Apothecary's Involvement In Romeo And Juliet

1877 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Parents in Romeo and Juliet

In Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, the elders’ involvement in the development of Romeo and Juliet’s relationship, rather than it being attributed to the two lovers’ infatuation with each other, can perhaps be seen as the driving force in the play’s tragic ending. This concept may seem quite far-fetched or even ludicrous, but if the reader looks at the play and imagines Friar Laurence, Lord Capulet, or even the apothecary’s contribution to the main characters as being non-existent, it becomes clear that the play’s ending may have changed drastically and even been avoided completely had their roles not existed. Therefore, it can be claimed that the cause of the tragedy was not love between Romeo and Juliet, but the adults who failed to …show more content…

(4.1.113-117)
When Friar Laurence sent Friar John to send a letter to Romeo to inform him that Juliet was not really dead, it backfires severely:
FRIAR JOHN: Holy Franciscan friar! Brother, ho!
FRIAR LAURENCE: This same should be the voice of Friar John. / Welcome from Mantua! What says Romeo? / Or if his mind be writ, give me his letter.
FRIAR JOHN: Going to find a barefoot brother out - / One of our order – to associate me / Here in this city visiting the sick, / And finding him, the searchers of the town, / Suspecting that we both were in a house / Where the infectious pestilence did reign, / Sealed up the doors and would not let us forth, / So that my speed to Mantua there was stayed.
FRIAR LAURENCE: Who bare my letter, then, to Romeo?
FRIAR JOHN: I could not send it – here it is again - / Nor could I get a messenger to bring it thee, / So fearful were they of infection. (5.2.1-16)
This left Romeo under the impression that Juliet is dead. Had Friar Laurence anticipated a snag like this and sent out two letter-carriers instead of just one, the play would have perhaps become a Comedy instead of a …show more content…

Believing that Juliet was mourning over Tybalt and that having her marry County Paris would be best for her, Capulet unknowingly starts a confrontation between him and his daughter Juliet. Regardless of her pleas, he sets the marriage date and ends the discussion; this leads to the previously-mentioned conversation with the Nurse, which makes things worse rather than better, and eventually winds up at Friar Laurence, tying everything together into one big heap of trouble. Now, the alternative for Lord Capulet’s actions would be to keep an open mind as the Nurse had said, “God in heaven bless her! / You [Capulet] are to blame, my lord, to rate her so.” (3.5.169-170), but that could result in a variety of consequences. Odd as it may sound, County Paris can also be credited with causing the tragedy of the play, however minor and insignificant a contribution as it may seem. That being said, examination of the source in question may yield a more satisfactory explanation:
PARIS: Happily met, my lady and my wife!
JULIET: That may be, sir, when I may be a wife.
PARIS: That “may be” must be, love, on Thursday next.
JULIET: What must be shall be.
FRIAR LAURENCE: That’s a certain text.
PARIS: Come you to make confession to this

Show More
Related

  • Romeo and Juliet: A Tragedy or Simply Tragic?

    1139 Words  | 3 Pages

    The first reason why the play is a traditional tragedy is that the hero, Romeo, possesses a major flaw which leads him into much trouble and eventually his demise: his fiery, impetuous nature. In one of the many brawls between the Capulets and the Montagues, Romeo displays his rashness. In this encounter, Tybalt and Mercutio, Romeo’s best friend, joke around as they are dueling, but the duel takes a turn for the worse when Tybalt kills Mercutio. Romeo, devastated by the death of his best friend and hell-bent on avenging it, challenges Tybalt to a duel. Romeo kills Tybalt out of anger and is banished from Verona, separated from his love Juliet. The punishment does not fit the crime, but it cannot be denied that Romeo brought it upon himself. He acknowledges his own rash behavior by saying, “Oh, I am fortune’s fool!” (III, i, 99). If he could have controlled his temper, the whole fight would have been avoided. Not only is Romeo impulsive in battles...

    Read More

  • Ignorance in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

    562 Words  | 2 Pages

    himself that since Romeo is a Montague he will cause trouble. A few quotes from the

    Read More

  • The Shortsighted Friar Lawrence in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

    686 Words  | 2 Pages

    Friar Lawrence does not have very much time on stage, but the time he does have is crucial to the plot line. Through his words, Friar Lawrence demonstrates that he is well intentioned, yet sometimes shortsighted, and is not afraid to take risks to help others.  He may do something out of the ordinary, if he thinks the outcome will help someone for whom he cares. For example, when he says "In one respect I'll thy assistant be;/ for this alliance may so happy prove, / to turn your households rancor to pure love" (II.iii.97-99), he is saying that the only reason he will marry Romeo and Juliet is that he hopes that the marriage will end the hostilities between the two houses. When he says "Shall Romeo by my letters know our drift, / and hither shall he come; and he and I/ shall watch thy waking, and that very night/ shall Romeo bear thee to Mantua" (IV.i.116-119), his intention is clearly to comfort and reassure Juliet.

