by Opal Elaine Moyer

Created on: May 31, 2008

Romeo and Juliet is perhaps Shakespeare's best known and loved of his tragedies. It is not very likely that there is anyone who does not know the story of these star-crossed lovers and their final fate. Yet, who is ultimately responsible for the deaths of these two young people? Let's begin by looking at the likely suspects.

First, we begin with the feuding factions,themselves- the Capulets and the Montagues. Certainly, some blame might be placed here. It was their bickering and refusal to make peace with one another that force the hands of this young pair into their final decisions.

Next, Friar Lawrence knew of the feuding between these families, even as he married them in Act 2 Scene 5. His reasoning for his actions was made clear in Act 2 Scene 2, when Romeo approached him about performing the marriage ceremony when he replies, " In one respect I'll thy assistant be; For this alliance may so happy prove To turn your households rancor to pure love." The Friar sees peace between the families as a possible outcome of this union, never bothering to weigh in the possibility that the opposite might occur. He does express feelings of guilt in Act 5 Scene 3, when he relates to whole story to Escalus, Prince of Verona, after the bodies are discovered. Here, he says: "I am the greatest, able to do the least, yet most suspected, as the time and place Doth make against me, of this direful murder; And I stand here to impeach and purge Myself condemned and myself excused." The Prince gives him absolution in his reply: "We have still known thee for a holy man."

Finally, Juliet's loyal nurse knew of her marriage to Romeo and, even passed messages between the two; she was initially supportive of this union. She plays the role of turncoat, after Romeo's banishment, and attempts to persuade Juliet to bend to her father's wishes and marry the County Paris. In an attempt to do this, she tells Juliet in Act 3 Scene 5: " Is banished, and all the world to nothing That he dares ne'er to come back to challenge you, Or if he do, it needs must be by stealth. Then, since, the so stand as now it doth, I think it best you married with the County. O, he's a lovely gentleman! Romeo's a dishclout to him. An eagle, madam, hath not so green, so quick, so fair an eye As Paris hath. Beshrew my very heart, I think you are happy in this second match, or if it did not, Your first is dead, or t'were as good he were As living hence and you no use of him." This is a complete turnabout from Act 2 Scene 4, where she refers to Romeo as " an honest gentleman, and a courteous, and a kind, and a handsome, and I warrant, a virtuous" man. This she said upon bring word to Juliet that her marriage to Romeo was arranged for that night. However, after Romeo's banishment, she encourages Juliet to commit bigamy. This woman was perhaps more mother to Juliet, than her own mother. She should have been more thoughtful in giving this girl advice.

Crossed signals and unfortunate turns of events played a key role in the fate of Romeo and Juliet. In the end, only two people can shoulder the blame for this fate- Romeo and Juliet. The were grown up enough to enter into a secret marriage, yet not grown up enough to face their parents with what they'd done. Also, upon Romeo's banishment, it never occurred to anyone that Juliet could leave Verona, with him, that very night. Had they done this, there would not have been a dilemma of a second marriage and they would have been together. Finally, no one forced them into suicide; this was their choice. The fate of Romeo and Juliet was their own and of their own making.

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