Romeo and Juliet is a well-renowned, timeless tragedy by William Shakespeare. Romeo is a Montague, Juliet is a Capulet, two differing families who have been feuding for so long, they do not remember what started their war. Romeo and Juliet see each other at a party and immediately decide they are head over heels in love. They are married within twenty-four hours. The entire story takes place in less than four days, with six people meeting their ends, two of them being Romeo and Juliet themselves. The burning question is who is to blame for the perishing protagonists? Although all the characters play a part in the tragic deaths of Romeo and Juliet, Friar Laurence is held the most accountable. While he broke no law when marrying …show more content…
As a result, fathers would choose the husband for their daughter. Capulet, Juliet’s father, arranges for her to be married to Paris. This happened directly after Romeo and Juliet were married clandestinely by Friar Laurence, who soon came to her rescue, informing her that he was in possession of a potion that would stop Juliet’s heart for forty two hours, making her appear dead, “And, if thou darest, I’ll give thee remedy.” (Act IV, Scene I) “Shall, stiff and stark and cold, appear like death; / And in this borrowed likeness of shrunk death / Thou shalt continue two-and-forty hours, / And then awake as from a pleasant sleep.” (Act IV, Scene I) This whole situation could have been handled in a different manner. Juliet faking her death is what eventually leads Romeo to committing suicide. “Come, come away...I’ll dispose of thee / Among a sisterhood of holy nuns.” (Act V, Scene III) After Juliet discovers Romeo is dead, Friar Laurence does not even physically stop her from killing herself. He could have realized the consequences of trespassing are less important than abandoning Juliet to die. More importantly, he was aware that if he left Juliet alone, she would most likely commit suicide, as she threatened it earlier, “And with this knife I’ll help it presently.” (Act IV, Scene I) Stopping Juliet from taking her own life could have solved many