In William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, most of the events that happened, led up to the death of Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. Many, if not all, of the characters played an ultimate role in the tragic death of the ‘star crossed lovers’, but Friar Lawrence was certainly the biggest contributor. At first glance, one may look over Friar Lawrence and dismiss him as only a minor character in this story. However, upon closer examination, it becomes obvious that Friar Lawrence played an essential role in the development of the play and is seen to be the one for moving the action along. He played the role in nearly every aspect in the tragedy, from the marriage to the plan to rescue Romeo from banishment and to prevent Juliet from marriage to Paris. Friar Lawrence made multiple mistakes in which contributed majorly to the death of the ‘star-crossed lovers’. He not only made one, but three mistakes that lead to death of Romeo and Juliet. He married the lovers without the consent of either parents, he had the plan to use the sleeping potion so that Juliet could run off with Romeo and he failed to inform Romeo directly about that Juliet’s death was a scam. Thus Friar Lawrence bad actions, he is responsible for the death of Romeo and Juliet.
Friar Lawrence involvement in the marriage of Romeo and Juliet caused a tragedy. He agreed to perform a secret wedding for Romeo and Juliet though he believed that the lovers were merely infatuated with each other and weren’t truly in love. A bond between them was created by Friar Lawrence through their marriage as stated, ‘For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone Till holy church incorporate two in one’ (2.6.2).
By marrying the lovers, he took a step in the wrong direction, he only was thinking of how the consequences would be good. By marrying Romeo and Juliet, he thought that it could bring the Capulet and the Montague families back together so they could make up