There are many characters in the play of Romeo and Juliet that have important roles and unique characteristics. One of these characters is Friar Lawrence, a Franciscan monk who is an expert in plants and medicines. While the Friar does not appear in all parts of the play, he acts as an advisor to Romeo and Juliet and gets them married. Being an honest, trustworthy, and loving friend, Friar Lawrence helps keep Romeo and Juliet together while maintaining his character and not acting dual-sided or having a second nature. Throughout the later parts of the play, Friar Lawrence’s characterization remains consistent as he guides the two lovers through their troubles and eventually ends the family feud between the Capulets and the Montagues. …show more content…
Desperate to be with Romeo, Juliet explains that if she has to marry Paris, she would commit suicide. Thinking of a way to avoid the marriage, Friar says “Hold daughter, I do spy a kind of hope, which craves as desperate an execution as that is desperate which we would prevent” (IV.i.69-71). Just as Friar exhibits his care and compassion for Romeo in his time of need, he does the same for Juliet when she is anxious. Friar shows a complete understanding of Juliet’s issue when he says that there is hope, and as mentioned before, he does the same for Romeo. Now that Juliet takes the vial and her family thinks she is dead, Friar Lawrence scolds Capulet for trying to force the marriage with Paris. “Peace, ho, for shame! Confusion’s cure lives not in these confusions. Heaven and yourself had part in this fair maid. Now heaven hath all, and the better it is for your maid” (IV.v.71-74). While Capulet is grieving, Friar tells him that Juliet is better off in heaven than living with Capulet. Friar’s importance in this act is to show that with Juliet not marrying Paris, she has a way of reaching Romeo, and eventually the Capulets and Montagues would be peaceful towards each other. This is part of Friar’s plan for harmony and therefore he can be described as harmonious and peacemaking. In the end of the play when Romeo dies from drinking the poison and Juliet dies from
Secondly, Friar Lawrence’s intentions are always for the benefit of others. He helps his fellow citizens when they are in despair, such as when Romeo arrives at the friar’s cell crying himself to death. The friar responds, “Thou shalt live, till we can find a time to blaze your marriage, reconcile your friends, beg pardon of the prince, and call thee back” (3, 3, 150-152). Here, Friar Lawrence acts as a mentor to Romeo, and uplifts his spirits by guiding him through the difficult times of banishment. Friar tells Romeo what he wants to hear because he understands Romeo’s boundless love for Juliet, and what may happen as the consequence of forbidden love. Moreover, Friar Lawrence has noble intentions that give himself no personal gain. When he agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet, he says, “In one respect I’ll thy assistant be, for this alliance may so happy prove to turn your households’ rancor to pure love” (2, 3, 90-92). Friar decides to marry the young lovers not only to help his friends, but because he believes it will end the long bitter feud of Verona. He only cares about the wellbeing of the city and the safety of the opposing families. Lastly, Friar Lawrence always assists his fellow citizens in their time of desperation. When
Friar Lawrence was one of the most important characters in the novel. Even though he was not on the stage for most of the play he greatly contributed to the tragedy that would soon happen at the end of the play. There was basically three major parts that lead to the death of Romeo and Juliet, which Friar Lawrence was involved in all of them. Friar Lawrence played a vital role in the marriage, planning and death of Romeo and Juliet. His attempts to do the right thing were noble, but because of poor planning they would soon lead to the inevitable tragedy.
If Friar did not go through with the young teens plans, their lives would not end the way they did. If the Friar acted more like the adult he is, Romeo and Juliet would be in much less danger. For example, Friar Lawrence immediately gives Juliet an idea when she comes to him expressing that she would rather kill herself than marry Paris, the boy that Juliet’s family is forcing her to marry. He instructs her to take the vial at night and to make sure her Nurse, who has taken care of Juliet her whole life, is not with her. As said by Friar Lawrence, “Hold, then. Go home, be merry, give consent To marry Paris. Wednesday is to-morrow. To-morrow night look that thou lie alone… Take thou this vial, being then in bed, Take thou this vial, being then in bed, And this distilled liquor drink thou off; stiff and stark and cold, appear like death” (4.1. 95). This response by Friar to Juliet is crucial because it shows how he immediately listens to her without thinking beforehand. Friar explains all of the effects of death, which slightly scares Juliet. He’s also not one hundred percent sure she will wake up, which also adds to her sceptical thoughts. The immaturity of Friar Lawrence made a large impact on Romeo and Juliet’s
Friar Lawrence imprudently agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet, even though he knows that it will cause later consequences. At first, Friar thinks that “For this alliance may so happy prove/To turn your households rancor to pure love” (2.3.98-99), meaning that he thinks the marriage will bring about peace to the two opposed families, the Montagues and the Capulets. Immediately, however, he tells Romeo,” Wisely and slowly, they stumble that run fast” (2.3.101). Friar Lawrence warns Romeo that if he is too hasty, then it leads to bad consequences. Friar Lawrence is clearly aware that if he and he alone marries the two, then their marriage will collapse, yet he decides to marry Romeo and Juliet. This causes both of them to sink into depression after Romeo gets banished from the city of Verona, his home town. Without Friar Lawrence, the two would not have married, which would not lead to their depression and further
