Preview

Romeo And Juliet Who's To Blame Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1128 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Romeo And Juliet Who's To Blame Analysis
Who is to Blame in Romeo and Juliet
As the New York Times bestselling author Maria V. Snyder once said, “Trusting is hard. Knowing who to trust, even harder.” Often we misjudged people, and sometimes we place our trust in the wrong person. It is all to easy too place your trust in someone and have them lead you astray. This is true for the title characters in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The young couple trusted Romeo’s confessor, Friar Lawrence, but it ended up being that trust that got them in trouble. Friar Lawrence, who was constantly giving them bad advice, didn't think his plans through, and didn't always put the couple’s well being first, and married them, is the individual most responsible for the tragic deaths of Romeo
…show more content…
Friar Lawrence did not marry them because he thought they were in love or that they would be happy together; he did it because he wanted to unite their two families. He even says “In one respect I'll thy assistant be; / For this alliance may so happy prove, / To turn your households' rancour to pure love.”(2.3.90-93). Even though bringing the two families together and preventing a multitude of deaths in the future is a good thing, Friar Lawrence led Romeo and Juliet to believe he was marrying them because he thought it was a good idea and that he cared about what happened to them. It also could be said that the reason he was so eager to help Juliet to not marry Paris, was because he did not want to do something as unholy as marry the same girl twice. Juliet even has her misgivings about Friar Lawrence’s intentions when she says “What if it be a poison which the friar / Subtly hath minister’d to have me dead, / Lest in this marriage he should be dishonour'd / Because he married me before to Romeo? / I fear it is;” (4.3.24-28). The whole time that Friar Lawrence was ‘helping’ them it was not really them that he was putting first, even though that is what he led them to …show more content…
He is the force most responsible for Romeo’s and Juliet’s death because he is the force that they did not think was working ageist them. Friar Lawrence didn’t even know just how much he was working ageist them. Friar Lawrence wasn’t just lying to Romeo and Juliet he was lying to himself, about how he was treating the two teenagers and justifying actions he knew was wrong. Sometimes not telling someone the whole truth is even worse then lying. Romeo and Juliet trusted Friar Lawrence but in the end he let them down. Often the blows that hit us the hardest are the ones that come from a person we

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    "Responsibility is accepting that you are the cause and the solution of the matter." This is a quote that would really get Friar Lawrence thinking about what he did in Romeo and Juliet. All of the negative things that happened in Romeo and Juliet happened because of the decisions and actions of Friar Lawrence.…

    • 519 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In this play the character Friar Lawrence is the many reason why Romeo and Juliet killed themselves. First, he was that one that married them. “O, she knew well thy love did read by rote, that could not spell” “In one respect I’ll thy assistant be;” (Shakespeare 411).He knew it wasn't suppose to happen but he went…

    • 532 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Romeo and Juliet

    • 999 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The mistakes started from the beginning. Friar Lawrence made a awful decision by secretly married Romeo and Juliet that are from two enemy families. After Romeo and Juliet met and reclaim their love for each other in one night, Romeo soon decided to ask Friar Lawrence for help and perform their marriage. As being a kind and holy man, he was willing to help even though he knows their families would be strongly against them. Undoubtedly, he also warned Romeo not to be hurried about his relationship with Juliet. “These violent delight have violent ends, and with their triumph die, like fire and powder, which as they kiss consume. The sweetest honey is loathsome in his own deliciousness, and in the taste confounds the appetite.” (act 2, scene 6) Before he married Romeo and Juliet, Friar Lawrence certainly knew that this quick marriage might have a violent end. He married the couple was mostly not because of their love for each other but more of hoping to end the feud of two foe families. But he also forgot about the consequences he may have to face when people is against their secret marriage. To the audience,…

