The Friar 's A Friar

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

I will ask Friar Laurence to act as a reliable and wise older priest would. He should report the Prince's ruling over Romeo's transgression with happiness, since banishment is truly preferable to death. Later on, he should be able to depict disappointment over Romeo's reaction to banishment, underlining that he is talking down to Romeo who is being extra unreasonable. Likewise, as Romeo continues to argue that he is worse off banished than dead, the Friar will appear impatient with Romeo's lack of appreciation over this "good news" that he brings. Also, the Friar will seem emotionally detached to differentiate himself from the excessively sensitive Romeo. He has to show what it means to be a sensible and calm adult. Nonetheless, as he hears from the Nurse how miserable Juliet is and how Romeo would readily kill himself over causing Juliet's pain, he would look like he wrangled his brains to come up with the best solution possible where people would not die. The Friar would then remain prudent and composed above all the immaturity and emotionality of Romeo.

He married Romeo and Juliet secretly. Friar is like a pastor, but if you are a pastor why keep the marriage a secret. The Friar also gave Juliet a potion that made Juliet appear, as she is dead. “Then gave I her (so tutored by my art) A sleeping potion; which so took effect As I intended, for it wrought on her The form of death.” Although, he wanted to tell Romeo about his plan, it is to late to avoid tragedy. Like the Friar the Nurse is also contributed a lot of crime as well.

Chaucer describes his grandiose opinion of himself, the friar is pompous and crooked. He surmises that a man of his “status” should not be seen with the lowly and poor, which is ironic because those are exactly the people he is meant to help. Chaucer as discloses the lengths he is willing to go for even the smallest person gain saying. “His brethren did no poaching where he went./For though a widow mightn’t have a shoe,/So pleasant was his holy how-d’ye-do/He got his/farthing from her just the same/Before he left, and so his income came” (“General Prologue”, 256-262). The friar is willing to take from the people who need it most in the community, the widow’s economic class and living conditions are used further show the reprehensible behavior of the religious characters. Friars, like several other religious orders are supposed to take a vow of poverty in order the become closer to Christ. The Friar in Canterbury Tales does the exact opposite. Both his greed and unscrupulous behavior of another religious character further substantiate the idea that the religious characters are used to reflect the corruption in the church.

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.

He sees himself as someone who can be establish a bridge to help the community by mentoring one in the middle of the gap. “But come, young waverer, come, go with me. In one respect I’ll assistant be, for this alliance may so happy prove to turn your household’s rancor to pure love... Wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast.” (Act II.iii.96-99 & 101) The desire to make people happy is a manifestation of the Friar’s loving and caring personality.

A red light flashes when questioning the authenticity of the Friar. He is distinguished as a festive, merry man who drinks excessively and carouses with several women. He is very money conscious, an excellent beggar, and despises associating himself with the poor or unfortunate. The Friar’s integrity is questioned also by Gower, who writes,

The Friar is always ready with a plan. He has a civil relationship with most characters and doesn’t have any enemies, in the play, which is unusual as most characters have an enemy. Tybalts enemy is Romeo and Lord Capulets enemy is Lord Montague. As a character the Friar is concerned about the feud and will do anything in his power to stop it “To turn your households’ rancour to pure love”. He always wants to do the right thing by everyone but his decisions and actions end in

The Friar’s character is another materialistic shyster, who gives easy penances in exchange for bribes. He spent these earnings on finery for himself, and “pocket-knives for the pretty girls”, leading one to wonder whether he was keeping his vows of chastity. Whereas a true priest would follow Jesus' teaching to tend to the lowest of his sheep, the friar did not wish to be bothered with the lepers and beggars. (Although he did on occasion, beg to supplement his own income!) The friar spent his time drinking in the taverns, socializing with the barmaids and innkeepers. Overall, he is portrayed as a greedy, gluttonous

The Friar’s tale mocks the idiotic summoner who says “ i’ll hold to my engagement...though you were...the very Devil”(298). The Friar’s mockery of the Summoner and his occupation would soon be repaid by the vengeful and angry Summoner.

It does him little good as he is then hung. Friars are to remain impoverished, it is ironic that this Friar so feverishly wanted over such possessions. Later on, Friar Giroflee admits he hates his profession and in addition, admits to caring only for personal wealth and gain, “It is true I have preached a few bad sermons the have brought me in a little money, of which the prior stole half, while the rest serves to maintain my girls.” (Voltaire: 68) Not only is this a confession of the money hungry church, it is also another example of promiscuity within the church, as he is using the money from his “bad” sermons to pay for prostitutes such as Paquette. Voltaire seeks to reveal the corruption in the old regime.

The Friar is one of the biggest examples of hypocrisy in the story. Throughout the Friar’s description, he is shown to take advantage of his position and shun his duties to benefit himself. Instead of conforming to the poor lifestyle of traditional friars, Chaucer’s Friar manipulates people into giving him money and then pockets it for himself. One way he takes advantage of his position is by charging people for confessions: “Sweetly he heard his penitents at shrift with pleasant absolution, for a gift” (103, 225-226). He also makes money by being an excellent beggar, as shown in the quote: “He was the finest beggar of his batch...For though a widow mightn’t have a shoe, so pleasant was his holy how-d’ye-do he got his farthing from her just the same...” (103, 259-261). The Friar also rejects his duties by refusing to associate with the needy, as described in the passage: “ It was not fitting with the dignity of his position, dealing with a scum of wretched lepers; nothing good can come of dealings with the

In Chaucer's tale, a friar that was supposed to hear the repentance of all sinners and speak God's word to everyone, but instead he would not be seen with beggars and lepers as they were beneath him. "To hold acquaintance with diseased lepers./ It isn't seemly, and it gets you nowhere,/ to have any dealings with that sort of trash,/ Stick to provision-merchants and the rich!/ And anywhere where profit might arise" (331, lines 245-249). He charged for hearing confession or performing marriage services rather than being of service to the people as he was entrusted to do as a man of the cloth. Chaucer was revealing the lack of integrity in the church during that

Friar Lawrence is a sacred figure which fits the traditional characteristics of tragic heroes in English literature. Citizens in Verona, despite their polar ethical values and family history, all recognize him as a prestigious man who always helps others to the best of his ability. This is shown when Juliet and Romeo confide in Friar Lawrence to conduct their secret marriage, “We met, we woo’d, and made exchange of vow, I will tell thee as we pass, but this I pray, that thou consent to marry us today,” (II, 3). His holy impression on people is illustrated when the prince states “We still have known thee for a holy man,” (V, 3). Through his high prestige, all citizens in Verona follow his lead without ever questioning the rationality and practicality behind his

The Friar, who lived off begging, appears to live a lowly existence, while Chaucer refers to the papacy in writing, “he had a special license from