Why Is Friar Lawrence Responsible In Romeo And Juliet

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During everyday life and in society we make distinctions everyday about people we should trust and those not to be trusted based on what they do, and how it affects us. In the novelization of “The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet” by WIlliam Shakespeare, the character of Friar Lawrence is initially introduced to be a trustworthy character and credible priest, but as the story goes on, he exposes his true characteristics of being very selfish and irresponsible. Romeo and Juliet ultimately die an untimely death as the direct result of Friar Lawrence due to his irresponsibility of marrying them with knowledge of the threatening feud and without consent, and abandoning Juliet in the Capulet crypt, leaving her to see her dead husband and dead husband-to-be. Romeo and Juliet eventually end up …show more content…

At the Capulet crypt, Friar Lawrence gets to the crypt just before Juliet wakes up. After the ensued duel between Romeo and Paris leaving them both dead, Juliet wakes up to her husband dead. Friar Lawrence fearing being found out, leaves and leaves Juliet to eventually kill herself. “Stay not to question, for the watch is coming. Come, go, good Juliet. I dare no longer stay.” (4.3.171-172). Consequently, the Friar happens to leave just before Juliet kills herself due to the amount of grief faced, with no consoleing. Friar Lawrence caused this based on his own obsession with his rank in Verona, and not wanting to get caught made him flee before he could comfort Juliet into not killing herself. Thus, making his own self image and his perception from the people of Verona force him to leave, as his ego and need to be of a prestigious rank allowed Juliet to be left alone in the Capulet Crypt, depressed and with a knife. Although after the fact he blames the feud, the reader can distinct through his change in character throughout the book that he indeed was the cause of the tragedy of Romeo and