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Role of the Friar and Nurse in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

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In William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the nurse and Friar Laurence play an enormous role. Not only does their advice aid Romeo and Juliet but their actions and the decisions they make throughout the whole play affects the whole outcome of numerous situations. Had the nurse and the friar not made the decisions they did, the tale of Romeo and Juliet might have not ended in tragedy. Friar Laurence is a Franciscan friar who aids both Romeo and Juliet throughout the whole play. Choices he made determined the outcome of the play and had he made different choices, the play may not have ended the way it did. Friar Laurence is a man of good intentions. He will always look on the bright side of things. The following quote implies that …show more content…

He risks his reputation as a friar in the following quote by suggesting to Juliet that she drink a potion to avoid marrying Paris so that she can marry Romeo. Take thou this vial, beeing then in bed, and this distilled liquor drink thou of (Romeo and Juliet, Act 4, Scene 1, Line 93) The nurse is a part of the house of Montague. She is a very down to earth woman, who will be sure of Juliet's happiness at all costs. The following quote is an example of this. But first let me tell ye, if ye should lead her in a fool's paradise, as they say, it were a very gross kind of behaviour, as they say; for the gentlewoman is young; and, therefore, if you should deal double with her, truly it were an ill thing to be offered to any gentlewoman, and very weak dealing (Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 4, Line 107). The nurse is very loyal to Juliet as shown in the past quote. The nurse is taking a chance at talking to Romeo for she knows that he is of the house of Montague and god knows the penalty for the interaction between. The nurse is also a very comical character at times. She provides comedy at serious points in the play to amuse the reader. The following quote is when the nurse returns to the Capulet house with news of Romeo's intention towards Juliet. She is pretending to be in need of a massage for her aching body when she very well knows that Juliet is dying to know what Romeo has

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