Who is to blame for the tragic death of Romeo and Juliet, The Nurse or Friar Laurence?

Authors Avatar

Ali Khan        Page         4/27/2007

          Who is to blame for the tragic death of Romeo and Juliet, The Nurse or Friar

                                                              Laurence?

Romeo and Juliet set in Verona Italy, is one of the many plays written by William Shakespeare and also one of the many tragedies. It was this tragedy that could only stop the feud between two warring families. Shakespeare makes it very simple that although this tale of two ‘star-crossed’ lovers is a tragedy. That they are in no way to blame for the fate that befalls them. Instead the blame has gone partly to their two families who have had an ancient feud between one another, if it was not for this Tybalt and Juliet would not of died and Romeo not exiled from Verona. Shakespeare added the two characters Friar Laurence and the nurse to mould the play together and also to make it more interesting. It was also because of these two characters that changed the fate of the two protagonists. He also added them to maintain the suspense within the play. Part of this is also the fault of the prince of Verona, as he did not introduce a strict ban against duelling between the two families Montague and Capulet until somebody died in the end.

   In the following essay I will analyse friar Laurence and the nurse’s contributions, consider the actions, decision and what options they had throughout the play that could have turned it around, and at the end I will come to a final decision of who actually was to blame for this tragic yet necessary death to stop the bloody killings between the families.  

      The nurse has a very strong relationship with Juliet as she has grown up with her and loved her like a mother. She also plays a crucial role throughout the play, and is involved in the secretive romance of the two young lovers Romeo and Juliet. Juliet is upset that her first love and her last love is born from a family of which they are old enemies,’ my only loves sprung from my only hate!’ From the beginning to the end of the play the nurse’s relationship is clear, her trust, protection, willingness, mischief and the loving attitude of the nurse is shown. The nurse moves the play on in a very theatrical manner.

     Friar Laurence is just like the nurse but he shows his love to Romeo, as friar Laurence is a priest he is very wise and generous. Rome and Juliet trust him completely, turning to him for advice and solution. Friar Laurence was always there for Romeo and Juliet but because of his little mistakes he changed the fortune of the lovers. Friar Laurence has made many mistakes one of them is that he had sent the message of his plan to Romeo too late therefore Romeo did not get it on time and did not know of friars plan friar Laurence should of though of this, way in advance and tried to send the message earlier. Another big mistake that friar Laurence had made was that at the end of the play when Juliet was awakening and Romeo had already killed himself he tried to take Juliet away which was good but when they were going out Juliet saw Romeo dead and Juliet stopped meanwhile the guard watcher were coming which made friar Laurence very uneasy and panicked so he ran off not thinking about what Juliet could do on her own and what she did could have been prevented if Friar Laurence had just stayed for a while longer. Friar Laurence should of tried and talked Romeo out of marrying Juliet at the start he did but then let into what Romeo was saying and went along with it he was the

Join now!

one who started this all as he is the one who got them married it was the marriage that killed them both. If friar Laurence had not married them before Tybalt came and challenged him then Mercutio and Tybalt would not have died and then this would not lead to the exiling of Romeo, because Romeo was exiled from Verona he could not hear of the plan and this is what lead to his and Juliet’s death. Friar Laurence knew that he had made mistakes so he had to come up with the last plan .It was his poorly thought ...

This is a preview of the whole essay