Furthermore he is the character that gives Juliet the sleeping potion, to trick the family into thoughts that she had died, so she wouldn’t be forced into marrying Paris.
One of the principal mistakes Friar Lawrence creates is that when he distributes the sleeping potion to Juliet he forwarded a message to Romeo, explaining that Juliet is not dead, and that he is not to be concerned regarding her. The message was sent via another Friar and not Friar Lawrence himself, so Romeo didn’t actually receive the message. This was due to an epidemic of plague in the town where Romeo was in hiding.
‘F. Lawrence: Who bare my letter then to Romeo?’
‘F. John: I could not send it, here it is again-’
These quotes are evidence for Friar Lawrence enquiring whether the message was distributed or not to Romeo, and Friar Johns reply.
This part of the story is a large turning point because it affects the outcome of the whole story.
In the closing scene, when both families arrive, Friar Lawrence happens to be the number one suspect for murdering Romeo and Juliet, given that he is the only person at the scene of three deaths. Friar Lawrence spends time retelling the entire story of Romeo and Juliet, including every significant detail. A quote from his speech is ‘Romeo there dead, was husband to that Juliet, and she, there dead, that Romeo’s faithful wife’. This demonstrates the Friar trying to explain what has happened, he goes on to mention how he married them both and gives the reason for why he did so.
All this information concludes that the character of Friar Lawrence plays a large part towards the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Therefore meaning that Friar Lawrence is moderately responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.
A group of characters that also play an immense part in the deaths of Romeo and Juliet are the Capulet’s and the Montague’s. These are both the families of Romeo and Juliet, and if they hadn’t have had fallen out with one another in the beginning, then the problems wouldn’t have begun. For example Romeo and Juliet would have been able to get married without having to keep it a secret from their families, if there families were friends with one another in the first place.
Another character that is only a minor part throughout the play, but whenever she is in a scene has an appropriate reason to be there, is the Nurse. I find the character of the Nurse responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s deaths due to the following facts. The nurse worked along side the Friar to help get the wedding set up in secret, she also scurries around sending messages in secret to and from Romeo, for Juliet. A quote that shows the Nurse rushing around is, ‘ Then hie you hence to Friar Lawrence’ cell, there stays a husband to make you a wife.’ This is when Nurse notifies Juliet after visiting Romeo and the Friar to plan the wedding arrangements.
All this information above gives enough evidence to say that almost every character in the play contributes to being responsible for the deaths of both Romeo and Juliet. Most, if not all, the characters have links to each side of the families so therefore proves that they are all to blame.