More handpicked essays just for you.
The role of Friar Laurence in the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
The role of Friar Laurence in the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
The role of Friar Laurence in the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Introduction Friar Laurence’s Roles in The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Friar Laurence is a vital character to the play The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Friar Laurence had very important roles in the play. He had to secretly marry Romeo and Juliet and he made a plan for Romeo and Juliet to run away together. Also, he was the problem solver in the play. For example he helped her faked her death in scene IV. Introduction to the Play Friar Laurence maybe an important character but he was introduced later in the play. He was first introduced in his cell talking to Romeo. Friar Laurence had been wondering where Romeo had been the night before. Romeo had replied “I have been feasting with mine enemy.” (II.III.49) What he is saying is that he was …show more content…
Romeo was banished, yet Juliet didn’t want to live without him. Friar Laurence had come up with faking Juliet’s death. He gave her a bottle and told her “Take thou this vial, being then in bed,/and this distilled liquor drink thou off.” (IV.I.93)This means that she needs to be in bed and drink it all for the plan to work. While Juliet is in the death like state Friar Laurence is writing a letter. He is writing a letter to Romeo about the plan. After the letter is finished he gives it to Friar John to deliver to Romeo. Juliet was aware that Friar Laurence was sending a letter to Mantua which is where Romeo was living. It came to Friar Laurence’s attention that later in the play Romeo never got the letter. Balthasar, one of Romeo’s servants, saw Juliet dead on the alter. Balthasar had gone to Romeo to tell him the urgent news. Since Romeo never got the letter he thought Juliet was actually dead. Balthasar had said “Her body sleeps in capel's’ monument.” (V.I.18) This means she is dead in the capulets …show more content…
He first says to the apothecary “Come hither, man.-I see that thou art poor.” That means that Romeo notices he’s poor and needs money. Since the apothecary is poor he is going to use money to persuade him to sell Romeo the poison. Finally Romeo got the poison and started on his way back to Verona. At this point the plan is falling apart. Romeo is going to the capulets tomb to be with Juliet when he kills himself. Romeo is still trying to be the problem solver. He is going to try to get to the tomb before Romeo get there so he can tell him the
scene, and gives the audience time to absorb what has occurred between. Romeo and Juliet. & nbsp; Juliet has an almost non-existent relationship with Capulet. Friar Laurence fills this void by portraying a father figure in Juliet s life. It is a good thing. She trusts him and confides in him regularly.
In William Shakespeare's tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, Friar Laurence plays a major role. He makes not just one, but three fatal mistakes; he marries Romeo and Juliet, gives the potion to Juliet, and gets caught up in their love. Romeo and Juliet knew they could trust Friar Laurence because he was a priest, and he always did what was right. Since Friar Laurence was so quick to make decisions he made these three fatal mistakes, which is why he is most to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.
Juliet strategizes her disastrous plan and worries, “How if, when I am laid into the tomb, I wake before the time that Romeo come to redeem me?” (Lines 30-32 of Act Four, Scene Three). Juliet is desperate to see Romeo, ergo she plans to fake her death. Her thoughts of Romeo finding her lifeless foreshadows their future. Romeo is deprived of the news of Juliet’s real state of health, therefore he says, “Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight. O mischief, thou art swift to enter the thoughts of desperate men!” (Lines 34-36 of Act Five, Scene One). Once again, Romeo’s perception is only focused on Juliet. His mental instability leads him to think Paris is in the way obtaining true happiness, thus he slays him. Romeo acquires poison, stands beside Juliet, and states, “Here’s to my love! (Drinks.) O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.” (Lines 119-120 of Act Five, Scene Three). Romeo observes Juliet’s body and determines that he should die beside her. Juliet wakes to his lifeless body, and determines she should commit suicide, as well. Romeo’s foolish decisions lead to the death of himself and
When Juliet goes to the friar and threatens to kill herself if he doesn’t help her get out of marrying Paris he agrees to help her. He gives her a potion to temporarily stop her breathing so she appears dead. The friar says, “Take thou this /vial, being then in bed,/And this distilling liquor drink thou off;/When presently through/all thy veins shall run/A cold and drowsy humor; for no pulse/Shall keep his native progress, but surcease.” (Act IV.i 95-99) “In the meantime, against thou shalt awake,/Shall Romeo by my letters know our drift,” (Act IV.i 115-116) He is saying that Juliet doesn’t have to worry about Romeo freaking out about her death because he will tell Romeo about her fake death and they will be there to dig her up once she wakes up from her sleeping potion. Juliet is 100% on board with this plan because she really does not want to marry Paris. She is even willing to make her family think she is dead to be with
He also tells Juliet that "Shall Romeo by my letters know our drift, and hither shall hem come; and he and I shall watch thy waking, and that very night shall Romeo bear thee to Mantua" (Act 4, Scene 1.) Unforeseen to neither the Friar nor Juliet that an error such as the one of Friar John’s would prove to be deadly. Poor Romeo was not able to receive the letter. Friar Lawrence plays a significant role in the plan for Juliet to "sleep."Friar Lawrence plays an important rule in the actual deaths of Romeo, Juliet, And Paris. Friar Lawrence is unable to reach Romeo with the news of Juliet’s "death." Romeo, thinking Juliet is dead rushes to Verona, but not before buying some fast poison.
