Character – Romeo and Juliet – Friar Laurence Essay Example
Character – Romeo and Juliet – Friar Laurence Essay Example

Character – Romeo and Juliet – Friar Laurence Essay Example

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  • Pages: 4 (1010 words)
  • Published: October 26, 2017
  • Type: Essay
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In Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet, Friar Laurence has a major role. As a member of the Order of St. Francis, a group of wise and generous priests, Romeo and Juliet trusted Friar Laurence completely, turning to him for advice, and solutions. He was there throughout Romeo’s and Juliet's lives; he married them, came up with a plan to keep them together, and was a friend throughout their tragedies. However, Friar Laurence’s rash action in marrying Romeo and Juliet, his shortsighted plan for rescuing Juliet from an unwanted marriage to Paris, and his fear of committing sin all contributed to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.

Friar Laurence, through his lack of good judgment, is largely responsible for the deaths of both Romeo and Juliet. Rather than being supportive of them and helping them disclose their loving situation, Fria

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r Laurence took the “easy” way out. He succumbed to their desire to elope. He secretly married Romeo and Juliet instead of standing behind them and encouraging them to confront their families with the facts about their commitment to and love for each other.

As a result, an even stronger bond between them was created through marriage: "For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone / Till holy church incorporate two in one" (2. . 36-37). Friar Laurence married Romeo and Juliet, hoping that their union would bring an end to the constant feuding between their two families, the Montagues and the Capulets. Though the friar’s intentions were good and above reproach, they were certainly missteps along a pathway to tragedy. None of the tragedies would have occurred if Romeo and Juliet were not married.

When Tybalt challenged Romeo

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to a fight, Romeo, now being related to Tybalt through marriage, refused to fight, saying, "Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee / Doth much excuse the appertaining rage / To such a greeting --" (3. . 61-63). When Mercutio stepped in to defend Romeo’s honor, Romeo tried to stop the fighting.

It was his interference that led to Mercutio’s death. "Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under / your arm"(3. 1. 102-103). Shortly thereafter, in a rage that would cause his banishment, Romeo lashed out at Tybalt and killed him saying, "--Tybalt, that an hour / Hath been my cousin. O sweet Juliet! / Thy beauty has made me effeminate, / And in my temper soften'd valour's steel"(3.1. 112-115)! Romeo and Juliet's marriage has caused Mercutio and Tybalt's deaths, and Romeo's banishment.Friar Laurence was the instigator of all these woeful events; he started the tragedies by marrying Romeo and Juliet. Even after Mercutio's death and Romeo's banishment, Friar Laurence did not see the destructiveness of Romeo and Juliet's marriage. Instead he continued to attempt to keep Romeo and Juliet together. The plan he concocted for this, however, was shortsighted, poorly thought out, and risky.

Friar Laurence devised the plan in haste and in desperation because Juliet was there in the friar’s presence threatening suicide rather than marry Paris. Unless thou tell me how I may prevent it. / If, in thy wisdom thou canst give no help, / Do but call my resolution wise, / And with this knife I'll help it presently" (4. 1. 51-54).

To appease Juliet, Friar Laurence gave her a potion to consume that would enable her

to feign death, thereby averting marriage to Paris. He, meanwhile would send a note to Romeo informing him of the hoax that was being perpetrated on the Capulets and Paris, and asking Romeo to meet him at the graveyard where Juliet would greet them alive and well. Unfortunately, the message never arrived.This was revealed when Friar John told Friar Laurence, " I could not send it, here it is again / Nor get a messenger to bring it thee" (5. 2.14-15). Friar Laurence obviously had not told the messenger the importance of the letter reaching Romeo. And, if Friar Laurence had followed the original agreement he made with Romeo: "Sojourn in Mantua; I'll find out your man, / Every good hap to you that chances have" (3. 3. 168-170), Balthasar could have delivered the letter to Romeo. However, because of Friar Laurence’s shortsightedness and lack of a contingency plan, he doomed those he tried to help.

It would have been better if Romeo and Juliet had not known Friar Laurence at all. His desperate attempts for a quick resolution, and rashness in doing so led to Romeo’s and Juliet's deaths. He admitted his responsibility himself: "Miscarried by my fault, let my old life / Be sacrific'd, some hour before this time, / Unto the rigour of severest law" (5. 3. 266- 268). Not only were Friar Laurence’s plan and his involvement foolish, but his motives are also called into question.

In Friar Laurence's religion, it was a sin to marry someone who was already married.Friar Laurence did not want to marry Juliet to Paris when she was already married to Romeo. Juliet questioned Friar Laurence's intentions herself,

saying, "What if it be a poison, which the friar / Subtly hath minister'd to have me dead, / Lest in marriage he should be dishonour'd / Because he married me before to Romeo? / I fear it is - -" (4. 3. 25-28), but still, her faith in her confessor and lifelong friend overcame any suspicions that she might have had.

It is truly Friar Laurence who is to blame, his haste and incompetence, was propelled by his inadequacy and impure motives.Romeo’s and Juliet's deaths were the result of Friar Laurence's shortcomings, his predisposition to act in haste, his shortsightedness and his fear of sin. He set the wheel of catastrophe in motion, mixed in a little rashness and hastiness and topped it of with a few bad decisions. In trying to please everyone, he pleased no one. “They stumble who run fast” (2.3. 101); it is odd how someone could not apply his own wisdom to his own actions. "Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied" (2. 3. 17).Friar Laurence's own advice would suit him best and God help the rest.

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