In Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, Friar Laurence plays an important role. As members of the Order of St. Francis, a group of wise and generous priests, Romeo and Juliet trusted Friar Lawrence completely, turning to him for advice and solutions. He was present throughout Romeo and Juliet's life; he married them, devised a plan to keep them together, and was a friend through their tragedies. However, Friar Laurence's rash action in marrying Romeo and Juliet, his short-sighted plan to save Juliet from an unwanted marriage to Paris, and his fear of committing sin all contributed to Romeo and Juliet's death. Friar Laurence, due to his lack of common sense, is largely responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Instead of supporting them and helping them reveal their love situation, Friar Laurence took the “easy” way out. He gave in to their desire to escape. She secretly married Romeo and Juliet instead of supporting them and encouraging them to confront their families with the facts about their commitment and love for each other. As a result, through marriage an even stronger bond was created between them: “For with your farewells, ye shall not remain alone / Until the holy Church shall have incorporated two into one” (2.6.36-37). Friar Laurence married Romeo and Juliet, hoping that their union would put an end to the constant feuds between their two families, the Montagues and the Capulets. While the friar's intentions were good and beyond reproach, they were certainly missteps along the path to tragedy. None of the tragedies would have happened if Romeo and Juliet had not married. When Tybalt challenged Romeo... half of the paper... his haste and incompetence, driven by his inadequacy and impure motives, are to blame. The deaths of Romeo and Juliet were the result of Friar Laurence's shortcomings, his predisposition to act hastily, his shortsightedness, and his fear of sin. He set the wheel of catastrophe in motion, mixing it with a bit of recklessness and haste and capping it with some bad decisions. Trying to please everyone, he didn't please anyone. “Those who run quickly stumble” (2.3.101); it's strange how someone can't apply their wisdom to their actions. “Virtue itself turns into vice, being misapplied” (2.3.17). Friar Laurence's advice would have suited him better, and God help the rest. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. New York: University Press, 1992.