In William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, there are several acts of impetuosity shown through several characters. Impetuous means marked by impulsive vehemence or passion which Romeo, Juliet, and the friar all display. The three of them believe they are doing what is best for their situations, but in reality they are adding to the plot of the demise of the two lovers. In the play, the three characters Romeo, Juliet, and Friar Lawrence act on impetuosity, which leads to the final tragedy of the play.
In the play, the actions of Friar Lawrence contribute to the death of both Romeo and Juliet. Although the friar is not in love, he is still as involved as both Romeo and Juliet. In Act II, Romeo approaches the friar and asks him to marry him and Juliet. The friar responds with “Holy Saint Francis! What a change is here!… Young men’s love then lies / Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes… In one respect I’ll thy assistant be; / For this alliance may so happy prove / To turn your households’ rancor to pure love” (2.3.65-92). The friar tells Romeo that he does not love Juliet, he only loves her appearance, but he marries them anyways to possibly end the feud. The friar makes impulsive decisions without giving the situation much thought. He also performs another act of impetuosity in Act IV. Juliet comes to him for advice on how to avoid marrying Count Paris and he comes up with a plan to give her a potion that will make her appear dead for forty-two hours. He gives