Can you think of yourself being interrogated by police officers while holding a shovel, and you are near three recently discovered bodies? This is what Friar Lawrence experienced in the play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by William Shakespeare. In the play, the two lovers are from separate fighting families and must have a private relationship that only a few know about. They secretly get married, but there is a series of misunderstandings and misfortunes that lead to both of them killing themselves. The result of this play is a tragedy and it is all caused by Friar Lawrence. Friar Lawrence is most to blame for his impulsive plans, poor anticipation, and selfish behavior. To begin, Friar Lawrence's impulsive actions in 'Romeo and Juliet' play a significant …show more content…
One instance is when Romeo comes to the Friar for help when he gets exiled. In the text, it says, “O rude unthankfulness! Thy fault our law calls death; but the kind Prince taking thy part, hath rushed aside the law, and turned that black word “Death” to “Banishment”. This is dear mercy, and thou seest it not”. Shakespeare 3.3.24-28. Friar's failure to assist Romeo in the way he wanted ultimately led to their inability to reunite. This lack of communication led Friar John to bring the letter to Romeo, and because of the missed letter, this ultimately led to the tragic end of both Romeo and Juliet. As well as the previous evidence, Friar also doesn’t see the consequences of his actions at the end when he explains the deaths of the two lovers. According to the text “I am the greatest, able to do least, Yet most suspected, as the time and place Doth make against me, of this dire murder; And here I stand, both to impeach and purge” (Shakespeare.5.5.223-226). Friar Lawrence's attempt to avoid punishment results in tragedy because his fear of being involved in the deaths of Romeo and Juliet leads to a lack of truth. Instead of Friar explaining the truth, he tries to defend himself. This delays in disclosing the full story and only complicates things further. This ultimately contributed to the tragic