Friar Lawrence Actions Against Beliefs In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet
Friar Lawrence – Actions against Beliefs?
In one of Shakespeare’s most renowned plays, Romeo and Juliet; enters Friar Lawrence, a man who has one of the most essential responsibilities in the whole play, ultimately influencing the outcome of the protagonists’ lives (Boyce). At every crucial moment of the play, Friar Lawrence has been a part of, starting with marrying the two couples, and moving forwards until he gives Juliet the sleeping potion, which proves that all though he is trying to unite the families, he does it in a way that makes the play turn into a tragedy (Sparknotes). Morally right or wrong, Friar Lawrence is the symbolic mentor, who Romeo goes to for each time a plan, or help, is needed. Not only a significant character, …show more content…
He states that: “This alliance may so happy prove/ To turn your households’ rancor to pure love.” (RJ II.ii.2). This proves that he married them because he wanted to end the violence between the families, otherwise he would have stayed with an older order to Romeo, telling him to “love moderately” (RJ II.vi.14). Matching with his sudden change from a supporting, father-like figure, to an utter coward at the end of the play (in the tomb) shows us that the Friar acts differently each time he proceed to do something in the story (Gleed). To give an example, Friar Lawrence was completely unsupportive of the concept of a wedding, but soon changed his mind. Another reason is that he has knowledge that does not reflect his beliefs, such as poison, draughts, and deceit. However, Shakespeare created this character to help understand the two sides to everything, with the correct lines to show it. These lines would be: “Two such opposèd kings encamp them still, / In man as well as herbs—grace and rude will.” (RJ II.iii.28-29). Friar Lawrence is the last person in Romeo and Juliet that would be expected to disobey his faith, but he does – numerous times – and shows us that what is
In one of Shakespeare’s most renowned plays, Romeo and Juliet; enters Friar Lawrence, a man who has one of the most essential responsibilities in the whole play, ultimately influencing the outcome of the protagonists’ lives (Boyce). At every crucial moment of the play, Friar Lawrence has been a part of, starting with marrying the two couples, and moving forwards until he gives Juliet the sleeping potion, which proves that all though he is trying to unite the families, he does it in a way that makes the play turn into a tragedy (Sparknotes). Morally right or wrong, Friar Lawrence is the symbolic mentor, who Romeo goes to for each time a plan, or help, is needed. Not only a significant character, …show more content…
He states that: “This alliance may so happy prove/ To turn your households’ rancor to pure love.” (RJ II.ii.2). This proves that he married them because he wanted to end the violence between the families, otherwise he would have stayed with an older order to Romeo, telling him to “love moderately” (RJ II.vi.14). Matching with his sudden change from a supporting, father-like figure, to an utter coward at the end of the play (in the tomb) shows us that the Friar acts differently each time he proceed to do something in the story (Gleed). To give an example, Friar Lawrence was completely unsupportive of the concept of a wedding, but soon changed his mind. Another reason is that he has knowledge that does not reflect his beliefs, such as poison, draughts, and deceit. However, Shakespeare created this character to help understand the two sides to everything, with the correct lines to show it. These lines would be: “Two such opposèd kings encamp them still, / In man as well as herbs—grace and rude will.” (RJ II.iii.28-29). Friar Lawrence is the last person in Romeo and Juliet that would be expected to disobey his faith, but he does – numerous times – and shows us that what is