The letter explains the plan for Juliet and Romeo to eventually escape and live their lives together, but since it never sent to Romeo, that did not happen at all. Friar Laurence’s rashness is evident when he sends Friar John alone to Mantua, forgetting the rule that forbids a friar (John) from travelling without the company of another friar. Meanwhile, Friar Laurence is aware that a contagious plague is spreading throughout Verona, yet he does not choose to go with Friar John himself. There is a huge risk that John would find a companion that has to be quarantined due to the sickness, which is the case in the story. Kriegel announces regarding the Friar’s impulsiveness, “Had Friar John left the city immediately in the company of a “safe” member of his order, he would never have been delayed and would have been able to send the letter to Romeo.” Now, the Friar is mindful that his plan is destroyed and he needs to do everything he can to repair his fault. In Shakespeare's tragedy, John explains to the Friar how he was unable to deliver the letter, and Friar Laurence replies, “Unhappy fortune! By my brotherhood/ The letter was not nice but full of charge/ Of dear import, and the neglecting it/ May do much danger” (V.II.17-20). The Friar recognizes his flaw of being unable to deliver the significant letter to Romeo in order for his plan to succeed. Laurence’s unthoughtful plan only led to further problems days after, specifically the death of Romeo and
Friar Lawrence is obligatory to the action, character development, and themes of Romeo and Juliet. Without Friar Lawrence, the steps leading up to the tragedy at the end of the story would not have been possible, along with the strong characterization of Romeo. Lastly, through Friar Lawrence, the inevitability of fate and violence being caused by love were able to be emphasized more deeply. Although secondary characters are less important than the main characters, most of them have a strong impact on the story and its meaning.
Friar Laurence, a father figure to many citizens and one of the holiest and most admired men in Verona. He held many responsibilities in the city and enforced several of the laws. Well, that is what everybody thought. Friar Laurence is now being held for trial for committing multiple felonies and breaking the law in his very own city of Verona. He not only conspired against the Capulet and Montague families but ultimately played an important role in the suicide of Romeo and Juliet.
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.
The Role of Friar Laurence in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare Throughout history, never has there been a piece of literature as well known for its tragic end as that of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Although many factors contribute to the grief and misfortune that this play represents, human actions play the principal role in the final outcome. At first glance, one may look at the character of Friar Laurence, dismissing him as only a minor player in the plot. However, upon closer examination, it becomes obvious that the Friar plays an essential role in the development of the play and, although has good intentions, is responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.
...re her fake dead body is kept, and drinks the poison he brought with him, hastily, without giving it a second thought, assuming that Juliet was dead and that he might not be able to live without her. However, Juliet wakes up at the moment when Romeo falls dead on her lap and she exclaims, “Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end” (5.3.167), signifying the untimely death of Romeo that occurred due to his unnecessary haste.
Friar Laurence's immature actions made him part of the tragedy. For one, he married Romeo and Juliet. When told that Romeo loves Juliet, Friar replies, "Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here! Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear, so soon forsaken? Young men's love then lies not truly in the hearts, but in their eyes," (II, III, lines 66-69).
Friar Laurence’s actions throughout the play resulted in the two star crossed lovers’ death. He assisted the two when they wanted to get married, which began the disastrous events in the play. Friar Laurence says to Romeo:In one respect I’ll thy assistant be.
The next day was the day of Juliet's wedding where she would be married to Paris. The night before she took the potion and the nurse has discovered her lying on her bed looking like she had died. Romeos man witnesses the funeral of Juliet and he tells Romeo of the news. Romeo is crushed so he buys a poison and heads back to Verona to die next to Juliet in her Capulet's tomb.
In the story,Friar caused many reasons for the death of Romeo and Juliet. He starts by making her drink the potion and marrying them thinking he was going to help but it made matters worse he too did not help Juliet when she was dying he just left. Friar Lawrence is a good friend of the Montagues. He was an advisor and friend to Romeo, and when they asked him to marry them, at first he denied them,but soon after that he accepted their mariage because it was going to be a pure marriage, But the marriage made the situation worse because they were rival families and of course they won't accept the marriage between the two rival families.