Farewell Romeo and Juliet.

Act 5, scene 3
After calculating the time when Juliet will wake up, I set out for the Capulet tomb. As I was walking through the graveyard, I ran into someone, along with running my feet into many gravestones. After realizing it was Balthasar, I then saw a light coming from, what looked like, the Capulet tomb. Balthasar then told me Romeo had been there for a full hour hour. Balthasar would not come with me inside the tomb because Romeo thought he had already left and so I went in alone. I suddenly felt very scared. As I walked to the Capulet tomb, I got a hunch that something bad was happening. I felt like something was wrong because Romeo was there before Juliet was supposed to wake up and then Balthasar told me that he had a dream only a few minutes ago that Romeo fought and killed someone in front of the tomb. As I moved closer to the tomb, I saw there was  blood all over the entrance to the tomb and bloody swords rested under the entrance. I then saw Romeo, pale and dead, and near him, Paris laid bloody and slain. I realized that Romeo had never received my letter and had killed himself because he thought Juliet had truly died.

What have I done?! I created this sleeping potion to bring Juliet out of the eyes and watch of the Capulets so that she can run away to Mantua with Romeo. Seeing Romeo dead, made me realize that I have not only pushed this situation too far and gotten too involved, but I have blown it so out of proportion that I felt like it is one hundred percent my fault that these three are dead. I should not have created such a complex plan unless I was positive nothing would go wrong because I agreed to help Romeo and Juliet in hope that their "love" for each other would result in peace between the feuding families, not death by something as simple as miscommunication of a plan.

Then Juliet woke up and immediately asked, "O comfortable Friar! Where is my lord?" (5.3.162). I then had to tell her that her husband lay dead next to her, but when I asked her to come with me, she refused to leave Romeo. At that time, I thought she was just going to spend time with Romeo's corpse and say her final good-byes to her true husband, but I cannot believe how wrong I was.

As I was leaving the graveyard, a watchman grabbed me and took my pickax and shovel. He dragged me back to the chief watchman and would not let me go until the Prince arrived. By this time I was crying and trembling because Romeo, Juliet, and Paris had all died in the Capulet tomb. I then became scared that, because I was in the graveyard during the time of this string of deaths, I will be accused of killing them. Then the prince arrived along with attendants, Lord Capulet and Lady Capulet, shortly followed by Lord Montague to evaluate the scene. After a quick, visual observation, I explained everything that had secretly occurred over the past couple of days. I told them how I had secretly married them, how Tybalt's untimely death corrupted this secret marriage because of Romeo's exile, and I explained the plan I devised to get them together away from their feuding families. After this everything fell into a peaceful place, Lord Montague and Lord Capulet joined their hands and declared peace between their families. At that point, I felt so guilty for blowing this situation so out of proportion to result in three deaths, but my goal and idea behind this whole plan has been achieved: peace between the Montagues and the Capulets. I am not saying that the peace that I helped achieve cancels out for the deaths of Romeo, Juliet, and Paris, but I do feel a tiny sense of accomplishment because everything is as it should be: the Montagues and Capulets are now at peace for the first time in hundreds of years and Romeo and Juliet are together forever. Earlier, I felt that the death of these children was entirely my fault, but I realized that it was not completely my fault. After Juliet realized that Romeo had committed suicide because he thought she had died, Juliet decided to kill herself to be with Romeo forever. Before this tragedy unfolded, I truly thought that Romeo and Juliet did not understand love at all, but after everything progressed, I could feel their love growing. Now they will be free to be together in love forever in Heaven with the Lord our God.