    • 999 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Friar Lawrence does not take any responsibility for the tragic deaths of Romeo and Juliet's that he brought about. It was his unwell thought out plan that caused it. If he had thought of the consequences of marrying them before hand, maybe he wouldn't have rushed into it. Also, he should have anticipated what could go wrong in his plan for getting Juliet out of marrying Paris before giving her the potion. After he finds the lovers dead in the tomb, he still doesn't take responsibility for his actions, but instead makes it seem like the chain of events that lead up to the lovers' fatal demise was mere coincidence. He deserved more than anyone else to be punished for their passing away because it was he who encouraged them to turn to deception, which led to their deaths. Friar Lawrence was unjustly left unpunished for his actions that led to the death of the two passionate lovers, Romeo and Juliet.…

    • 587 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Many people took part in the death of Romeo and Juliet, but out of all the wrong done who deserves the blame? In the play Romeo and Juliet, Romeo was heart broken until he saw Juliet at a Capulet’s masquerade ball. Then as they began to date they wanted to be married, but would have had to be married in secret due to their feuding families. When Friar Lawrence agreed to marry them, their worlds flipped upside down in a twist of unfortunate events. Friar Lawrence deserves the blame of their deaths because he married Romeo and Juliet, he gave Juliet a sleeping potion, and he did not make sure Romeo received his letter.…

    • 578 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In one of Shakespeare’s most renowned plays, Romeo and Juliet; enters Friar Lawrence, a man who has one of the most essential responsibilities in the whole play, ultimately influencing the outcome of the protagonists’ lives (Boyce). At every crucial moment of the play, Friar Lawrence has been a part of, starting with marrying the two couples, and moving forwards until he gives Juliet the sleeping potion, which proves that all though he is trying to unite the families, he does it in a way that makes the play turn into a tragedy (Sparknotes). Morally right or wrong, Friar Lawrence is the symbolic mentor, who Romeo goes to for each time a plan, or help, is needed.…

    • 607 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    English

    • 793 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Romeo talks to Friar Lawrence about getting married to Juliet and sees if he’ll help the two get married the day he asks the Friar for help. Romeo feels that Friar Lawrence would be the best to marry off him and Juliet because the two want to elope and get married secretly, so having someone who is understanding and trustworthy—like Friar Lawrence—would be the best choice. “Then plainly know, my heart’s dear love is set on the fair daughter of the rich Capulet; as mine on hers, so hers is set on mine, and all combin’d, save what thou must combine by holy marriage, when and where and how we met,…

    • 793 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Romeo and Juliet; Fault.

    • 844 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Friar Lawrence made a major mistake that he could have avoided himself. He trusted Juliet, an unstable teenage girl, with a fake-death poison. This rash decision was a very poor choice on the friar's behalf. Here, the friar shows his irresponsibility by saying, "If... thou hast the strength of will to slay thyself... take thou this vial... no warmth, no breath shall testify thou livest;" (4.1.72, 93, 98) Friar Lawrence's idea for Juliet is very risky and he should have known better than to try it. Because of what happens, everyone thinks Juliet is dead and shortly thereafter, she is buried alive. This quote shows the true meaning of responsibility, because when he says this, her life rests in his hands. Capulet is even foiled by the plan, because when he says her faking her death, he said, "Death lies on her like an untimely frost." (4.5.28) The fake death has fooled Capulet, Juliet's father, and the rest of the family. Had Friar Lawrence not have given Juliet the poison, she would have never been put in the position that she was in, which eventually leads to her death.…

    • 844 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Friar Lawrence has a rather strange position in the play Romeo and Juliet. His Character is a very considerate cleric who helps Romeo and Juliet throughout the play. He completes their marriage and gives generally good advice, especially in regard to the need for control. He is the sole character figure of religion in the play. Without Friar Lawrence Romeo and Juliet would not have been able to get married. But Friar Lawrence is also one of the most devious and civil of characters in the play. For example, he marries Romeo and Juliet as part of a plan to end the civil strife in Verona. Also, Friar souls Romeo into Juliet’s room and then out of Verona. He devises the plan to reunite Romeo and Juliet through the misleading ruse of a sleeping…

