tells Romeo of that Juliet’s death. Romeo, when hearing this news wants to kill himself since he does not want to live without his love by saying to the Apothecary, “…let me have a dram of poison, such soon-speeding gear…” (Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet 5.1, 1-64.) When Romeo arrives at the tomb where Juliet lays, he drinks the poison and kills himself. (Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet 5.3, 119-120.) These events would not have happened if Friar Lawrence did no...

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...ace, but it made people wonder who was responsible. Friar Lawrence is at fault for Romeo and Juliet’s death. He was the one who gave the sleeping potion to Juliet, which caused the domino effect which would lead to the death of Romeo. His faith in Friar John in delivering the message to Romeo was flawed, therefore leading to Romeo’s misinterpretation that Juliet is dead and kills himself with the poison next to Juliet. Finally, Friar Lawrence’s cowardice in the tomb with Juliet would lead to Juliet’s death next to her Romeo. As the Prince of Verona says, “Some shall be pardoned, and some punished. For never was a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo.” (Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet 5.3 319-321.)

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York:

Washington Square Published by Pocket, 1992. Print.