No Response from Romeo

Act 5, scene 2
While I was in my chamber, I heard Friar John call my name. As he called me, I expected to hear a joyous and exuberant response from Romeo saying he is coming soon. Friar John then told me news that gave me a pit in my stomach. He told me that he went to get another friar who was visiting the sick to accompany to Mantua. But as he found the other friar, the town officials accused them of being members of the family that had been hit with the plague. The officials quarantined the house and sealed the doors and windows, refusing to let them out. He then handed me the note I wrote to Romeo and said he was never able to deliver it. As Friar John said this I could feel my stomach drop. I felt sick. I began thinking about Juliet waking up in the tomb with all of her dead relatives, expecting Romeo to be there and then realizing he's not and that she is alone in her family tomb. I told him how important it was; I explained to him that it was more than just a friendly greeting, but it was a letter with important information in it that must be delivered to Romeo. I then told him to go fetch me a crowbar. I have no other option but to go to the tomb myself.

I cannot believe this situation. In about three hours, Juliet will wake up and realize that Romeo has not come and she will be infuriated with me. I am not particularly worried about Juliet being angry with me, but I feel guilty for getting her hopes up so much and then having her wake up and realize none of it has come true. I then decided that I would go get Juliet myself, explain what happened with Friar John trying to deliver the letter to Romeo, and keep her hidden in my cell until Romeo is able to come take her to Mantua. Hopefully this new plan will be end any future adversities for these lovers.

Exiled a.k.a. the End of the World

Act 3, scene 3
I came into my cell this morning and Romeo was there, awaiting to hear his punishment for killing Tybalt. Scared, he asked me what punishment the Prince had sentenced him. I told him that he is to be exiled forever and if he is ever found inside the walls of Verona again, he is to be killed. I thought he would be happy about this punishment because, normally, he would immediately be put to death, but he instead began to cry. He told me that he being put to death would be more merciful than to banish him from Verona. He claims he would rather die than be separated from Juliet. I should have slapped him; he was not thinking straight because he did not realize the mercy he had received. He believes that he cannot live without this girl and so he begins to torture himself with horrible thoughts such as

"Then 'banishéd'
Is death mistermed. Calling death 'banishéd'
Thou cutt'st my head off with a golden ax
And smilest upon the stroke that murders me." (3.3.21-24).

He did not even consider the fact that his family, friends, and even Juliet can come visit him; being exiled is better than being killed. I told him how philosophy could protect him from the word "banished" but he continued to be stubborn and only look at the negatives of this punishment. He then told me that because I am not young or married an hour ago and kill my wife's cousin and get banished, I can neither understand nor give advice about his situation.

Then nurse knocked on the door and came inside looking for Romeo. She told Romeo how Juliet, too, weeps because of Tybalt's death and because of Romeo's exile. Hearing this, Romeo pulls out a dagger and was about to stab himself in front of me and the Nurse. I told him how weak he was acting; he was acting out of desperation. He was about to kill himself because he is being exiled out of mercy. He might as well have been put to death because he is acting so ungrateful for the Prince's mercy. He was complaining about his birth, the heavens and the earth. He was only thinking about himself; he did not consider how devastated Juliet would be if he committed suicide after being relieved from the death penalty. He was almost killed by Tybalt earlier for her and he survived but then decides to kill himself instead of being grateful for being alive. I told him to stop whining about his problems because those that whine and complain die miserably. I told him to go to Juliet's room to comfort her and then to escape the town of Mauntua until his marriage can be made public. I remembered that the whole reason I married these two children was to make peace between these feuding families. I refuse to give up on this idea because I know it could work if it is announced at the right time. If I tell their parents, it could make things much worse because I do not trust their parents' decisions and I think this situation will be safer and calmer in my hands. Being closer to God, I just feel like I can handle this better than their parents would. After all, everything is safer in God's hands.

