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Friar John is a Franciscan friar who must take the news of Juliet’s false death to Romeo in exile in Mantua. It’s his duty to deliver a letter informing Romeo that the whole thing is a ruse devised by Friar Lawrence. Unfortunately, Friar John reveals in 5.2 that he was held up in a quarantined house and was unable to bring the letter to Romeo. Friar John is a minor character, but his impact on the text is anything but. His failure to deliver the letter is part of a series of events that brings this famous tale to its tragic end, and though it’s not the only catalyst that leads to Romeo and Juliet’s suicides, it is certainly the most significant. Friar John, for his part, is unaware of just how important the letter is that Friar Lawrence has charged him with giving to Romeo, at least until he reveals that its delivery was delayed. That Friar John’s delay is merely a mistake rather than an intentional means of sabotage contributes to the play’s thematic emphasis on the inevitability of fate; there appears to be cosmic forces working against Romeo and Juliet that are beyond their control, and such a small misstep leads to a massive misunderstanding with tragic, far-reaching consequences.
