Romeo And Juliet Who's To Blame Analysis

Who is to Blame for the tragic deaths of Romeo and Juliet?
Sunjum Dhugga

Friar Lawrence made a major mistake that he could have avoided himself. He trusted Juliet, an unstable teenage girl, with a fake-death poison. This rash decision was a very poor choice on the friar's behalf. Here, the friar shows his irresponsibility by saying, "If... thou hast the strength of will to slay thyself... take thou this vial... no warmth, no breath shall testify thou livest” Trusting Friar John to send the letter, and not even telling him that the letter was urgent, was Friar Lawrence's next big mistake. The mistake of him sending someone else to do it was inexcusable; a matter as important as faking death should be dealt with personally. Had
Friar Lawrence have personally delivered the letter, the plan might have gone smoothly. The marriage of Romeo and Juliet was done in secret by Friar Lawrence. “For this alliance may so happy prove to turn your households’ into pure love.”(Act 2 Scene 3 pg.105) If the Friar had not agreed, Juliet and Romeo probably would never have gotten married to each other. If they had never had gotten married, then Juliet would never have had to fake her death to be with Romeo. The Friar also should have warned Balthousar about the plan, as he knew he was a friend of Romeo’s. If he had done this then Romeo would not have needed to rush to Verona and kill himself. Also, instead of giving Juliet a sleeping potion he should have just sent her with Balthousar to Romeo and then they could have been together. He even warns Romeo that the wedding is all happening all too fast, but continues on with the ceremony hence not taking his own advice. “The violent passions have violent ends and die at their peak-like fire and gun powders, which meeting, destroy themselves…” (Act 2 Scene 6 pg.127) Lord Capulet can also be “classified” as being the culprit behind the death of his daughter.
Lord Capulet reaction to Juliet’s refusal to marry Paris pushes her to such an extent that she must run away with Friar Lawrence’s plan. Had they been more concerned, Lord Capulet was so intent on saving his reputation; he did not realize all the pain he was putting his child through. He also speeds up the day off marriage with Paris, without Juliet’s consent. Lord Capulet from what we know has a temper, and when he hears that Juliet does not want to marry Paris this angers him extremely. “What’s this? What’s this? Subtle hairsplitting! What’s this? Proud, and Thank you and no, thanks- and even not proud. You cheeky girl, you, I’ll have none of your thanks, thank you, none of your, proud! Just get your fine self-ready for next Thursday, to go with Paris to Saint Peter’s Church, or I’ll drag you there on a sled! Pah! You sick looking object! Get away with you, you minx! You coward!” (Act 3 Scene 5 pg.183) Being blinded by anger, he goes to the extremes not thinking how this might affect how his “loyal” daughter might react, and says he will disown her. “Be hanged with you, you hussy, you disobedient wretch! I’ll tell you what: get to church on Thursday, or never look at me in the face again. Don’t say anything. Don’t reply! My fingers are itching! Wife, we thought we were very lucky that God gave us this only child-but now I realize we’ve been cursed in having her!” (Act 3 Scene 5
pg.185) Lastly, Romeo and Juliet are responsible for their own deaths.
Romeo's extreme hastiness is what leads to his early death. One example is the agreement to marry Juliet on the night they met. Romeo did not think thoroughly about the idea and how it is going to affect both of their opposing families (Montague and Capulet). When he announced his decision to the Friar, the Friar immediately insists Romeo to take things slowly. “Wisely and slowly: those who run, trip” (Act 2 scene 3 pg.105) But Romeo is too blinded by love. He ignores the advice and wants to marry Juliet. It seems that Romeo thinks that the world is quickly moving out of his reach so he has to make quick, impulsive decisions without thinking about how it might affect him and the ones who he loves. If he had consulted Friar before he bought the poison and went to go see Juliet, it could have cost him his life and Juliet’s. Juliet is also to blame. She being a very respectful girl does a complete 180 change to someone very hasty and rebellious. Instead of telling the truth to her parents, about her already being married to Romeo, she goes to extreme measures and is willing to kill herself, “ ….in spite of you wisdom, you can offer no help, just say my intention is sensible and I’ll implement it straight away with this knife…” She is just thinking about herself, and does not care about what could happen if she doesn’t get her way, so she begs the Friar for a vial of “poison”, not thinking that the plan might go
wrong. With another hasty decision she costs the life of Romeo, Paris and herself. Romeo and Juliet are equally to blame for their own deaths as are the other character’s in this tragic heartfelt play. In the play, Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, everyone mourns over the death of Romeo and Juliet, and everyone blames himself or herself, but really who is to blame. This we will never truly know. But we can blame one person and that is the master himself; William Shakespeare.