Who Is Responsible for Romeo’s Death in Romeo and Juliet Essay Example

“Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.” quote by Margaret J. Wheatley. This shows that fixing your mistakes could create more mistakes. This is shown in Romeo in Juliet by everyone involved in the marriage by people fixing problems and creating more problems while doing so. This passage is about the people most responsible for Romeo and Juliet's deaths, which are Friar Lawrence, Mercutio, and Romeo. 

Friar Lawrence

The person most responsible for Romeo and Juliet is Friar Lawrence. This is because he married Romeo and Juliet secretly. He also devised the whole plan to fake Juliets death and gave her the potion. Finally, he did not efficiently give Romeo the note about Juliet. Romeo and Juliet meet at the Capulet Feast and decide to get married the next day. Romeo convinces Friar Lawrence to marry him to Juliet. Also Juliet convinces the Nurse to bring her to the wedding. In the text it says “These violent delights have violent ends and in their triumph die, like fire and powder, Which, as they kiss, consume.” (Friar Lawrence Act 2 Scene 6 Line 10).

This quote shows that Friar Lawrence does not want to marry Romeo and Juliet but is doing because they love each other. Friar Lawrence shows its a bad idea by saying that when you go into relationships to fast they tend to end badly. After Romeo is exiled from Verona, Friar Lawrence talks to Juliet about how she could get out of marrying Paris and be with Romeo the rest of her life. In the text it says “Oh, if I wake up, shall I not be distraught, Environed with all these hideous fears, And madly play with my forefathers joints,” (Act 4 Scene 3 PG 228 Line 50) This quote shows that she is thinking about drinking the potion and is hoping that she does not wake up before Romeo comes and takes her away. If she does she is not sure if she will be able to handle the stress.

This makes her have second thoughts. Juliet drinks the potion given to her by Friar Lawrence and ‘dies’ for 42 hours. But, Friar Lawrence does not tell Romeo in time because he told Friar John to and he was stopped by a plague. This plague causes for the eventual death of Juliet. In the text it says “Now must I to the monument alone.Within this three hours with fair Juliet will fair Juliet wake. She will beshrew me much that Romeo Hath had no notice of these accidents .” (Friar Lawrence Act 5 Scene 2 Line 25). This quote shows that Romeo never found out that Juliet's death was fake and Friar Lawrence was worried that Romeo was going to hurt himself because Juliet was dead. In conclusion, he married Romeo and Juliet secretly. He also devised the whole plan to fake Juliets death and gave her the potion. Finally, he did not efficiently give Romeo the note about Juliet. These show how Friar Lawrence was mainly to blame for Romeo and Juliet's death.

Mercutio

The second most responsible person for Romeo and Juliet's death is Mercutio. He is responsible because he brought Romeo to the party where he met Juliet. He also got into the fight with Tybalt causing him to die which made Romeo dangerously mad at Tybalt.Romeo is sad because Roseline did not love him the way Romeo loved her. This caused Romeo to distant himself from his family and friends. Therefore, Mercutio comes to talk to Romeo and try to make him happy again.In the text it says “Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance… You are a lover; borrow Cupid's wings, and soar with them above a common bound" (Mercutio Act 1, Scene 4, Line 13-18). This quote shows that Mercutio was bringing Romeo to the Capulet feast to find a new love. When Romeo finds a new love he doesn't realize it is his greatest enemies only daughter.

Mercutio and his friend are bathing in the public pool when Tybalt walks up to them with his friends looking to start trouble. When thing between Mercutio and Tybalt became more heated Romeo enters the square and tries to stop the fighting, which he fails at. In the text it says “And but one word with one of us? Couple it with something, make it a word and a blow."(Mercutio Act 3, Scene 1, Line 39-40). This quote shows that if Mercutio never picked a fight with Tybalt, Romeo would have never had to try and break up a fight between Mercutio and Tybalt. Which the fight caused Mercutio to die and Romeo had to retaliate against Tybalt by killing him. Causing Romeo to be exiled from Verona. After Mercutio and Tybalt fight Mercutio comes out dead. In the text it says "A plague o' both your houses! I am sped. Is he gone and hath nothing?" (Mercutio Act 3, Scene 1, Line 90-91). This quote shows that after Mercutio puts a curse on both houses thing start getting worse for both of them. Also the curse ends with deaths in both families. In conclusion, he brought Romeo to the party where he met Juliet. He also got into the fight with Tybalt causing him to die which made Romeo dangerously mad at Tybalt. These all show how Mercutio was the second most character to blame for Romeo and Juliet's death.

Romeo

My third person responsible for Romeo and Juliet's death is Romeo. He is responsible because he went to the capulet party uninvited. He also fell in love with Juliet without even talking to her. Finally he bought illegal poison to kill himself. Mercutio invites sad Romeo to go to the Capulet feast and try to cheer his heart up by meeting some new girls. Romeo  does not want to go at the beginning. But, eventually decides to go because rosaline will be there. In the text it says “I'll go along, no such sight to be shown, But to rejoice in splendor of mine own.” (Romeo Act 1 Scene 2 PG 36). This quote shows that Romeo does not go to the Capulet feast to meet new girls but to see the women he loves. To add onto this he does not want to go to the party at all, he is mainly going for his friends. Romeo is at the Capulet feast where he spots Juliet. The moment Romeo and Juliet lock eyes they instantly fall in love.

They both think that the other one is the only one for them. In the text it says “O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear; Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows. The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand, And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand. Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.”(Romeo Act 1 Scene 5 Line 45).  This quote shows that Romeo looks at juliet and wonder if he has ever loved someone like her before or saw someone as beautiful like her before. Also he describes her beauty like he has never seen a girl before he has saw juliet. Romeo find out from Balthasar that Juliet has died. But, little does he know her death was faked.

This cause Romeo to go to the slums of Verona and buy poison illegally from a peasant. In the text it says ΅My poverty, but not my will, consents. I pay thy poverty and not thy will. Put this in any liquid thing you will And drink it off; and, if you had the strength Of twenty men, it would dispatch you straight.” (Romeo and Apothecary Act 5 Scene 1). This shows how Romeo breaks the Law and gives a present a deal he cannot resist to sell him poison. It also shows the strength of the poison and how much damage it could do to the marriage of Romeo and Juliet. In conclusion, he went to the capulet party uninvited. He also fell in love with Juliet without even talking to her. Finally he bought illegal poison to kill himself. These show how Romeo was the third most character to blame for his and Juliet's death.

The focus of this paper was to show the reader that Friar Lawrence, Mercutio, and Romeo were most responsible for Romeo and Juliet's deaths. Friar Lawrence is to helpful for his own good. Mercutio is to hot headed, and Romeo falls in love to quickly. All of this matters because it shows you that you shouldn’t fall in love to quickly and think about things without weighing in all other options. Everyone should care about this because it is a good life lesson.