Friar's Guilt Essay

Confession of a Friar: Laurence’s Guilt in Romeo and Juliet.

Greek philosopher, Sophocles, once said, “No enemy is worse than bad advice.” This quote is true in Romeo and Juliet’s case, two young lovers from William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet. Throughout the story, misguided situations, advised by their Friar, led to their untimely deaths. Friar Laurence is most to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet due to, inspiring Juliet to fake her death, failing to inform Romeo of the plan, and leaving young Juliet alone to find Romeo. Many characters saw the friar as dependable, even though he continuously delivered dangerous advice to Romeo and Juliet. A prime example of his potentially fatal counsel was when he advised Juliet to fake her death, “If rather than marry County Paris, thou hast

By guiding Juliet throughout her “death”, Friar Laurence put Juliet in a hazardous situation that did not have a backup plan. He allowed a young girl to partake in a dangerously deceitful plan, whose secrecy would lead to Juliet’s eventual suicide. While the plot to fake Juliet’s death was a pivotal factor in her death, it would never have happened if it were not for the friar’s failure to inform Romeo. Friar Laurence is the sole reason for Romeo and Juliet’s demise; an action to support this is his unsuccessful attempt at informing Romeo of the plan. This deadly error is brought to light by Friar John, “I could not send it — here it is again” (5.2.13-14). Friar Laurence failed to complete the simplest and most important part of the plan, leaving Romeo to learn of Juliet’s “death” on his own. After falling victim to the miscommunication of the scheme, Romeo was left in a crazed state, planning his suicide the moment he found out. Not only is the friar to blame for Romeo’s tragic suicide, but Juliet’s death also rests in his “holy” hands. Juliet’s suicide was prompted by the discovery of her lover’s body after