Who or what killed Romeo and Juliet (besides themselves)? And why is this person/thing most responsible for the tragic death?If possible,...

If one is going to "point the finger" at any single character in "Romeo and Juliet" as a conduit to the tragic demise of Romeo and Juliet, Friar Lawrence is that character.

For one thing, Shakespeare, whose knowledge of Catholicism was adequate since his father was Roman Catholic, portrays Friar Lawrence as a flawed character:  Lawrence is not a priest, but a friar, similar to a monk.  In the Catholic Church, a monk is a man who has withdrawn from the world for religious motives and is bound by vows of humility, poverty, and chastity.  While there are minor differences between monks and friars, the rejection of the secular world is common to both.  So, Friar Lawrence is guilty of breaking his vows when he becomes so intricately involved with the secular lives of Romeo and Juliet.  Knowing his sin may be why Friar Laurence runs away from the tomb in the final act rather than staying and explaining what has happened.  For, if he were to assume responsibility in the relationship of Juliet and Romeo, he would also admit to violating his vows.

While Friar Lawrence's intentions may be well-meaning, as an already flawed character his short-sighted actions that influence the lives of the young couple certainly are pivotal to their deaths:

• Friar Lawrence secretly marries Romeo and Juliet, a violation of Church law that demands the posting of bans for usually six months.  This action complicates the conflict of Juliet with her father, Lord Capulet, who demands that she marry Paris, a nobleman. It is because she has been made a wife by Friar Lawrence that she becomes involved in the desperate plan to escape bigamy.


• The marriage of Juliet and Romeo also complicates the conflict that Mercutio has with Tybalt. For, whereas Mercutio was merely bantering with Tybalt before Romeo came, he becomes enraged by Romeo's statement,

Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee/Doth much excuse the appertaining rage (III,i,50-53),

and draws his sword, saying,

Oh, calm, dishonorable, vile submission!(III,i,61-62).

Then, Romeo who is now Tybalt's relative because of the friar's having married him to Juliet, comes between Mercutio and Tybalt as he tries to diffuse the situation.  Instead, Mercutio is mortally wounded.

• In order to prevent Juliet from committing the mortal sin of suicide, Friar Lawrence seeks a solution in providing her the vial of sleeping potion. But his secretiveness regarding the Capulet family causes them to believe that Juliet has died, so they entomb her. Then, his failure to get word to Romeo leads to Romeo's false assumption that his bride is dead and his and Juliet's consequent suicide.

Ironically, it is the poorly planned and mis-timed efforts of Friar Lawrence, who cautions the youths against impetuous acts, that effect the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.