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Character Analysis on Friar Lawrence in Shakespeare´s Romeo and Juliet

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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

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