Which quote from Romeo and Juliet shows that Friar Laurence is to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet?

Even though Friar Laurence warns Romeo not to move so quickly with his love for Juliet, he marries them anyway. This isn’t the only time that the Friar makes a hasty decision. In fact, the Friar makes several decisions throughout the course of the play that can be connected to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet - for example, he supports Romeo in his banishment, he sends a letter to Romeo that Romeo never receives, he covers up the “death” of Juliet, he leaves Juliet alone in the tomb, just to name a few.

However, the one quote that really connects the Friar to their deaths is in Act IV, Scene I.

“Take thou this vial, being then in bed,

And this distilled liquor drink thou off,

When presently through all thy veins shall run

A cold and drowsy humor, for no pulse

Shall keep his native progress, but surcease.

No warmth, no breath shall testify thou livest.

The roses in thy lips and cheeks shall fade

To paly ashes, thy eyes’ windows fall

Like death when he shuts up the day of life.”

Juliet has just learned that Tybalt has died, Romeo is banished, and that she must marry Paris on Thursday. Desperate for a solution or she’ll commit suicide, she pleads for the Friar to help her. The Friar then realizes what a mess this hasty marriage between Romeo and Juliet has caused. In an attempt to cover his tracks, he comes up with an elaborate plan: Juliet will drink a potion that makes her appear dead so that she is buried in her family’s tomb, and when she wakes up the Friar and Romeo will be waiting for her so that they can run away together in Mantua. Supposedly, Romeo will hear of all of this through a letter.

I chose the quote in which Friar hands Juliet the vial of potion as the quote that is to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet because it is that vial that causes confusion and suicide. Upon making it to the tomb (without receiving the Friar’s letter), Romeo believes that Juliet is in fact dead. This is reason enough for him to commit suicide and drink the last of the potion. When Juliet wakes up from the potion, she sees Romeo and uses a sword to kill herself. Without that vial of potion from the Friar, the deaths of Romeo and Juliet could have been avoided.