Interview of Friar Lawrence and Nurse after Romeo and Juliet's' Deaths

Jury: What were your motives in this tragedy?

I wanted to help a very good friend to be happy and preserve the marriage.  I suppose I also hoped that performing this marriage ceremony would help unite the two sides from their conflict.

 

Jury: Whose fault do you think the deaths are?

I blame myself more than anyone else.  I played the largest part, however, I suppose it would not have happened if there had not been many smaller things contributing. For example, if there had never been a conflict.  Nobody was to know that it would end in death.

Jury: What part do you think you were to blame for particularly?

I was responsible for setting in motion a series of actions that lead to the marriage, the arrangements for the meetings and the drugs for Juliet.  I didn’t save Juliet from herself.

Judge:John Henry Lawrence please leave the dock.

Anne Falton please mount to the dock. Put your hand on the Bible and say after me, I swear to tell the truth, whole truth and nothing but the truth.

I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

The Jury are now open to ask you questions, you are bound by the book to keep to the truth.

Jury: What was your relationship with Juliet?

Well, I was almost like a second mother to her, I was her wet nurse you know, she born at the same time as my daughter Susan who passed away God rest her soul. I have looked after ever since.  Juliet was always a very nice young lady never doing anything naughty.  I was her closest friend she used to tell me all her secrets but she didn’t tell me her plan before she died.  

Jury: What part did you play in this tragedy?

I knew all the time that Juliet had gone off and married that Romeo, I never knew it would come to this.  Romeo was a nice young chap as well.  He wasn’t as good-looking or as clever as Paris though, not at all, no!  The only other matter I was involved in was organising Romeo’s night with Juliet, that took a lot of organising that did.

Jury: What were your motives in this tragedy?

All I wanted was to see Juliet happily married with a nice young man.  I wouldn’t have been persuaded to take part in this conspiracy but Juliet begged and begged me not to tell his Lordship.

Jury: Whose fault do you think the deaths are?

Not mine and that’s for sure, I always said that, that Romeo would lead her up to no good, he looked nice and all that but he had a look about him.  I think Romeo lead her into it, he always was the bad sort, coming from a Montague family and all that…

Jury: What part do you think you were to blame for particularly?

It wasn’t anything to do with me, if I had gone to his Lordship about the marriage she’d have killed herself sure as sure, like the good Friar said she was going to…

Judge: Anne Falton, leave the dock.

The Jury will now leave to come to a decision.

1 hour later:

Verdict: Death by Misadventure