Singleton 1

Mr. King
English 1 Honors
Caitlin Singleton
December 11, 2014
The Blame Game

Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an effort to satisfy the need
without ever reaching satisfaction. Erich Fromm.
In a small Italian city named Verona, lived two families who for many generations had been at
conflict with one another. When one of the families had a party, the children of the two
kingdoms met. One look and they fell in love. Throughout the story, Juliets father Capulet was
trying to make her marry the Prince of Verona in order to make their family higher up in society.
Although the Friar and Romeo could be to blame for the tragic deaths of Verona, Capulet is
ultimately at blame because, he was greedy and savage towards Juliet by telling her if she did not
marry Paris he would disown her.

While Capulet may be to blame, the Friar could be as well. At the beginning of the story,
the Friar married Romeo and Juliet. He was also the one who gave the plan to Juliet about how
she could fake a death and run away. The Friar believed that if he married the two together, he
could bring everyone together. So smile the heavens upon this holy act, That after hours with
sorrow chide us not Act three scene 3. Hence from Verona art thou banished; be patient, for
the world is broad and wide act three scene three. In these lines, the Friar was trying to help
Romeo get over Rosaline by allowing him to marry Juliet. His intentions were not clear and he
ended up getting the two killed. Even though blaming the Friar makes sense, all the Friar was
doing was trying to help the two families join together and end their immature feud. Capulet was
the one who was egotistical by wanting everything to go his way.

Mr. King

Singleton 2

English 1 Honors
Caitlin Singleton
December 11, 2014

Although the Friar could be to blame, so could Romeo. Throughout the story, Romeo
pressures Juliet on doing things she would not want to do. For example, in act 2 scene 2, it says
My life where better ended by their hate than prorogued wanting of thy love. This shows that
Romeo had already fallen in love with Juliet even though they had just met about an hour earlier.
He made Juliet feel as if she had no other choice but to be in love with Romeo. As Romeo may
be to blame, Capulet is ultimately to blame because he didnt want Juliet to be with an enemy. If
pride had not stepped in that way, many lives could have been saved.

The person most to blame for the deaths would be Capulet. In act 1 scene 2, Capulet says
but woo her gentle Paris, get her heart. This line shows how Capulet plans on having Paris
marry Juliet. It would not have been love but by force. Capulet also wanted to be higher than the
Montagues and would do anything even if it included giving away his daughter. Thursday next
to go with Paris to Saint Peters Church, or I will drag thee on a hurdle hither Act 3 Scene 5.
Capulet was furious with Juliet for not wanting to marry Paris. Capulet would even go on to say
if she did not he would disown her from the family. Doth she not give us thanks? Is she not
proud? Act 3 Scene 5, Capulet was starting to become angrier when he heard Juliet did not want
to marry Paris. Thus him becoming angry and making Juliet want to run away from her town.

With all of the evidence in mind, Capulet is the one who should be blamed for the most.
Rome was a nave teenager who fell madly in love with a girl who was out of his league. The

Mr. King

Singleton 3

English 1 Honors
Caitlin Singleton
December 11, 2014
Friar was a man who wanted to do nothing but the best for the two star crossed lovers. Capulet
however, was cruel and demented man who wanted nothing but what was best for himself. If
Capulet would have listened to Juliet and understood where she was coming from, the star
crossed lovers would have lived happily ever after.