    Read More

  • Romeo And Juliet Research Paper

    679 Words  | 2 Pages

    Friar Lawrence takes the cake when talking about who is to blame for the death of Romeo and Juliet. The Friar's action of marrying Romeo and Juliet played a vital role in the outcome. Had this not occurred, Juliet would not be as free and loving towards Romeo. From the previous night, she adamantly stated they must marry in order for her to fully trust Romeo. If they never married, they would not be insanely in love because she would not be able to fully trust Romeo. Another mistake of Friar Lawrence was trusting Friar John to send a letter to debrief Romeo on the current situation. He never received the letter. Since Romeo did not read the letter, he believed his only love was dead and decided to embark on a suicide mission. Lawrence knew the immense importance of the letter and still decided against personally delivering the message. Giving the sleeping potion to Juliet was another mistake that lead to their death. Although it allowed her to avoid marrying Paris, Romeo thought his wife to be dead causing the suicide of himself and eventually of his partner. Actions of Friar Lawrence were for the benefit of the people, but ultimately they paved the road for their deaths.

    Read More

  • Friar Lawrence Quotes

    548 Words  | 2 Pages

    Failing to uphold his end of the plan, causing the plan to fail and resulting with both Romeo and Juliet dying. Friar Laurence admits to being responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Friar Lawrence made a huge mistake that he could have avoided himself, if only he had thought out his plan better. He trusted Juliet an unstable fourteen-year-old with a potion to make her appear dead just so she would not have to marry Paris. Resulting in the death of herself, Friar Lawrence had even said, "If…thou hast the strength of will to slay thyself…take thou this vial…no warmth, no breath shall testify the livest." He should have been more careful, Friar Laurence's idea for Juliet was very risky and because of his own ignorance has ended up in tragedy. He also admits that he left the tomb and left Juliet there. The Friar knew that Juliet had previously threatened to kill herself, yet he still abandoned her with Romeo's knife. If the Friar truly cared about her safety, he would have forced her to come with him or stayed to prevent her from making any irresponsible

    Read More

  • Romeo And Juliet Haste Quotes

    1504 Words  | 4 Pages

    The father and son stopped talking, which ended their relationship altogether. Their impulsiveness is to blame for that tragedy. In William Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, characters act in a hasty way which leads to the play’s tragedy. The characters that act hasty in the play are Romeo, Juliet, and Friar Lawrence. In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Romeo’s impulsiveness contributes to the tragedy of the play.

    Read More

  • Friar Lawrence to Blame for Romeo and Juliet's Death

    577 Words  | 2 Pages

    Friar Laurence’s involvement in the marriage of Romeo and Juliet has caused a tragedy. Romeo and Juliet thought that they fell in love, but the Friar should have known that they were just kids and they were really rushing into things. In Romeo and Juliet, Friar Laurence says, “These violent delights have violent ends. Is loathsome in his own deliciousness, and in the taste confounds the appetite: Therefore love moderately: long love doth so, too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.” When he says this, he is giving Romeo a warnin. Also, Friar Lawrence should have known at the time, that Romeo was loving with his eyes and not with his heart. For example, Romeo was in a relationship with Rosaline, before marrying Julliet. Inonclusion , the Friar did not have the expierence to know that they were kids.

    Read More

  • Friar Laurence's Part in Romeo and Juliet

    599 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the classic play Romeo and Juliet, Friar Laurence plays a major part. Romeo and Juliet trusted him entirely as he was the priest of their town. They turned to the Friar for help and advice at a few crucial points in the play. Little did these two lovers know that their decision to turn to Friar Laurence for help would eventually lead to their deaths. Friar Laurence was responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet because he married Romeo and Juliet, he was afraid of committing a sin, and because of his faulty plan for saving Juliet from a marriage to Paris.

    Read More

  • Impulsiveness In Romeo And Juliet

    426 Words  | 1 Pages

    Unlike the Nurse, Friar Laurence displays wisdom, but contradicts it through rash guidance: “Take thou this vial, being then in bed/And this distilled liquor drink thou off.” (4.1.193-194) Terrorized by a suicidal Juliet, Friar Laurence devised a plan through an illusory ploy of a sleeping potion. His hasteful consolation through a thoughtless scheme contribute to misunderstandings that lead to a tragic end. In similar fashion, the Nurse betrays Juliet’s trust by rashly advocating Lord Capulet’s proposal of marriage: “I think you are happy in this second match/For it excels your first; or if it did not/Your first is dead…” (3.5.223-225) Beforehand, Nurse’s maternal instinct toward Juliet buoys her meddling. However, Lord Capulet’s rage led her retreat submissively, driving Juliet to adhere to the friar's shortsighted plan. Although rich in heart, the parental figures display hasteful judgements that led to the lovers’

    Read More

  • Who is Most Responsible for the Deaths in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

    646 Words  | 2 Pages

    Romantic love stories are often ended with a tragedy, because of loss of passion or a loved one. These tragedies are often the result of one person’s actions that ended someone’s life or love. In the Romeo and Juliet play written by William Shakespeare, two citizens of Verona come together and fall deeply in love. Unfortunately their love comes to an end, along with their lives, because of a misunderstanding and a persistent feud between their families. Although there are many characters in this play that have contributed to Romeo and Juliet’s death, Friar Laurence is the person most to blame.

