Friar Lawrence Responsible For The Deaths Of Romeo And Juliet

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In Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, a long grudge between the Montague and Capulet families rattled the city of Verona and caused tragic deaths for Romeo and Juliet. Numerous characters had the opportunity to prevent these deaths. Most importantly, Friar Lawrence, followed by Romeo, and then the Apothecary. Because all three of these characters were self-centered in different ways, they all contributed to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Friar Lawrence is most to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. All of Friar Lawrence's actions throughout the play had a common factor: he was selfish. In the beginning of the play, Romeo went to Friar Lawrence and asked the Friar if he could wed Romeo and Juliet. Instead of thinking of the impact …show more content…

After Juliet had drunk the potion, he gave her, Friar Lawrence wrote an urgent letter to Romeo with all of the details of Juliet’s location and when she would wake up. If Friar Lawrence thought it was that the letter was very important, he should've delivered it himself, or talked to Romeo in person. When he finds out that Friar John was taking his time to deliver it, the Friar realizes his mistake by saying, “Unhappy fortune! By my brotherhood, The letter was not nice but full of charge, Of dear import, and neglecting it, May do much danger.” (5.2.18-21). Because of this sloppy decision, Romeo ended up killing himself because he thought that Juliet was dead. Lastly, Friar Lawrence feels guilty for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. At the play's end, the Capulets, Montagues, and Prince Escalis arrive at the tomb where Juliet and Romeo lie dead. This is the point where Friar Lawrence finally recalls all of his impactful mistakes and realizes that this is his fault. He addresses the forming crowd of people by saying, “I am the greatest, able to do least, Yet most suspected as the time and place, Doth make against me of this direful murder, And here I stand both to …show more content…

He quickly becomes one of the greediest and most thoughtless people in the play after he chooses money over somebody's life. When Romeo gets word that Juliet is dead, he quickly heads over to the Apothecary’s shop, looking for a poison to kill himself. The Apothecary realizes that Romeo intends to commit suicide and hesitates about giving the poison to Romeo by saying, “Such mortal drugs I have; but Mantua's law is death to any he that utters them” (5.1.68-69). Romeo notices the Apothecary's delay and immediately offers the apothecary a large sum of money and says, "I pay thy poverty, but not thy will" (5.1.80). Without a second thought, The Apothecary takes the money and informs Romeo about how to use the poison. As Romeo takes the Apothecary and puts the Potion in Romeo’s hands he says, “Put this in any kind of liquid you want, and drink it. Even if you had the strength of twenty men, it would kill you quickly.” (5.1.81-83). The Apothecary's actions show that, in his eyes, he believes that money is superior to somebody else's fate. If the Apothecary had been less self-centered and thought about Romeo’s life instead of the money, he wouldn't have given Romeo the poison that eventually led to Romeo’s