Romeo and Juliet Were Not to Blame for Their Deaths- the Adults Let Them Down

'Romeo and Juliet' is a romantic tragedy written by the playwright, William Shakespeare, based on two lovers with disastrous fates and the feudal clash between the Capulet's and Montague's. Romeo and Juliet are destined for an early death because they are star-crossed lovers. However, I disagree that Romeo and Juliet were victims of an unkind fate and died because the stars were not in their favour. Instead, I believe that they were trapped by the violent hatred of their families and that the death of these two lovers occurred due to the adults within the play. Although the Capulet and Montague families play a role in the blame for the death of Romeo and Juliet, I believe that the Nurse and Friar Laurance are the two adults most responsible for their deaths. Through the narrative elements of plot and character construction, I was able to compile a suitable argument that Romeo and Juliet are not to blame for their actions; it was the adults who let them down.

The Nurse is an adult in 'Romeo and Juliet' who should take responsibility for their tragic deaths. The Nurse assists the two lovers in arranging their marriage which is an action of haste and incaution on her part. The nurse helps Juliet by making sure that Romeo is truly honest about his proposal to Juliet by finding Romeo to say, "For the gentle woman is young and therefore, if you should deal double with her, truly it were an ill thing to be offered to any gentle woman, and very weak dealing." This dialogue induces that the Nurse is almost threatening Romeo that he better be marrying Juliet because of love and not just marrying her to cause trouble and further dispute between the Capulet and Montague families. Furthermore, the Nurse helps Juliet arrive at her wedding day and keeps it a secret from the rest of the Capulet family. She was also the only person other than Friar Laurence to witness the wedding, making her a prime contribution to the wedding event which foreshadows tragic events later in the play. After Romeo is banished to Mantua due to Tybalt's death, the Nurse says to Juliet, "Romeo is banish...then since the case so stands as now it doth, I think it best you marry with the county." This dialogue informs the reader that the Nurse changes her mind by telling Juliet to forget Romeo and marry Paris instead. By saying this to Juliet, the Nurse rids Juliet of her hope in reuniting with Romeo and establishes Juliet's first thoughts of suicide which foreshadow her later death. The Nurse's actions strongly contribute to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet and therefore she plays a vital part in the blame of the tragedy within the story.

Romeo and Juliet's lives come to an end because of a misunderstanding and miscommunication between Friar Laurence and Romeo. Therefore, I can argue that, Friar Laurence is an adult to blame for Romeo and Juliet's death. Friar Laurence assisted