Friar Laurence arrives, as Fate would have it, too late. After speaking briefly with Balthasar, who had fallen asleep and is uncertain what has become of Romeo, the Friar enters the tomb. He sees the dead bodies of both Romeo and Paris and mourns their loss. But before he can say anything of consequence, Juliet awakens.
Friar Laurence tells Juliet to come away
with him and that …
A greater power than we can contradict
Hath thwarted our intents. (153-54)
For the Christian, that power is God. But, as Shakespeare has been suggesting all throughout the play, that power is the mysterious and cruel figure of Fate.
Friar Laurence then advises Juliet to come away with him so that he bring her to a convent where she can live her life in quiet and solitude as a nun (a woman who devotes her life to the Catholic Church and takes a vow of celibacy because she is then married to God).
Juliet refuses to leave Romeo’s side. The Friar exits when he hears the night watchmen or guards approaching.
Juliet sees the cup in Romeo’s hand and quickly understands what has just occurred. She takes the cup to see if there is any poison left for her, but the cup is empty. So, Juliet takes Romeo’s dagger and stabs herself with it. And so, she is finally able to be with Romeo in death.
The watchmen arrive; and the Prince, Capulet, Montague, and others arrive shortly thereafter. Friar Laurence then returns and explains to them everything that had happened.
The Prince, who hast lost two kinsmen of his own (Mercutio and Paris), sadly turns to
Montague and Capulet and says to them …
See what a scourge is laid upon your hate,
That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love.
(291-92)
The word joys refers to Romeo and Juliet themselves. Because of their great love for one another, they decided to take their own lives. Further, their love has finally brought an end to the hatred between the Montagues and the Capulets.
Capulet and Montague then shake each other’s hand as a pledge of peace and promise to build statues of Romeo and Juliet in pure gold as a monument to remember the dear children that they have lost. Yet it will also be a monument to their own foolishness and hate. They have made their peace too late.
For never was a story of more woe
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.