In the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, various characters show how pure intentions can lead to deadly consequences. Although the title of the play implies that Romeo and Juliet is a love story, in reality, it is a terrible tragedy. Misapplied virtues turn to vice when Romeo interferes in Mercutio and Tybalt’s duel, when Balthasar delivers the tragic news of Juliet’s death to Romeo, and when Friar Lawrence agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet. By intervening in Mercutio and Tybalt’s fight, Romeo’s helpful intention leads to deadly consequences for Mercutio, Tybalt, and himself. When Tybalt insults Romeo, calling him a villain, he is not concerned. Romeo informs Tybalt that his cruel insults do not irritate him, as because of his …show more content…
At the beginning of the play, Romeo goes to Friar Lawrence in hopes that he will marry him and Juliet the next day. The Friar agrees, but only in hopes that uniting Romeo and Juliet, will unite the Montague and Capulet families at last, ending their feud. “For this alliance may so happy prove, To turn your households’ rancour to pure love” (II, iii, 91-92). After the marriage of Romeo and Juliet, many things go wrong; such as when Romeo gets exiled for killing Tybalt, when Capulet engages Juliet to Paris, when Balthasar delivers news of Juliet’s death to Romeo, and many deaths that could have been prevented, including Juliet and Romeo’s. After the Prince’s watchmen discover Romeo and Juliet dead in the Capulet family tomb, Friar Lawrence admits to marrying them and tells the Prince of Romeo and Juliet’s story: “Romeo, there dead, was husband to that Juliet; And she, there dead, that Romeo’s faithful wife. I married them” (V, iii, 231-233) Because of Friar Lawrence’s decision to marry Romeo and Juliet, events leading up to their deaths were able to take place. Many of these events could have been prevented if only the Friar did not agree to marry Romeo and Juliet in the first