Friar Lawrence, the Nurse and Capulet all contributed to the final tragedy in Romeo and Juliet, the two lover's death. Willingly or unwillingly, these people's words and actions caused Romeo and Juliet to take drastic measures, and feel that there was no way out for them in the trapped environment they were placed in. These people's involvement certainly influenced the path that Romeo and Juliet took, and without their interference tragedy certainly may have been avoided.Friar Lawrence, the Franciscan monk, is respected and trusted by all the characters in the play. As even Capulet states, 'this revered holy Friar, all our whole city is much bound to him'. Juliet often turns to him for ...view middle of the document...
The Nurse willingly helped in securing the details of Romeo and Juliet's, being present at a meeting to finalise the two lovers marriage. She is condoning their actions by helping them, even though she knows that they have only known each other for only one night. Even on their first meeting at Capulet's masque, she agrees to find out who this mysterious young man is for Juliet, who dramatically states 'Go ask his name. If he be married, My grave is like to be my wedding bed'. On Romeo and Juliet's wedding night, she allows Romeo to stay the night, endangering both the lover's safety as if Romeo was found it would mean death for him as he was meant to be banished from Verona after killing Tybalt. By willingly letting herself be caught up in Romeo and Juliet's whirlwind romance, and helping them to secretly marry, she has therefore condoned and contributed to the tragedy, which could have been averted if the Nurse had stepped in as a responsible adult and consulted with Juliet about her actions.Another contributor to this avoidable tragedy, is Juliet's father Capulet. He, like many other parents in Shakespeare's works, display a complete ignorance of their children as person's. At the start he shows himself as an understanding and kind father, but when Juliet rejects his wishes to marry Paris, he turns into a tyrant, threatening Juliet 'But an you will not wed, I'll pardon you. Graze where you will, you shall not house with me'....