    Read More

  • Why Is Romeo And Juliet To Blame For Their Death

    712 Words  | 2 Pages

    Tybalt’s death, according to the thoughts of Capulet, left Juliet struck with grief. Therefore, he agreed to allow Paris to marry his daughter, in order to supposedly restore her cheer. Juliet’s and Friar Lawrence’s ingenious, yet lethal, intentions spawned after Juliet decided to be independent and not trust the principles of her own family. While her parents strived for her happiness, the words, “I will drag thee on a hurdle thither” (III.v.160), brought too much agony for her to manage, as she knew that her only choice was to marry Paris. Conclusively, Tybalt’s death was the foremost influence of Lord Capulet’s desire to marry Juliet in Paris, intending to bring joy to her.

    Read More

  • Who is to Blame in Romeo and Juliet?

    759 Words  | 2 Pages

    Shakespeare's play of “Romeo and Juliet” is well known, and leaves the audience asking: Who is to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet? Most of the play’s characters closely related to Romeo and Juliet carry some responsibility, but there are three characters or groups who had the greatest influence on the story’s outcome. Friar Laurence could be blamed for marrying them and keeping it secret. Juliet’s nurse encouraged Romeo’s pursuit of Juliet, even helping Juliet sneak out to marry. Last and most deserving of blame, however, are the parents, Lord and Lady Capulet and Lord and Lady Montague. If not for the family feud and hatred, Romeo and Juliet would’ve lived, not tasting the bittersweetness of death.

    Read More

  • Character Analysis Of Friar Lawrence In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

    715 Words  | 2 Pages

    When Juliet hears after marrying Romeo that she must be married to Paris, a count, in two days, she rushes to Friar Laurence’s cell to speak of her sorrow. When Friar Laurence hears of how Juliet wishes to die if he cannot fix the problem, Friar Laurence says that he can help her if she has “the strength of will to slay [her]self” (4.1.73). This shows that Friar Laurence is again not worried about Juliet herself and her safety, but about what he can do to reconcile her family and Romeo’s. He offers this proposition when he already knows Juliet is willing to die and vulnerable. Lastly, his resulting plan is what sets the play’s tragedy in motion. Though Friar Laurence had many opportunities to back away from his involvement, keeping Juliet and Romeo safe, he does not. This shows that his interference – and the way he goes about it – are responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s

    Read More

  • Causes Of Suicide In Romeo And Juliet

    971 Words  | 2 Pages

    He did not give much thought on how Juliet feels about the marriage and agrees to marry the two even though Juliet had not given him consent. For example, when Paris asks Capulet if Juliet would love him; Capulet responds, "Of my child 's love: I think she will be ruled. In all respects by me; nay, more, I doubt it not." (4.3.13-14). Capulet’s relationship with Juliet is superficial; he does not understand or know his daughter well. By creating the wedding, he causes Juliet to become desperate as she would be marrying someone she doesn’t love. To add to the matter, instead of trying to understand his daughter’s perspective, he becomes aggressive and gives her with an ultimatum. Capulet shouts, “Disobedient wretch! I tell thee what: get thee to church o 'Thursday, Or never after look me in the face.” (3.5.160-163). By forcing Juliet into marriage, she becomes desperate and causes her to begin considering death as a way out. "I 'll to the friar, to know his remedy; If all else fail, myself have power to die." (3.5.241-242). Capulet’s controlling and aggressive parenting forces Juliet to marry someone she does not love. Furthermore, this causes Juliet to starts considering suicide as a way out. Capulet’s actions to forcefully marry Juliet to Paris brings her death because it results in the Friar’s potion plan which would cause the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. If Capulet did not

    Read More

  • Romeo And Juliet Research Paper

    797 Words  | 2 Pages

    Friar Laurence made many bad decisions when he was dealing with the two teenagers that he easily could’ve avoided. He trusted Juliet, an unbalanced teenage girl, with a poison that would assist her in faking her death. This decision was just one of many bad ones the friar made. Friar Laurence shows his negligence by saying “If / though has the strength of will to slay thyself/take thou this vial/no warmth, no breath shall testify thou livest;” (4.1.71,93,98) This quote shows the true neglegence of Friar Laurence’s responsibility, because he is instructing her to fake a suicide. Friar Laurence’s idea for Juliet is very misguiding, and for an adult, he should have considered what terrible things this decision could bring. Everyone thinks that Juliet is dead and shortly after, she is buried alive in the tomb. If Friar Laurence did not let Juliet drink the fake poison, she would have never been put in the situation that she was in, which leads her to her real death.

    Read More

More about Apothecary's Involvement In Romeo And Juliet

Open Document