The Nurse and Friar Laurence in Romeo and Juliet Essay Example

Throughout The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet there were many factors and influential characters that resulted in the deaths of Romeo and his Juliet.  One character who is most to blame is the Nurse, who created confusion and left Juliet completely disoriented in her thoughts.  Friar Laurence is another character that was responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.  Friar Laurence introduced a faulty plan that failed to save the teenagers from arranged marriages and the ending of their short lives.  In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the two characters who are most to blame for their tragic deaths are the Nurse and Friar Laurence. 

One character who is to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet is the Nurse because she continuously encouraged the relationship between the two and in the end told Juliet that Paris was a better match for her.  Juliet was raised and cared for by the Nurse and she began to see her as a mother and as someone she could trust.  At the Capulet’s party when Romeo and Juliet first spotted each other and fell in love, the Nurse is who was first to find out about this forbidden romance.  Even though the Nurse knew, “His name is Romeo, and a Montague, The only son of your great enemy” (Act 1 Scene 5) she proceeded to assist the teenage romantics.  The Nurse went as far as to travel into town in order to get a message from Romeo for Juliet.  Romeo said, “Some means to come to shrift this afternoon; And there she shall at Friar Laurence’ cell Be shrived and married” (Act 2 Scene 4).   The Nurse agreed to Romeo’s proposition and decided that Juliet would be married at the Friar’s cell later that afternoon.  This quote shows how the Nurse listened to the lovers, went along with their plan, and she even spoke fondly of Juliet to Romeo.  The Nurse said things like, “Well, sir, my mistress is the sweetest lady.  Lord, Lord!” (Act 2 Scene 4).  Even after Romeo killed Tybalt and was banished, the Nurse traveled to Friar Laurence’ cell and gave Romeo a ring from Juliet.  However, as time went on she began speaking differently of Romeo, almost as if she was in favor of the arrangement between Juliet and Paris.  After Father Capulet threatened to disown Juliet for refusing to marry Paris, Juliet turned to her beloved Nurse for advice.  However, the Nurse betrayed her and suggested that she marry County Paris.  “I think it best you marry with the County.  O, he’s a lovely gentleman!  Romeo’s a dishclout to him. An eagle, madam, Hath not so green, so quick, so fair an eye As Paris hath” (Act 3 Scene 5).  This suggestion by the Nurse is what initially gave Juliet the will to die if she could not find another solution to avoid Paris.  If the Nurse hadn’t deceived Juliet, maybe she would have escaped a life of fake love towards Paris and she could have returned to Romeo and lived the fulfilled life she deserved.  The Nurse is to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet because if it weren’t for her, Juliet wouldn't have lost her outlook on her future and seen death as a solution to her problems. 

Another character who is to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet is Friar Laurence because of his defective plan to save Juliet from County Paris.  Friar Laurence initiated action within this marriage by wedding the two behind the backs of the Capulet and Montague families.  Once Juliet expressed her concern to Friar Laurence about her arranged marriage to County Paris, Friar Laurence proposed an idea.  “Take thou this vial, being then in bed, And this distilled liquor drink thou off; When presently through all thy veins shall run A cold and drowsy humor; for no pulse Shall keep his native progress, but surcease; No warmth, no breath, shall testify thou livest” (Act 4 Scene 1).  Friar Laurence then went on to say that Juliet will appear dead for forty two hours, wake up as if from a long slumber, and escape to Mantua with Romeo.  However, the plan did not go exactly as the Friar had originally determined.  He passed a letter on to Friar John to deliver to Romeo in Mantua, but he “could not send it- here it is again-- Nor get a messenger to bring it thee, So fearful were they of infection” (Act 5 Scene 2).  This quote shows how Friar Laurence instantly gave a risky substance to a thirteen year old girl, but did not come up with any backup solutions to his plan.  Friar Laurence’ specific tactic completely backfired when Balthasar, Romeo’s servant, saw Juliet on her deathbed and immediately told Romeo.  Romeo went to an apothecary in Mantua and obtained a poison that kills man in seconds so that he didn’t have to live without his dear lover.  Moments before Juliet rose from her induced nap, Romeo ingested the poison and spoke his last words.  “Here’s to my love! O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick.  Thus with a kiss I die” (Act 5 Scene 3).  Not only was Friar Laurence responsible for Romeo’s untimely death, but he also abandoned Juliet right as she woke up.  Capulet Watchmen were on their way to the tomb and the friar abandoned confused and delusional Juliet so he was not blamed for the childrens’ deaths.  This led to Juliet taking her own life with her beloved Romeo’s dagger.  “O happy dagger!  This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die” (Act 5 Scene 3).  Friar Laurence, his poorly thought out plan for Juliet’s escape from an unhappy marriage, and his consistent unfaithfulness to the Capulet and Montague families are all reasons he is to blame for Romeo and Juliet’s tragic deaths. 

Throughout The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, the Nurse and Friar Laurence are seen as two characters who are most to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.  The reader and play spectator could see that the Nurse confused Juliet by originally making her feel in the right about her decision to marry Romeo; however, as the play progressed, the Nurse projected that marrying County Paris was the proper and only choice, causing Juliet to kill herself in the end.  Friar Laurence is another character who caused Romeo and Juliet’s death by secretly wedding them, supplying a faulty plan for the teens to escape their grievances, and abandoning Juliet in her tomb.  The uncertainty created by the Nurse and deceitful ways of Friar Laurence all led to the tragic deaths of Romeo and Juliet.  As the Prince once said, “For never was a story of more woe Than this of Juliet and her Romeo” (Act 5 Scene 3).