Foils In Romeo And Juliet

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Who is trustworthy?
Throughout Romeo and Juliet, many characters act as foils to one another, allowing the reader to see the complex differences between the pair. In this instance, the foils that are being compared are Friar Lawrence and Juliet’s Nurse. Both are advisors to Juliet, and both play a prominent role in her life of secrets. The essential question is: Who does it better? Friar Lawrence is a superior advisor in comparison to Juliet’s nurse because he suggests and assists in Juliet following her dreams. Friar Lawrence plays a critical role in Romeo and Juliet’s marriage, showing that he cares about Juliet’s wishes, an imperative trait of an advisor. When Friar Lawrence is informed of Romeo and Juliet’s mutual love, Juliet comes to …show more content…

After explaining his proposed plan to Juliet, Friar states, “Thou cop’st with death himself to ‘scape from it; and if thou darest, I’ll give thee remedy” (183). While he has not forced anything upon Juliet, and will only proceed if she dares to, Friar Lawrence’s scheme has found a way for Juliet to be with Romeo. Unlike other advice that Juliet received, Friar Lawrence encourages her to follow passions and live on her terms, not the ones of social norms or her parents’ thinking. Friar Lawrence’s well devised plan to reunite Romeo and Juliet is an example of his complete support of Juliet, rather than trying to suppress her …show more content…

After being mislead by the Nurse, Juliet tells the friar, “Give me some present counsel, or behold, ‘twixt my extremes and me this bloody knife shall play the umpire… I long to die” (181). In response, Lawrence states, “Hold daughter, I do spy a kind of hope which craves as desperate an Execution / As that [suicide] is desperate which we would prevent” (183). Juliet has presented herself with two options: kill herself, or take advice from Friar Lawrence. By doing this, Juliet shows her confidence in Lawrence, as she is trusting him with her own life. Juliet putting her life in Friar Lawrence’s hands proves that she undoubtedly believes that he will help her, even in the toughest of

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