Diego OrellanaMrs. WilsonEnglish Honors 15/20/18Who’s to BlameEveryone has blamed someone in their life. In the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare someone is responsible for the death of the crossed-lovers. Ironically, the “holy” man Friar Laurence is for the most part responsible for the death of Romeo and Juliet, for someone whose job is to serve and be close to God, he is the one that causes the most harm.Friar’s mistakes lead to destruction, he is willing to do dreadful things for a noble cause.
One example of this, is that he agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet even though he knew that they were opposing families, and that this could lead to a dreadful end, during the marriage, the Friar says, “This alliance may so happy prove to turn your households’ rancor to pure love” (2: III:90) this shows that the Friar has hope of the marriage of Romeo and Juliet working, and finally stop the fighting between their families.The Friar is not very observant, because he thinks that he is helping, but, he is causing destruction and mistakes that cause the tragedy, Friar Lawrence is an expert in the use of seemingly mystical potions and herbs, and he wants to help Romeo and Juliet to be happy, so he gives Juliet a poison that would make her fall in a coma and pretend to be dead “If rather than to marry Paris/ I’ll give thee remedy” (4 : I : 72/76). But once again a mistake from the Friar causes damage to them. Friar Lawrence sent Friar John to deliver a letter to Romeo that was supposed to inform him of Juliet’s death plan, but the letter was never delivered, and Romeo had no idea of the plan. Juliet drinks the poison to fall in coma and pretend to be dead.
Romeo hears about the tragedy, and because of the Friar’s mistake he slays himself because he sees Juliet’s dead body “O my love, my wife! Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath” (5: III: 91-92) after watching the love of his life death, Romeo drinks the poison and kisses Juliet’s lips, and then drinks the poison again, that miscommunication mistake was the Friars fault showing clearly why he is the responsible for the dead of Romeo and Juliet.For the citizens, Friar Laurence is a man of good and a trustworthy person, and people believe that he is not the cause of the dead of Romeo and Juliet, because he only wanted to help them, and end the fight between their families. In the other hand, he knew about the destruction he was causing and kept helping them with their relationship. The feud between the Montagues and the Capulets finally ended, but not until the dead of Romeo and Juliet, maybe if Friar would have told lord Montague and Capulet that he married their children, probably then things would not have ended so fatally, and the crossed-lover would finally unite their families, and finally live as one.
