Pardoned or Condemned, Live or Die(Topic #6)

  The general conflict of the play-"Romeo and Juliet" is the immature love under the hostility between two families- Capulet and Montague. Some people believe that the stubborn personalities  of Romeo and Juliet's are what caused the final tragedy. Prince Escalus, on the other hand believes that hatred is responsible for the deaths. He blames the two family for fighting each other several times in the play. For example, in Act 1 Scene 1. Escalus intervened the fight and announced, "If ever you disturb our streets again, Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace."(1.1 98-99) He was absolutely being mad about them. Finally, in one of his sentences from the long speech at the end of the play. The Prince criticizes this whole background setting of the "Romeo and Juliet". "Go hence to have more talk of these sad things. Some shall be pardoned, and some punished."(5.3 318-319) In my opinion, the first "some" stands for Friar Lawrence and the two young lovers. The second "some", on contrary stands for not only Master of Capulet and Montague, but everyone. Below are my reasons.
  One of the most controversial characters in the play--Friar Lawrence, is responsible for the final tragedy in a great degree. As a "Ghostly Confessor" of the young lovers, he held the secret wedding , gave them advices and most importantly, gave Juliet the sleeping potion. He started different series of events that could cause the deaths. Although there are other factors that could be responsible for it,  Friar Lawrence's role was just substantial. However, I believe he is the one that was been "pardoned". First of all, he is a prestigious priest. The impression of him should be saint and innocent. People at that time were mostly religious people, so he could receive forgiveness by that. The prince better indicated that by saying, "We still have known thee for a holy man."(5.3 279). Also, Friar Lawrence actually did everything along the willingness of Romeo and Juliet's, so he shouldn't be condemned.  For Romeo and Juliet, they were already dead when the prince was giving the speech, there can't be any punishment for dead people. At the end, they were the victims of the forbidden love. "See what a scourge is laid upon your hate"(5.3 302); in this sentence, the Prince clearly pointed his finger at the parents, and described the death as "scourge". With his sympathy to Romeo and Juliet, they should be"pardoned".
  Right before the sentence I mentioned above, the Prince said, "Where be these enemies?—Capulet, Montague".(5.3 301) Again, there are no worse existence than Capulet and Montague, in Prince Escalus' mind. He just loathe the two families and their fight for too much, there shouldn't be anyone else to be punished.
 However, Prince did mention something else at the end

 "That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love!
  And I, for winking at your discords, too
  Have lost a brace of kinsmen. All are punished."(5.3 303-305)

 This, is the ultimate version of his opinion.
 Nobody could escape from the pain that was created by the tragedy, thus everyone were punished.
 In conclusion, the play really has drastic changes. Being a summary, the Prince's speech provides a chance for self-recognition to everyone. As he said, "Some shall be pardoned, and some punished."