Mercutio And Friar Lawurence In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

Mercutio and Friar Lawurence and their effects on Romeo and Juliet

In literature, certain characters hold the power to change the course of a story by shaping the destiny of the protagonists. In William Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, the focus may be the young lovers of Romeo and Juliet, but working and molding the story in the background are seemingly minor characters. Friar Lawrence and Mercutio are the two most important minor characters because of Mercutio’s death and its effects along with Friar Lawrence’s hasty decision making.

Friar Lawrence, although not considered a main character, plays a significant role in the outcome of the story Romeo and Juliet. One of Friar Lawrence’s most influential actions is his agreement

His intentions “To turn (their) households rancor to pure love” while not entirely untrue in the end, was not the outcome. This impulsive act highlights Friar Lawrence’s fault of misjudging the strength of young love and the intricacies of the situation. While Friar Lawrence did end the family's rancor, he did it by unintentionally causing the death of Romeo and Juliet. Furthermore, Friar Lawrence’s role extends past his involvement in Romeo and Juliet's marriage. Following Romeo's banishment for killing Tybalt, Friar Lawrence creates and provides Juliet a plan, Juliet would fake her death with a vial of potion, to meet with Romeo once again. After discussing the plan further with Juliet, Friar Lawrence assures her that he will send the letter to Romeo: “Shall Romeo by my letters know out

While not being a pivotal character in the beginning stages of the play, Mercutio's role takes a turn during the street brawl between the Montagues and the Capulets. When Tybalt, a Capulet, challenges Romeo to a duel, Mercutio steps in to challenge Tybalt to a duel because Romeo isn't. To anger Tybalt into fighting him, Mercutio provokes him, “O calm, dishonorable, vile submission! / Alla staccato carries it away. / Tybalt, you ratcatcher, will you walk?”(3.1.74-76) In these lines Mercutio draws his sword. Mercutio, acting as a driver for the plot, makes a decision to duel Tybalt. This decision ends up killing him. Romeo, enraged, says, “Alive in triumpth--and Mercutio slain! / Away to heaven, respective lenity, / And fire-eyes fury be my conduct now!”(3.1.124-126), “Either thou or I, or both, must go with him”(3.1.128) Mercutio’s death fills Romeo with a thirst for revenge. Romeo kills Tybalt in retaliation which gets him banished from Verona. Romeo’s banishment, a result of Mercutio’s death, pushes the story further towards the tragic end. Romeo’s separation from Juliet intensifies his feelings for her. His intensified love causes him to make rash