Romeo Essay

Responsibility and Rights “If people concentrated on their responsibilities, others would have their rights” –Stuart Briscoe. Fulfilling responsibilities is a very simple way of gaining without losing. Without having responsibilities one cannot gain natural rights. As shown in William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, people thought to be fulfilling their responsibilities were actually taking others rights away. Some people might say that Romeo and Juliet’s confidantes actually helped them when nobody else would. But in reality, irresponsible behavior from the people most relied upon by Romeo and Juliet led the couple to their deaths. In The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, Friar Lawrence is most responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet because his so called “responsible” behavior is what leads the couple to their deaths. Friar Lawrence may think that he is helping Romeo and Juliet more than anyone, but in reality he is irresponsible, and later, even mentally corrupt. To begin, when Romeo arrives at the Friar’s house to ask to marry to his newfound love, Juliet, the Friar realizes that Romeo doesn’t know love because it was only yesterday when he was in love with Rosaline. He lectures Romeo, saying, “But come, young waverer, come, go with me./ In one respect I’ll thy assistant be,” (2.3.96-7). The Friar understands that Romeo is impetuous, but he still decides to marry him to Juliet, which ultimately makes matters extremely worse. He thinks he is helping the families, but his irresponsible action ends up tearing the families apart, making him mentally corrupt. It is also the Friar’s responsibility to provide ethical solutions to people’s problems, but, instead, he encourages Juliet to fake her death. He guides Juliet, “Take thou vile, being then in bed/ And this distilling liquor drink thou off;/ When presently through all thy veins shall run/ A cold and drowsy humor; for no pulse” (4.1.95-8). The Friar knows that he can only get away with this