Gabriella Caruso

period 1 even

In Romeo and Juliet, Friar Laurence makes his own decisions and also is controlled by fate. Friar Laurence was a very important friend to both Romeo and Juliet; his decisions affected their lives just as their decisions affected his. In the beginning of the play, Friar Laurence wasnt going to marry Romeo and Juliet, but after some convincing by Romeo he says In one respect Ill thy assistant be; for this alliance may so happy prove to turn your households rancour to pure love. This means that he thought marrying Romeo and Juliet would stop the fighting between the Capulets and the Montagues. Friar Laurence helps keep their marriage a secret, but after Romeo kills Tybalt and is banished from Verona, Friar Laurence feels obligated to reunite the couple by any means possible. He tells Juliet to take this sleeping medicine that will make her look dead, but shes not. Also, he sent a letter to Romeo explaining that she is not dead, only sleeping. He also suggested that Romeo should be at the tomb when she awakens so they can go and live a life together again. He gives the letter to Friar John to give to Romeo, but on the way gets caught up in dealing with a sick person, and is unable to give the letter to Romeo. When Friar John gives the letter back to Friar Laurence

he says unhappy fortune by my brotherhood the letter was not nice but full of charge of dear and import and the neglecting it may do much danger Friar John go hence get me an iron crow and bring it straight to my cell. Romeo goes to the tomb where we runs into Paris, the man that Juliet was supposed to be married to, and says This is that banished haughty Montague that murdered my loves cousin with which grief it is supposed the fair creature died and here is come to do some villainous shame to the dead bodies. I will apprehend him. Stop thy unhallowed toil, vile Montague. Can vengeance be pursued further than death? Condemned villain, I do apprehend thee. Obey, and go with me, for thou must die. They end up fighting one another leaving Paris dead. After the fight, Romeo kills himself just before Juliet wakes from her sleep. At this time Friar comes in telling Juliet to leave the tomb, because Romeo and Paris are both dead. Juliet tells him to leave and after Friar has left her, too, kills herself. The death of both Romeo and Juliet was what ended up bringing both of the fighting families together. It was fate that made the letter not get to Romeo, thus killing him and Juliet. The death of their children is what ended up finally bringing the Capulets and the Montagues to stop fighting with each other.