Friar Lawrence is a man of God who agrees to marry the 2 young lover's Julet and her Romeo in an effort to unite the 2 family in love.He made alot of mistakes that caused the tragedy for one he agreed to marry them to early he should have waited longer or not done it.He plays a major role in the death of the 2 lovers as his plan To unite them turns in to death in both the Capulets and Montagues houses.Friar Lawrence's plan Consist of Juliet to "take thou this vial,being then in bed ,and this distilling Liquor drinking thou off;when presently through all thy veins shall run a cold and drowsy humor;for no pulse shall keep his native progresS,but surcease"(183). The potion that Friar Lawrence gave to Juliet would knock her out for 2 days where Juliet would then awake from her sleep and be united with Romeo. Friar Lawrence missed to many opportunities to save the young lovers and when he finally did
He is apart of both Romeo and Juliet’s lives and his willingness to agree to assist them, lead them to their downfall. Friar Lawrence believes he is helping, creating a way for the Montagues and the Capulets to stop their feuding. He says, “In one respect I’ll thy assistant be; For this alliance may so happy prove To turn your households’ rancor to pure love” (Shakespeare 2.3 90-93). In the beginning, Friar Lawrence believes that helping Romeo and Juliet get married will help bring peace among the Montagues and the Capulets. His intentions are pure and for peace in Verona. But, he also has bad thoughts about what might happen with love as quick as theirs and how it will affect everyone else. From the play, Romeo and Juliet, he says, “These violent delights have violent ends, And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,” ( Shakespeare 2.6 9-10). Friar Lawrence is warning Romeo about how quick true love can come to an end. He is aware of the fact that something may go wrong, but proceeds to follow what Romeo and Juliet ask him to do. Ultimately, Friar Lawrence plays a big role in the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, but there are also a few others who do as
The first of many problems that Friar Lawrence creates is when he consents to marry Romeo and Juliet, which ultimately leads to their deaths. Friar Lawrence believes that marrying Romeo and Juliet will end the feud between their two families: “In one respect I’ll thy assistant be, for this alliance may so happy prove to turn your households’ rancor to pure love” (II.iii.97-99). Even though Friar Lawrence knows that Romeo and Juliet should not get married, for many different reasons, including Romeo’s obsession with Rosaline not even a day earlier, the Friar decides that this marriage has a small chance of ending the feud, so he goes ahead with it. Friar Lawrence starts a chain reaction of problems after he agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet,
One of his key decisions that led to their deaths can be found when he says to Juliet, 'Hold, daughter. I do spy a kind of hope, Which craves as desperate an execution, As that is desperate which we would prevent. If, rather than to marry County Paris,' (4.1 69-72). When Juliet turns to Friar Lawrence in desperation because her parents are forcing her to marry Paris, the Friar concocts the insane scheme for Juliet to fake her own death. He tells her that if she has the strength to commit suicide rather than marry Paris, than she should have the strength to pretend she's dead to avoid having to live her life without Romeo. She put her own life on the line with the help of a coward. If the Friar stopped his impulsiveness and made a more well thought out plan, he would have stopped the death of the two
And turns it to excile; there, art thou happy." Friar Lawrence tells Romeo he is lucky. When Juliet is being forced to marry Paris, Friar Lawrence is there for her. She is distraught and threatens to kill herself rather than marry Paris. "Tell me not Friar, that thou hearest of this, Unless thou tell me how I may prevent it.
Friar Lawrence is a well liked community member and a noble churchman in the play of Romeo and Juliet. After playing a vital role in the marriage of the star crossed lovers without their family’s blessing and his poor influence leading to wrong decisions, the marriage was not meant to be. He is who to blame for their death. He willingly serves as an advisee in times of need establishing a critical role in the two infatuated lovers. As Friar Lawrence’s influence foreshadows events to come in the lives of Romeo and Juliet, it is crucial for events to come.
In the play The Tragedy of Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare, the author illustrates the tragic tale of Romeo and Juliet, two young lovers whose love is forbidden due to the everlasting family feud between the Capulets and the Montagues, however, they are secretly wed by Friar Laurence. Romeo is then banished from the city, leaving Juliet, a soon to be wife of Paris, so in order for her not to get married again, the friar gives Juliet a poison that would put her into a death like coma. Unfortunately, Romeo was not given this information, so when he found her “dead” in the chamber, he committed suicide, leaving Juliet to wake up, only to find her lover dead, thus leading her to also commit suicide, which finally ends the Capulet and Montague
After Juliet threatens to kill herself, Friar Laurence responds by telling her to, "Hold, daughter. I do spy a kind of hope,/ Which craves as desperate an execution/ As that is desperate which we could prevent" (Rom., 4.1.68-70). He tells her to calm down and that he has a desperate solution for her desperate situation. Juliet, at this point, is open to any suggestions and Friar Laurence can tell. She threatened to kill herself if he couldn't come up with a solution, so he knew a desperate and far-fetched solution was better than nothing.
Tryst turns to tragedy. A main topic in the notorious play, Romeo & Juliet, by playwright William Shakespeare. The star crossed lovers had a misfortunate ending to their very short love story, which ended in a double suicide. There were many people involved to the cause of the self destruction of the two teenagers. Many variables have been accounted to this event, but the person who was the most involved and responsible was Friar Laurence.
Friar Lawrence is one of the most important characters in the play, Romeo & Juliet.
Even though Juliet knew the plan might not work, she followed it anyways. Juliet was aware of the dangerous consequences both of them could face, but agreed to do it out of desperation. Also out of desperation, Romeo also followed the plan to get a letter that would tell him about with Juliet: ‘“In this resolve. I'll send a friar with speed determined, quickly To Mantua with my letters to thy lord’” (4.1.126-127).