Brian Huang Ms. Bartella ENG1DE April 26, 2023 A Betrayal of Trust: The Role of Friar Lawrence in Romeo and Juliet's Untimely Demise. In William Shakespeare's “Romeo and Juliet,” one character's selfish actions set in motion the tragic events that ultimately lead to the young couple's demise. Friar Lawrence serves as the trusted advisor of Romeo and Juliet. However, Friar Lawrence’s hasty marriage of the couple, poorly thought-out plans, and abandonment are the leading factors of Romeo and Juliet’s untimely demise. When Friar Lawrence is influenced by his selfish motivations, he dooms Romeo and Juliet with the hasty marriage and flawed plans, making him responsible for the deaths of the young couple. Friar Lawrence’s hasty decision to marry Romeo and Juliet is one of the leading factors that leads to their untimely demise, despite Friar …show more content…
In Act 4, Scene 1, Friar Lawrence devises a plan that requires Juliet to drink a potion that would induce a death-like sleep. Juliet would then be placed in the Capulet tomb, where Romeo would rescue her after receiving a letter from Friar John detailing the plan: “No warmth, no breath shall testify thou livest” (4.1.98); “Shall Romeo by my letters know our drift” (4.1.114). However, the plan is highly flawed and risky, putting both Romeo and Juliet in danger. It relies heavily on assumptions and leaves little room for error. Firstly, Juliet has to drink a potentially deadly potion and wake up at the right time, assuming she wakes up at all. Secondly, Romeo has to receive Friar John's letter and sneak into the Capulet tomb, risking his own safety with people like Paris. The plan is incredibly unreliable, with any small problem capable of derailing it completely. Ultimately, Friar Lawrence's flawed plan to reunite Romeo and Juliet led to a misunderstanding and their tragic