All’s Well Does Not End Well

            In early two thousand and three, as the United States was preparing to go to war with Iraq, public support for the war was high, as it was viewed that good intentions were behind this war. Much of the American public viewed the war as one that would depose of a ruthless dictator; ensure world security, and spread democracy and freedom to one more place in the world. Now, five years later, this previously well-intentioned war has turned into what some call a quagmire, the result of gross miscalculations and underestimation of the individuals who were behind the war effort. Though this modern war may seem far off from it, this very example of good intentions leading to a disaster is shown in a centuries-old classic, “The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare. In “Romeo and Juliet”, spiritual adviser Friar Lawrence’s optimistic blindness, indecisiveness, and miscalculations in carrying out his well intentioned deeds prove to advance the tragic fates of main characters Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet.

            Friar Lawrence, the main priest of the church in Verona, where tragic lovers Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet reside, has good intentions to bring together their opposing families but is lead askew through such flaws as his optimistic blindness. The two lovers face insurmountable obstacles against their love being complete, and needing assistance to overcome these obstacles, they turn to the holy man and apothecary Friar Lawrence. Lawrence devises a unique and risky plan to conquer the hindrances that Romeo and Juliet have to face, but due to such flaws as his miscalculations of the situation, the situation turns into a disaster, ending with the deaths of the two lovers. Friar Lawrence reveals his lack of foresight in this example, where he expresses his overly optimistic expectations for his deeds. In this case, Friar Lawrence states to main character Romeo, “But come, young waverer, come, go with me/ In one respect I'll thy assistant be,/ for this alliance may so happy prove/ To turn your households' rancor to pure love.” (2.3.96-99). This instance reveals that Friar Lawrence has overly sanguine expectations for his actions, as he seems to imply something along the lines of “with my help, this marriage can end your families’ strife,” which seems to be a somewhat far-fetched goal without the detailing of an effective plan. Lawrence seems to miscalculate that everything will go well if he helped Romeo and Juliet, a serious error of his judgment that eventually leads to the deaths of the two lovers. Even as Friar Lawrence exhibits his hurtful optimism throughout “Romeo and Juliet” in examples such as this, there are also other flaws he has that lead to the ultimate tragedy.

            As the plot of the tragedy continues, Friar Lawrence continues on with his scheming, devising more seemingly good-intentioned plans to advance Romeo and Juliet’s relationship and to supposedly end the strife between their families. Lawrence goes on to demonstrate his qualities of indecisiveness in this matter, such as in this case in which he is hurriedly trying to reassure Juliet after her newly wedded husband Romeo has just committed suicide at her side. Lawrence declares, “A greater power than we can contradict/ Hath thwarted my intents. Come, come away./ Thy husband in thy bosom lies dead,/ and Paris too. Come, I dispose of thee/ Among a sisterhood of holy nuns…I dare no longer stay.” (5.3.158-163). Lawrence expresses uncertainty and indecisiveness in this example, hurriedly trying to find a way to spirit Juliet away, his method of doing so turning out to “dispose” her into a sisterhood of nuns. This shows that at this point, Lawrence seems desperate and distressed, leading him to find such unusual techniques to do his bidding. In the first part of the quote, Friar Lawrence also makes it obvious that he is flawed as he declares that a greater power has thwarted his intents, showing that he is acting very anxious and distraught. Such indecisiveness throughout the play leads to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet and others by creating cracks in Lawrence’s plan that are not efficiently and effectively patched up. These cracks in Lawrence’s schemes are also further opened because of his miscalculations in planning and initiating his endeavors, which he exhibits in other instances during “Romeo and Juliet.”

            Furthering his plans, Friar Lawrence adds a final major flaw, his miscalculations while preparing his plans. Lawrence shows blatant disregard for any obstacles that may come in his way, and when problems arise, he has somewhat unconventional methods of dealing with them or is delayed in response. Lawrence declares in this instance when he finds out his plan to send a message to the exiled Romeo fails, “Now must I to the monument alone./ Within this three hours will fair Juliet wake./ She will beshrew me much that Romeo/ Hath had no notice of these accidents/ But I will write again to Mantua/ And keep her at my cell till Romeo come./ Poor living corse, closed in a dead man's tomb!” (5.2.25-32). The Friar is essentially stating in this example that he acknowledges that Juliet will be late, but simply thinks that sending another message to Romeo will solve the problem of communication. He fails to take into account that the previous messenger he sent was stopped for fear that a disease was spreading, and he seems to disregard that there may be any obstacles that will be needed to overcome. Due to his negligence, miscalculations, and lack of foresight for potential obstacles, Friar Lawrence’s plan falls apart in many places, which leads to the tragedy at the end of “Romeo and Juliet.”

            All individuals possess flaws, but the flaws of “Romeo and Juliet” character Friar Lawrence lead to the death of the two young lovers in the play. Lawrence displays misguided optimism while creating his schemes, indecisiveness while problems arise or the need to make decisions comes around, and lastly, negligence and miscalculations in the process of his deeds. The Friar’s good intentions to bring together the two families of Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet are plagued with these faults, and they eventually bring the whole plan down into the ultimate tragedy of the play. Time and time again, not just in books or plays, people like Friar Lawrence possess the same flaws and make the same mistakes with their good intentions, leading to tragedies and disasters such as that of Romeo and Juliet. Though nobody is perfect, and everyone has their little flaws like the indecisiveness and negligence of Friar Lawrence, one will never know when those minute imperfections may be the cause of tragic and grave events.

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