Romeo And Julietthesis Essay Example

9), perceiving the impossibility of their situation and foreseeing its tragic outcome if realized. The absence of the Friar would have prevented the marriage of the two lovers and spared them from sadness and future predicaments.

Irresponsible

Despite being adults, Romeo and Juliet are just children. The short-sighted plans of Friar Laurence highlight his irresponsibility. He shouldn't have given Juliet the potion or allowed Friar John to send the letter to Romeo. Even after Mercutio's death and Romeo's banishment, Friar Laurence failed to recognize the destructiveness of their marriage. Instead, he persisted in trying to keep them together with a hasty, poorly thought out, and risky plan. This plan was devised in desperation when Juliet threatened suicide rather than marrying Paris.

"If, in thy wisdom thou canst give no help, / Do but call my resolution wise, / And with this knife I'll help it presently" (4. 1. 51-54). In order to calm Juliet, Friar Laurence provided her with a potion to drink that would make her appear dead, thus preventing her marriage to Paris. Meanwhile, he would send a message to Romeo explaining the plan and asking him to meet at the graveyard where Juliet would join them, alive and well. Regrettably, the message never reached Romeo.

This information was disclosed by Friar John to Friar Laurence, saying, "I was unable to send it, so here it is again. Nor could I find a messenger to bring it to you" (5.2.14-15). It is clear that Friar Laurence had failed to inform the messenger about the crucial nature of delivering the letter to Romeo. Moreover, if Friar Laurence had adhered to the original agreement he made with

Romeo, he would have said, "Stay in Mantua; I will find your servant and inform you of any fortunate events that occur" (3.

3. 168-170), Balthasar had the potential to give Romeo the letter. Nevertheless, due to Friar Laurence’s lack of foresight and failure to devise a backup plan, he brought about the downfall of those he sought to assist. He acknowledged his own culpability, stating: "Miscarried by my fault, let my old life / Be sacrific'd, some hour before this time, / Unto the rigour of severest law" (5.

Friar Laurence's plan and his involvement in it are not only considered foolish, but also raise questions about his motives. According to his religion, it would have been a sin for Friar Laurence to marry someone who is already married. When Juliet was already married to Romeo, Friar Laurence did not want to marry her off to Paris. Juliet herself questioned Friar Laurence's intentions, expressing her fear that he may have given her a poison to kill her, as he did not want to be dishonored for marrying her to Romeo before. Her exact words were, "What if it be a poison, which the friar / Subtly hath minister'd to have me dead, / Lest in marriage he should be dishonour'd / Because he married me before to Romeo? / I fear it is - -" (4.

3. 5-28), but despite any suspicions she may have had, Juliet's faith in her confessor and lifelong friend remained strong. The blame truly lies with Friar Laurence, whose haste and incompetence were fueled by his inadequacy and impure motives. When Juliet asks the Friar for help in escaping her forced

marriage to Paris, he suggests that if she has the willpower to take her own life rather than marry Paris, he will provide her with a solution to avoid the shame that comes with it. IV i 71-76) Thus, for the second time, the Friar makes an unwise decision and agrees to give Juliet a deadly potion. It is the Friar who devises the entire plan, which relies on perfect execution and cooperation from everyone involved.

The responsibility of informing Romeo about the plan falls on the Friar. However, the Friar's excessive trust in Friar John leads to the failure of delivering the letter to Romeo. Consequently, it is Friar Lawrence who is at fault for Romeo's lack of information and confusion regarding recent events concerning Juliet. Thus, the Friar plays a significant role in this aspect of Romeo and Juliet, as his negligent actions prevent Romeo and Juliet from potentially living happily together in Mantua.

Fear of Committing Sins

Friar flees after witnessing Juliet in the tomb due to apprehension of being spotted by guards. Ultimately, the Friar's responsibility for Romeo and Juliet's demise is undeniable, placing him squarely at fault for their deaths. Unaware of the Friar's plot, Romeo takes his own life upon mistakenly believing that Juliet is deceased. Upon discovering Romeo's lifeless body, Juliet follows suit. Overwhelmed by guilt, the Friar acknowledges his limited time left to live in "short date of breath."

The passage suggests that "(V iii 229)" could be seen as Friar Laurence admitting guilt. If he was not responsible for the suicides, he would not feel guilty. Also, according to his religious beliefs, marrying someone already

married was considered a sin. That is why he refused to marry Juliet and Paris when she was already married to Romeo. Juliet herself questioned Friar Laurence's intentions, speculating that he might have poisoned her to avoid dishonor from their marriage. She expresses her fear with the words "I fear it is - -" (4).

Despite her initial suspicions, Juliet's faith in her confessor and lifelong friend, Friar Laurence, ultimately prevailed (Shakespeare, 25-28). It is Friar Laurence himself who bears the blame for the tragic outcome. His rushed actions and incompetence stemmed from his own shortcomings and impure motives. He even acknowledged his responsibility, stating "Miscarried by my fault, let my old life / Be sacrific'd, some hour before this time, / Unto the rigour of severest law" (Shakespeare, 5).

In Romeo and Juliet, Friar Laurence's plan and involvement are deemed foolish, with even his motives being questioned. Ultimately, he reflects on the past events and cannot evade responsibility for the two tragedies. The Friar's significant role in the play is evident.

Without the Friar, numerous significant and tragic incidents would not have unfolded in Romeo and Juliet. The union between Romeo and Juliet, culminating in Juliet's desperation to deceive and flee from another marriage, inevitably resulted in the demise of both Romeo and Juliet. All of these occurrences owe their existence to the Friar's involvement. Hence, it can be concluded that Friar Lawrence bears the greatest responsibility for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.

Romeo and Juliet met their demise because of Friar Laurence's deficiencies, his tendency to act hastily, his lack of foresight, and his fear of sin. He set the chain of unfortunate events

in motion, adding recklessness and hastiness while making poor choices. By trying to appease everyone, he ended up satisfying no one. "They stumble who run fast" (2.3.101) - it is peculiar how someone fails to apply their own wisdom to their own deeds.

"Virtue, when wrongly applied, becomes vice" (2.3.17). It would be most fitting for Friar Laurence to follow his own advice, while the rest would benefit from divine assistance.