    • 208 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    ghfhd

    • 924 Words
    • 3 Pages

    To begin, Friar Lawrence’s impulsive actions of marrying Romeo and Juliet and giving Juliet the sleeping potion result in the tragic deaths of Romeo and Juliet; had he listened to his initial instincts, tragedy could have been averted. First, Friar Lawrence agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet in an impulsive decision that goes against his initial reaction to Romeo’s request. When Friar Lawrence is introduced in Act II, his opening soliloquy shows a balanced character who recognizes the “two […] opposed” or dual qualities present not only in nature, but in human nature (II.iii.28). He reflects on the fine line between virtue and vice, but lets his own vice of impulsiveness interfere with his own good instincts. For example, when Romeo reveals to Friar Lawrence that his love for Rosaline has been suddenly replaced by love for Juliet, he is shocked: “Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here!” (II.ii.69). His initial instinct is that Romeo has switched his affection too quickly. Yet, a mere twenty-three lines (of the Friar’s dialogue) later, he agrees to be Romeo’s “assistant” in marrying Juliet (II.ii.97). Cardullo asserts that the Friar agreed without “considering fully the consequences of such a secret marriage between members of feuding families” (63). Of course, the ultimate consequence is the deaths of Romeo and Juliet and this first impulsive action is the beginning of many for Friar Lawrence. The most detrimental impulsive action the Friar commits is providing Juliet with the sleeping potion even though he initially counsels her to accept this turn of events. When Juliet, in desperation, comes to Friar Lawrence’s cell for advice after she finds out about her impending marriage to Paris, he first tells her that “nothing may prorogue it” (IV.i.49). However, after “hearing her declare that she will kill herself, […] he says, ‘Hold, Daughter’” (Cardullo 61). He responds to her impulsivity by impulsively offering a “remedy” that will make it look…

    • 924 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Friar Lawrence Selfish

    • 431 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Friar Lawrence is thought to be trustworthy because Romeo trusts him enough to tell him about Juliet. “Then plainly know my heart’s dear love is set on the fair daughter of the rich Capulet. As mine on hers, so hers is set on mine, and all combined, save what thou must combine by holy marriage. When, and where, and how, we met, we wooed, and made exchange of vow. I’ll tell thee as we pass, but this I pray, that thou consent to marry us to-day.” (Act…

    • 431 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the play The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, two starcrossed lovers fall in love at first sight not knowing that they are suppose to hate each other. Soon they find out that their only love comes from their only hate, but they don’t care. Romeo takes Juliet’s hand in marriage. Soon after Romeo takes a life and is banned from Verona. He goes back thinking Juliet is dead and takes his life. Juliet wakes up to him taking the poison and takes her life too. Think before you do! Friar Lawrence is responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s death. He should have thought things through. Like what would have happened if Romeo didn’t get the letter and how the families would feel. But his thought was honorable.…

    • 253 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Friar Lawrence is to be blamed is because he started the downfall of Romeo and Juliet’s lives by marrying them. First of all, knowing that the Capulets and Montagues are vicious towards each other, he never spoke to Romeo and Juliet about the consequences of them marrying each other. He never even thought that Romeo and Juliet’s marriage was the right thing! In Act II - Scene III, Friar Lawrence says to Romeo; “In one respect I’ll thy assistant be, for this alliance may so happy prove to turn your household’s anchor into pure love”. He said this to Romeo probably because he wanted to end the fued between the Montagues and the Capulets instead of bringing together Romeo and Juliet. Besides that, he never even told Romeo about Juliet’s plan the minute it was planned. He could’ve just walked to Mantua from Verona instead of writing and sending a letter to him. Even though a letter would talk a shorter amount…

    • 494 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the Shakespearean tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, Friar Lawrence was a monk, and a counselor, who came up with intricate plots and concocted a seemingly magical elixir in order to solve problems that the lovers encountered. Friar Lawrence had a profound impact on the outcome of this Shakespearean play; however, in a way that led to catastrophe. There are many factors that caused the deaths of the lovers, but two of the most important were how Friar Lawrence disregarded his own logic, and how he missed numerous opportunities to save the lovers.…

    • 693 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, there are a lot of key events and misfortunes that occur and change the course of the play. However, although some might say that Friar Lawrence is to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, it is, in reality, because of Romeo’s impulsive, rash, and poor decision-making for why he is the most responsible for the tragedy.…

    • 984 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays