Friar Lawrence's Mistakes

“People think that the most painful thing in life is losing the one you value. The truth is, the most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of valuing someone too much and forgetting that. You are special too.”-Anonymous. Both Romeo and Juliet were so lost in the love that they had with each other that they forgot about themselves and what they are living for. Friar Laurence made multiple mistakes throughout the drama that ultimately led to Romeo and Juliet committing suicide just to be with each other. However, if Friar Laurence had done things differently throughout the story, the outcome of the drama may have been different. Friar Laurence had the biggest impact on Romeo and Juliet’s death.

Friar Laurence’s choice to marry Romeo

and Juliet was a huge impact on Romeo and Juliet’s death. Act 2 Scene 3. Line 88-92. “"Thy love did read by rote that could not spell. 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." Friar Laurence agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet secretly, hoping to end the feud between the two families. However, since he agreed to marry them, he had to come up with a plan on how Romeo and Juliet could be a married couple, which ultimately was the cause of Romeo and Juliet’s death. In addition, not only does Friar agree to marry Romeo and Juliet, he follows through with his agreement and does just that. Once the Friar married Romeo and Juliet, everything went downhill from there. The Friar had to come up with a plan to let Romeo and Juliet be a happy married couple, and to help Juliet not have to marry Paris. However, his plan of Juliet “faking” her death failed because Romeo didn’t know that she wasn’t actually dead. He then killed himself because he wanted to be with her. Once she found out that he committed suicide, she went along with him and committed suicide also. If Friar Laurence put his foot down, and said no to marrying Romeo and Juliet, the outcome of the story may have been completely different and Romeo and Juliet would still be here today.
Friar Laurence didn’t follow through with his original plans which leads to Romeo and Juliet’s death.

For example, in Act ) Friar Laurence told Romeo that Balthasar was going to bring him a note letting him know the plan he came up with. Instead, he gave the note to Friar John who wasn’t able to deliver it. This particular part of the drama is important to the outcome of the play because Friar Laurence told Romeo that Balthasar was going to bring him the note letting him know the plan and how everything was going to play out. However, the Friar didn’t follow through with the plan and gave Friar John the note, instead of Balthasar. Friar John was not able to deliver the note which meant Romeo did not know of the plan. When Romeo came to the death scene and saw her “dead” he immediately killed himself because he wanted to go to heaven with his love. Once she awoke from her forty hour sleep and saw that Romeo was dead, she killed herself. If Friar Laurence had followed through with his plan and gave Balthasar the note, Romeo would’ve known that Juliet was not actually dead, and would not have killed himself. In addition, Act 5, scene 3, 165-170 says “Your husband lies dead there, and Paris too. Come, I’ll place you among the sisterhood of holy nuns. Don’t wait to ask questions. The watch is coming. Come, let’s go, good Juliet, I don’t dare stay any longer." Juliet- "Go, get out of here. I’m not going anywhere." Friar Laurence originally told Juliet that she needed to

leave the death scene and go with him. However, Juliet told Friar Laurence that she was not going with him. Friar did not follow through with the plan and did not try to persuade her to leave with him. Instead, he just left her there at the death scene. Juliet then killed herself. If Friar Laurence had followed through with the plan and forced her to leave the death scene, the outcome may have been different. Friar Laurence, not following through with his original plans is one of the causes of Romeo and Juliet’s death.
Some may argue that Lord Capulet had the biggest impact on Romeo and Juliet’s death.

However, Lord Capulet did not know about any of the plan. He did not know that Romeo and Juliet were going to get married, and he didn’t know about the poison. Friar Laurence was the one who married Romeo and Juliet, and who gave Juliet the poison. Lord Capulet has nothing to do with the plan. Therefore, that is why he is not the cause of Romeo and Juliet’s death. In addition, act 4, scene 1, 96-100: “"Take thou this vial, being then in bed, And this distillèd liquor drink thou off, When presently through all thy veins shall run, A cold and drowsy humor, for no pulse, Shall keep his native progress, but surcease.” Line 108-109: “"Thou shalt continue two and forty hours, and then awake as from a pleasant sleep." Friar Laurence gave Juliet the poison and explained to her what the potion was going to do. He tells her that she will wake up in forty hours. Juliet faking her death led to Romeo committing suicide. Juliet then also killed herself once she found out that Romeo was dead. Lord Capulet had nothing to do with this whole thing which shows he was not the character who had the biggest impact on the outcome of Romeo and

Juliet.
Friar Laurence had the biggest impact on Romeo and Juliet’s death. If Friar Laurence had made different choices and had done things differently, most likely Romeo and Juliet would not have committed suicide. The death of Romeo and Juliet did not only affect them, but it affects everyone around them; their loved ones, their family, and even their friends. “Those we love don’t go away, they walk beside us every day, unseen, unheard, but always near, still loved, still missed and very dear.”-Anonymous