In many stories and in real life, friendships play an important role to each individual.
Romeo and Juliet, a play written by William Shakespeare explores many different bonds between characters. Although at the beginning of the play it appears as if the friendships between
Romeo, Juliet, their friends and their family helped them, towards the end, their friendships are their undoing. The most impacted friendships in the play are Juliet and the Nurse, Romeo and
Friar Lawrence, and Romeo and Mercutio. Body 1
The friendship between Juliet and the Nurse could be considered a mother, daughter bond. With Juliet not having a close relationship with her parents and having a very confused youth mind, it brings out the Nurses wiseness. This is what makes their friendship so strong.
Near the beginning of the play it is shown that the Nurse comes off as helpful because she agrees to go and talk to Romeo to find out his intentions just as Juliet asked. “Go ask his name­ If he be married/ My grave is like to be my wedding­bed.”(I,V, 133­134). But, if the Nurse had never agreed to this, it would have prevented many of the tragedies that happened. As the play goes on, it shows that the nurse is not really a great influence on Juliet. For example Juliet is thirteen and
Romeo is fifteen and the Nurse tells her where she will be getting secretly married and has no intention of telling her parents. “Then hie you hence to Friar Lawrence’ cell/ There stays a husband to make you a wife.” (II,V,68­69). Next Romeo has slain Tybalt and has been banished out of Verona. When Juliet finds out she is devastated because she is worried about not getting her wedding night with him, but the Nurse makes a promise that she will find Romeo so Juliet

will get her wedding night. “Hie to your chamber. I’ll find Romeo/To comfort you: I wot well where he is./Hark ye, your Romeo will be here at night. (III,II, 138­140).

Body 2 Next the friendship of Romeo and Friar Lawrence appears helpful, but is just making it worse for the feud between these Capulet’ and Montague’s. Friar Lawrence acts as a father figure towards Romeo because Romeo can tell him anything. When Romeo got back from the
Capulet party he went to Friar Lawrence to tell him he moved on from Rosaline to Juliet. “With
Rosaline, my ghostly father? No, I have forgot that name, and that name’s woe.”(II,III,41­42).
Also when Romeo went to Friar Lawrence to ask him about the wedding, Friar Lawrence had no thought in gaining anything from this marriage except the satisfaction of watching Romeo and
Juliet be happy. “Till holy church incorporate two in one” (II,VI,37). This quote explains Romeo and Juliet coming together into one couple. After that Romeo got banished for the death of
Tybalt. He was kicked out of the town Verona and went to Friar Lawrence in Mantua. Friar
Lawrence was trying to be a good friend to Romeo and give him some good advice on what he should do. Friar Lawrence stated he wanted Romeo gone before dawn. “Hence from Verona art thou banished. Be patient, for