The Nurse and Friar Laurence: Their Responsibility in Romeo and Juliet's Tragic Fate

Introduction

William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" is a story that's been keeping folks on the edge of their seats for ages. Love, drama, tragedy—it's got it all. Sure, Romeo and Juliet are the stars of the show, but there's more going on than just their whirlwind romance. The side characters, like the Nurse and Friar Laurence, have a pretty big hand in how things turn out. In this essay, we’re gonna dive into just how much the Nurse is to blame for what happens to these two young lovers. By looking at what she does and what that leads to, it's clear her bad advice and lack of good judgment play a big part in their tragic end.

The Nurse as a Confidante

Right from the start, the Nurse is Juliet’s go-to person. She helps keep her romance with Romeo under wraps. Her intentions might seem harmless at first glance, but they kinda set the stage for disaster. For example, when Juliet wants some advice about Romeo, the Nurse is all for it. She's like, "I think you should marry Paris! He's a catch!" (Act 1, Scene 3). By pushing Paris as an option, she's planting seeds of doubt about Romeo.

Lack of Discretion

Plus, the Nurse isn't exactly great at keeping secrets or thinking ahead. When Juliet asks her to set up a secret meeting with Romeo, she says sure without really thinking it through. You can see her lack of judgment when she says something like, "Get yourself to church! I’ll go grab a ladder so your love can climb up later" (Act 2, Scene 5). Helping them sneak around ends up putting their lives in danger without her even realizing it.

A Role in Their Quick Marriage

The Nurse also has a hand in rushing Romeo and Juliet into marriage. When Romeo tells her about their wedding plans, she’s initially on board. But after that convo, it's clear she doesn't really get what's at stake. Instead of saying hey maybe slow down or talk to your parents first, she’s all in without hesitation. She tells Juliet to head over to Friar Laurence to get hitched: "Then hurry to Friar Laurence' cell; There waits a husband to make you a wife" (Act 2, Scene 5). By not thinking about what could go wrong, she kind of adds fuel to the fire.

Misguided Advice on Marrying Paris

And then there's that whole thing with marrying Paris. When Juliet’s parents want her to marry him against her will, she turns to the Nurse for help again. But instead of having her back, the Nurse basically sells her out by saying something like “Marry Paris! He’s great!” (Act 3, Scene 5). This leaves Juliet feeling alone and desperate enough to ask Friar Laurence for help instead.

The Aftermath

The mess created by the Nurse's actions becomes pretty obvious by the end of the play. If she had just thought things through a bit more or given better advice, maybe Romeo and Juliet would still be around. Her encouragement of their relationship and helping them meet secretly only adds fuel to their passion—which eventually leads them both off a cliff so to speak.

Sure, there were other factors too—their feuding families and even Friar Laurence had roles in this tragic tale—but you can't ignore what part the Nurse played either.

Conclusion

So yeah...the responsibility on The Nurse’s shoulders for how things ended is hard to ignore here guys! Her poor judgment calls add up quick: encouraging Juliet with Romeo when maybe caution was needed instead? Supporting sneaky meetings? Egging on this hasty marriage thing? All while not stopping once considerin’ possible fallout?

This story definitely shows why wise advice matters—especially when dealing with matters close home inside our hearts right?

References

• Shakespeare, W., & Levenson J.L (Ed.). (2000). Romeo and Juliet. Oxford University Press.
• Palfrey S., & Stern T., (2007). Shakespeare in Parts. Oxford University Press.
• Maguire L., & Smith E., (2016). 30 Great Myths About Shakespeare. Wiley Blackwell.
• Cox J.N., & Mays K.J., (2004). The Norton Anthology Of English Literature Volume One. W.W Norton Company Inc..
• Bate J., & Rasmussen E., (2008). The RSC Shakespeare: Complete Works. Macmillan Publishers Ltd..