Essay on Who is to Blame in Romeo and Juliet?

Who is to blame for Romeo and Juliet’s tragic love story? Their are many characters that played a large influence in those 4 days, they were together. Juliet and Romeo were two teens who fell in love at a dance, but here’s the catch, their families where rivals. Both their parents were very controlling over their lives, which did not help. Juliet’s nurse and Friar Laurence cared very much about them and tried to help, but maybe it made things worse. The ultimate characters to blame for horrific deaths of Romeo and Juliet are, her nurse, Friar Laurence, Lord and Lady Capulet. 

Friar Lawrence and the nurse tried to help Romeo and Juliet, but in the end they didn’t realize they just made it worse. Juliet feels betrayed by her nurse when she tells her, in Act 3 Scene 5 lines 218-219“I think it best you married the County. O he’s a lovely gentleman”. When Juliet hears what the nurse has to say she feels betrayed, alone and doesn’t know who to trust. Therefore Juliet seeks Friar Laurence for help and all doesn’t go as planned. The friar attempts to inform Romeo Juliet’s alive but Friar John could not send the letter, in Act 5 Scene 2 lines 14-15 “ I could not send it , here it is again, nor get a message to bring it thee”. Friar Laurence not getting the letter to Romeo is ultimately what lead to the tragic ending. As a result of Romeo not getting the letter, he kills himself at her supposed grave. The nurse and Friar Laurence thought they were doing the right thing, but it didn’t go as planned.

Lord and Lady Capulet are also to blame because they tried to force Juliet into doing something she didn’t want. Lord Capulet informs Juliet she will be marrying Pairs, and when she says she will not, he says some disturbing things to her, in Act 3 Scene 5 lines 116-118, “Out, you green sickness, carrion! Out, you baggage! You tallow face!”. Lord Capulet does not let Juliet make decisions nor consult her on what she wants in her life. Instead he calls her names and doesn’t support her which cause her to rebel. Capulet informs Juliet she will marry Paris, in Act 3 Scene 5 lines 112-115 “Marry, my child, early next Thursday morn, The gallant, young, and noble gentleman, The County Paris, at Saint Peter’s Church, Shall happily make thee there a joyful bride.”Juliet informs her she doesn’t wanna get married but she doesn’t listen to her and makes her tell lord Capulet, she does not desire to marry Paris. Lady Capulet does not agree with her decision to not marry Paris, and allows Lord Capulet to speak to Juliet in a very belittling way. As a result she feels alone and needs to find a way to get out of deal her father made with Paris.

Everyone in one way or another, everything that occurred lead Romeo and Juliet to where they ended up. Maybe if certain things had been done differently, they would not have ended up dead. Friar Laurence and the nurse tried to help but their plan had it flaws. If Lord and Lady Capulet had taken off the pressure on Juliet to marry Paris, maybe she would be alive. In conclusion what they thought would help them really just lead them in the wrong path.