"Romeo and Juliet"

Essay # 51453

Shakespeare > Romeo and Juliet

"Romeo and Juliet"

Analytical essay on Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet".

1,314 words () | 0 sources | 2003 Australia

Paper Summary:

Discusses the concept of blame for the death of the main characters. It claims that the blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet ultimately rests with Friar Lawrence. It discusses to what extent this interpretation effects the plays tragic ending.

From the Paper:

"Friar Lawrence did indeed play a part in the tragic demise of Romeo and Juliet. There are many things the Friar did throughout the play that could be linked directly to their death. The first of these things is actually agreeing to marry Romeo and Juliet in the first place. (Act two, Scene 4). Although he did this with good intentions (he thought it might help the feuding families settle their differences "for this alliance may so happy prove to turn your households rancor to pure love") who is to say that if the were not married there love would dim? He then proceeds to give Juliet the vial of sleeping drought, "take thou this vial" (Act 4, Scene 1) without which she would never have been discovered "dead", Romeo would not have killed himself etc. Then he entrusts a note which is a matter of life and death to a novice, "I'll send a friar" (Act 4, Scene 1) instead of taking the care to see it was given to Romeo personally. The last thing he does is he leaves Juliet alone in the vault, weeping over Romeo's body to kill herself, "I dare no longer stay" (Act 5, Scene 3) all these events played some part in Romeo and Juliet's deaths. Therefore, in part, the Friar is to blame."