Essay On Friar Lawrence In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

Most are familiar with the timeless tragedy of the two star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare. However, along with the tragedy comes the question- Who, or what, is to blame for their deaths? Some would say Friar Lawrence, or the feud, or fate, but while all of those contributed, it could’ve been prevented entirely by one single person: Juliet’s mother, Lady Capulet. She was negligent, manipulative, and bitter. Lady Capulet was an emotionally uninvolved and unaware mother. She was too young when she had Juliet, therefore she was not mature enough to raise or know how to raise a daughter. The nurse basically raised Juliet, and knows far more of her and of her life than Lady Capulet, including the fact that: Juliet
If you could, you couldn’t bring him back to life. So stop crying. A little bit of grief shows a lot of love. But too much grief makes you look stupid.” (Rom.3.5.69-73) Juliet tries to come to her mother, as daughters should be able to, with her problem, but instead of being kind to Juliet after she tells her she does not feel well, she is sarcastic and rude, saying she looks stupid, and insinuating she is still crying over Tybalt, when in reality she is crying over Romeo’s banishment, which happened thanks to her mom anyways, but her mom does not know becomes of her uninvolvement in her life, as stated earlier. Lady Capulet was very bitter, especially to the one her daughter loves. Instead of using reason and sound mind, accepting the fact that Tybalt was also in the wrong for killing Mercutio, her judgment was clouded and biased. “Romeo killed Tybalt. Romeo must die.” (Rom.3.1.177) It is clear she wanted Romeo dead from the beginning, and through her own actions that came true. Even in yet another point in the story, she stated, “I’ll send a man to Mantua where that exiled rogue is living. Our man will poison Romeo’s drink, and Romeo will join Tybalt in death.” (Rom.3.5.90-91) Clearly if Romeo hadn't have killed himself, she would have killed him, showing her hand in his death as well. Several times during this dialogue, Juliet says things in favour of Romeo, but not audibly, so that her mother can’t hear. She knows she can’t come to her mother with her problem, so
For example, after Capulet and Lady Capulet already promised Paris he will marry Juliet on Thursday without even telling her first, Juliet simply says she will not marry him yet because it is so rushed. Even though she did not say she wouldn't marry him, and she had obeyed almost all of what her parents told her to, while still not cheating on Romeo with Paris, her mother says, “Here comes your father. Tell him so yourself and see how he takes the news.” (Rom.3.5.124) Instead of listening to Juliet, she tells Capulet who she knows will reprimand her severely. During Capulet’s excessive and horribly rude reproach, her mother barely did a thing, the nurse doing more than she did. Even though she said to “consider” marrying Paris, clearly it wasn't a choice, yet a command. Instead of comforting Juliet after she let her husband call her “worthless”, say he wanted to slap her, etc., she said, “Don't talk to me, because I won't say a word. Do as you please because I'm done worrying about you.” (Rom.3.5.203) Yet again, she's leaving Juliet to her own devices which is what caused her fake death and ultimate death. Juliet became desperate with not even her mother to turn to,