Friar Lawerance In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

Romeo and Juliet is a love story gone wrong written by William Shakesphere. Taking place in Verona Italy in the late 1500's, the life lived by the citizens was very different to that of current times. The lovers demise was influenced by many individual factors. Although the character who lead Romeo and Juliet to their death can be an arguable discussion, all evidence points at Friar Lawerence to be the culprit. Friar Lawerance should be held responsible for the suicides because he married Romeo and Juliet for selfish reasons, illegally, and the teens were so overwhelmed by the pressure of the situation.

When the Friar married Romeo and Juliet it wasn't for the sake of love. The Friar's alterier motive was in hopes to stop the feud between the Montagues and Capulets. As stated by the Prince in Act 1, "By thee, old Capulet, and Montague, Have thrice disturb’d the quiet of our streets,

"As if that name, Shot from the deadly level of a gun, Did murder her; as that name’s cursed hand Murder’d her kinsman. O, tell me, friar, tell me, In what vile part of this anatomy Doth my name lodge? tell me, that I may sack The hateful mansion." Upon being told that he was banished, Romeo felt his life was no longer worth living. The Friar gave the children the resources needed to fake and cause their own deaths. "Each part, deprived of supple government, Shall, stiff and stark and cold, appear like death: And in this borrow’d likeness of shrunk death Thou shalt continue two and forty hours, And then awake as from a pleasant sleep." Giving Romeo and Juliet access to such fatal poisons and weapons during an emotionally driven time, made it too easy to take the easy way