I Now Pronounce You Husband And Wife

Act 2, scene 6

Today was the day of Romeo and Juliet's wedding. While we waited for Juliet to come, I began to think ahead the wedding process and said, "So smile the heavens upon this holy act/ That after-hours with sorrow chide us not" (2.6.1-2). While I said this, I remembered the reason why I'm marrying these two children, the after-math. When Romeo first asked me to marry him and Juliet, I was reluctant because of Romeo's fickleness with love. Shortly after that thought, I had a change of mind. I thought of the positive effects this marriage could bring about. I thought about how this marriage may be able to achieve peace between the Montagues and the Capulets. But this line also made me realize that if this marriage goes belly up, then the after-hours will chastise them forever for getting married in the first place. Not to mention that the fighting between the two houses will not only continue, but it might worsen. But Romeo's opinion is very different from mine; his response suggested that one-minute spent with Juliet would be greater and stronger than all of the sorrow that could be caused by this marriage. The short amount of time he spent with Juliet will prepare him for the greatest sorrow of all, "love-devouring death" (2.6.7). Romeo seems to think that love will make him invincible but he needs to understand that the ecstasies of love eventually die down. I advised Romeo to take love in moderations. Moderations are the key to long-lasting love but taking love too fast is just as bad as being too slow with love.

After I finished explaining moderations of love to Romeo, Juliet arrived. Running. As Juliet ran to see Romeo, I saw all of my words fly straight out of Romeo's head and disappear in the air. Their "love" almost disgusts me because not only are they ignorant of the true meaning of love, but they do not know how to make it last. They are so eager to love and see each other, but as time goes on their eagerness is going to die down and they will get bored because they are going to fast. They need to have a chance to miss each other and make the other one chase them for a little while; they are making "love" way too easy. Juliet said a quick hello to me and immediately jumped into Romeo's arms and they began kissing. My advice about moderations was lost on deaf ears. They then told me that their love is too strong and great to be expressed in words. They share an "imagined happiness" (2.6.28). This happiness is imagined not because it is nonexistent but because it is too great to be put into words. After hearing Romeo and Juliet tell me about how everything they share is too great to be expressed, it is apparent that they do not even have an idea of boundaries or amounts. They cannot come up with ways to describe things because they are nonexistent. Juliet does seem to know more about love than Romeo does because she knows that happiness is measured by reality, not by decoration of the fact. She does make a point that if you can count how much money one has, then you are poor because the amount is little enough to be measured. But love is so great that even half of true love cannot be measured. What Juliet said about love is true, but it is easy to say something and convince yourself you feel it and know the true meaning when you really know nothing about it at all.

After Romeo and Juliet finish talking about this nonsense about their boundless love and happiness, I hurry off to marry them. I tell them I think it is not wise to leave them alone until they are bound in marriage. Ha ha ha.

Romeo's New "Love"

Act 2, scene 3

Early this morning, I ran into Romeo and wondered why he was awake at such an early hour. He then told me that he did not sleep last night. I assumed he was up all night because of Rosaline but he says he has moved on to a new love, the daughter of Capulet. I told him he is too inconsistent when it comes to love and that women are not going to be able to depend on him; they need stability. This seemed to make him angry because I told him to forget Rosaline but I did not tell him to go fall in love with someone he barely knows. He says he loves her so much and asks me to secretly marry them. They need to think about all of the factors and consequences of this situation this "love" they share. It may not only trigger another brawl between their families, but it will, most likely, cause many more deaths, maybe even their own. Although I do not believe they actually fell in love in one night, I will help them with their wedding and marry them if that is what they truly want, but they need to be careful and take things slower.

Romeo is a very fickle man when it comes to love because I believe he does not know what it means to truly be in love with someone. Only yesterday he was convinced he was "in love" with Rosaline but in a matter of hours he claims to have found an entirely new and pure "love." Romeo does not understand love; he puts the woman he "loves" on a pedestal and makes too high of expectations and too high of standards for the woman to fulfill. He seems to "fall in love" in a matter of minutes with someone he barely even knows. He has not only done this once but twice now which shows incredible fickleness and instability. Now he is asking me to marry him to the thirteen year old daughter of his rival with whom he is "in love." He needs to understand that women cannot rely on an unreliable man especially when it comes to love. True loves never dies but only gets stronger through time.