The Friar directly and indirectly took part in suicide, murder,

and other tragic happenings. The Friar is an honored man,

who sells herbs and medicines to the people of Verona. He

is a type of ancient pharmacist, who has potions for both

causes of good and evil. There are three specific instances

of the Friar playing a major role in Romeo and Juliet: the

impossible marriage of Romeo and Juliet, Juliet's "death"

plan, and Romeo's death. Without the Friar many crucial

and tragic events would not have happened in Romeo and

Juliet.

The forbidden wedding of Romeo and Juliet could not

have happened without the Friar. First of all, the Friar

impulsively agreed to marry Romeo and Juliet, even though

he knows it will cause later problems. In the beginning, the

Friar thinks that "...this alliance may so happy prove; To

turn your households' rancor to pure love." (II iv 91-92)

Which shows that the Friar has a slight hope of their

marriage possibly working. Consequently, at first, he shows

no reluctance to marry the two controversial lovers.

However, as time moves on, the Friar lets on that he has

regrets about the marriage. The Friar feels that "Too swift

arrives as tardy as too slow." (II vi 15) In other words, the

Friar means that he senses that this whole wedding is

happening too fast and he radiates a feeling of second

thought. If the Friar had thought this crucial decision

through he may have prevented many future tragedies.

Accordingly, the Friar knows all along that "These violent

delights have violent ends" (II vi 9) The Friar knows that

this is an impossible situation, which if made possible by

himself will without a doubt end up in tragedy in one way or

another. Under these conditions, as the Friar predicts,

Romeo sinks into a deep depression, as a result of the fact

that he cannot see his wife. Romeo has a one-track mind

that is focused on something he cannot have. Similarly,

Juliet becomes depressed and is grieving over the reality of

her and Romeo's separation. Without the Friar the two

lovers would not have been married, which would have

prevented both of these depressions and future problems to

come.

The Friar is responsible for many problems which have

a snowball effect after he assists Juliet with her "death"

plan. When Romeo and Juliet are at their lowest point of

depression, and Juliet is expected to marry Paris, she needs

an escape plan. Juliet pays a visit to the Friar, who devises

a plan for Juliet to fake her death with a sleeping poison.

When Juliet asks the Friar to help her break free from her

wedding with Paris, he replies that:

"If, rather than to marry County Paris,

Thou has the strength of will to slay thyself;

Then it is likely thou will undertake

A thing like death to elude away this shame,

That cop'st with death himself to scrape from it;

And, if thou darest, I'll give thee remedy."

(IV i 71-76)

Therefore, for the second time, the Friar acts impulsively

and agrees to give Juliet this illegal potion. The Friar

concocts this entire plan, which will take total perfection and

cooperation on everyone's part to work effectively. The Friar

has to make sure that Romeo is informed of the plan.

However, the Friar puts too much trust in Friar John, who

consequently fails to deliver the letter to Romeo. Inevitably,

it is Friar Lawrence's' fault that Romeo is not informed and

ends up confused about the recent happenings involving

Juliet. Also, the blame of the succeeding events should be

thrust upon the Friar too. The Friar played an extremely

integral role in this part of Romeo and Juliet. Without his

carelessness Romeo and Juliet could have been living

happily ever after somewhere in Mantua. Instead of the

concluding results of the events to come.

Finally, it is the Friars' fault that Romeo and Juliet are

dead, which makes his role undoubtedly crucial in Romeo

and Juliet. At the outset, the death's of Romeo and Juliet

may not, and probably would not, have happened if it were

not for the Friar. Romeo, who is not informed of the Friar's

plan, kills himself when he thinks that Juliet is dead. Juliet

arises and sees Romeo dead, and takes her own life. The

Friar is overcome by guilt and realizes that he has "...a short

date of breath." (V iii 229) Which could also be interpreted

as his confession of his ties to the tragic and untimely

deaths of Romeo and Juliet. If the Friar was not the reason

for the two suicides he would have no reason for guilt.

Innocent people do not act and feel guilty. In the end, the

Friar recollects the past events and cannot avoid

responsibility for these tragedies. This simple fact shows

just how much of a key role the Friar plays in Romeo and

Juliet.

Without the Friar many crucial and tragic events would

not have happened in Romeo and Juliet. The marriage of

Romeo and Juliet, which in turn led to Juliet needing to lie

and escape another marriage, which finally led to the

premature deaths of Romeo and also of Juliet. None of the

preceding would have been possible if it were not for the

Friar. The Friar married the two lovers, even though he

knew it to be impossible. Likewise, the Friar helped Juliet

fake her death and lie to her parents, and did not make a

strong enough effort to reveal this plan to Romeo. In

conclusion, a Friarless Romeo and Juliet would most likely

have at least two lives spared. The lives of Romeo and

Juliet. On the other hand, an argument can be made that

the conclusion of the play may have been more tragic if

Romeo and Juliet had of survived and lived depressed, but

without a doubt, either way, the Friar would have been

involved. Extract the Friar from the story of Romeo and

Juliet, and one may find that there would not have even

been a story. The Friar is an extremely important character.