Mentors in Romeo And Juliet Essay

Would you think that your mentors would lead to your demise? In William Shakespeares The Tragedy Of Romeo and Juliet, Friar Lawrence and Nurse caused the infamous couple to die. There are many key examples leading to the two mentors causing these premature deaths that could have been completely avoided. If Friar and Nurse didnt give bad advice, influences, and ideas then Romeo and Juliet could have grown old together and be happy with each other.

With all the things that Friar Lawrence did, none helped the cause with the trouble Romeo had. The Friar had terrible advice he shouldnt have given to young Romeo. He is a foolish old man who doesnt know how to just say No. One example is that when Romeo came to Friar after crashing the Capulet party and seeing his love, Juliet, he went to Friar and asked him to marry the new couple. Friar agrees to do this act thinking that it would solve the war between the Montagues vs Capluets and this was the first mistake made. This would only make the situation worse once someone in either family would find out. Now after Romeo is banished, Juliet comes to Friar because he is the only person for her to talk to now. After Paris leaves the two alone friar comes up with the idea of having Juliet drinking a potion that has her physically look dead but only her heart rate slows down. Take thou this vial, being then in bed, and this distilld liquor drink thou off (IV. i. 95-96). This was just a terrible descion on the part of Friar. Once again Friar has a bad idea by allowing and approving Juliet drinking this potion. Even though Friar probably has a lot of these potions he could have offered, back then medications like this wasnt very accurate and the people who had them werent reliable. Right as it said those lines, we all knew this wasnt going to work. Lastly when one of Friars students, Friar John, had to deliver a message to Romeo in Mantua that Juliet would wake up tonight in Capulet cell. This might have worked unless Friar John didnt deliver it in time before Romeo leaves. Now Friar should take the blame for this because he sent Friar John way to late to send this letter of the plans. Unhappy fortune! By my brotherhood, The letter was not nice but full of charge, Of dear import, and the neglecting it May do much danger. Friar John, go hence. Get me an iron crow and bring it straight Unto my cell (V. i. 16-20). This was another bad choice because if he sent Friar John earlier, then this plan might have worked. Friar didnt just ruin the relationship between them, he killed them.

With the Friar causing trouble, his counterpart Nurse, failed to help the couple either. It started at the party after Romeo and Juliet met for the first time. When Romeo was leaving Juliet wondered who that was because Romeo had a mask. And Nurse knew he was a Montague and she told Juliet he was a Montague. This was bad by just ruining Juliet having a relationship with someone because of the feuding families. If the Nurse didnt tell Juliet then she could have just talked to Romeo. Now Nurse just gave up on Juliet when she wanted to just have Juliet marry Paris and not Romeo. I think it best you married with the county. Oh, hes a lovely gentleman. (III. v. 218-219.) I dont know how Nurse, after everything that has happened, can just give up on Juliet and her chances with being with Romeo. It shows that all she does is choose the easy way out of difficult situations.

Romeo and Juliet could have lived and loved but because of Friar and Nurse, this dream cam short from bad ideas, influences and advice. There were many situations where the mentors could have just left the couple alone and they would have had a better shot being together in love. If Friar and nurse helped the couple with things they knew, or even just saying in their own business, all this mayhem could have been avoided.