Friar's Role In Romeo And Juliet

Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare) was a very influential story during the time period that Shakespeare wrote it. Shakespeare wanted to give each person in this story their own messy and different life, just like Romeo and Juliet. All of these characters mixed together, are part of the reason why the two lovers decided to kill themselves. Two characters in particular were Friar Lawrence and the Nurse. The Nurse and Friar Lawrence are responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. The Friar was one of Romeo's most important role models. Romeo looked up to him and respected his opinions. No matter what the Friar could have said to Romeo and Juliet, they still would have gotten married, but the Friar could have helped them find a better way to go about it. The Friar thought that marrying the two kids of the feuding houses would help put an end to their parents' fight, "Thy love did read by rote, that could not spell. But come young waverer, come go with me. In one respect I'll thy assistant be; For this alliance may so happy prove to turn your households' rancor to pure love." (Act 2). In this quote, the Friar is thinking that if this couple is to be wed, then the feuding families will put down their swords and pick up champagne bottles instead. The Friar was right when he thought this union

Not only was he the one who wedded Juliet, but he gave her the potion that led to everyone thinking she was dead, including Romeo. All of these mistakes had easy fixes but the Friar just didn't want to fix anything, "The letter was not nice, but full of charge, and dear import; and the neglecting it May do much danger." (Act 5). Once again, there is an easy fix to this situation, but instead the Friar doesn't do anything about it. If he would have just found Romeo himself, Juliet and her husband would have been living it up in Mantua together. Instead, the Friar finds himself with the blood of not just one, but two innocent