How important is Friar Lawrence, in his language and his actions to the development of 'Romeo and Juliet'?

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How important is Friar Lawrence, in his language and his actions to the development of ‘Romeo and Juliet’?

  Friar Lawrence plays a key role in Romeo and Juliet, as an advisor to the couple, as the cleric who marries them to each other, and by planning the means of their escape from Verona. Throughout the play, his intentions may be played as being good (although this is debatable), however, the ironic outcome of his various failed stratagems is to bring about the lovers’ deaths, which he should have foreseen and ought to have avoided.  

      His actions are heavily ironic, as he says in his first speech, 'Virtue itself turns vice being misapplied' (1.3.21), meaning that even well-intentioned clerics can cause immense evil and suffering through their actions. Similarly, he advises Romeo 'Wisely and slow, they stumble that run fast' (2.3.94) which is in obvious contradiction to his agreement to marry a couple who have only been together less than hour!

      Although Lawrence is able to prevent Romeo from killing himself after his banishment (3.3.109-199) it is arguably his irresponsible encouragement of the romance, and his conduct of an unlawful 'clandestine' marriage which brings Romeo, and then Juliet to the depths of despair.

      Lawrence could be played an unworldly and somewhat naïve man, perhaps well-intentioned, but also vainly ambitious (to end the feud), and with little real sense of the depths of hatred between the feuding families. Zeferelli's film makes clear the scale of the public violence surrounding the families' vendetta, and the degree to which innocent bystanders are drawn in.

      However, Buz Luhrman's (1996) version cast Pete Postlethwaite as a 'hippy' Friar Lawrence, whose retreat from reality – and knowledge of plants and potions – is due to a drug habit. This resurrects a note familiar to Shakespeare's first audience, that Franciscan friars were immoral people, whose outward spirituality was often just a cover for a life of vice. Such immoral clerics were familiar from medieval mystery plays, anti-catholic propaganda, and Marlowe's Doctor Faustus, which cast the demon Mephistopheles as a friar.

      Lawrence, in his hillside cell, could be seen as remote from the reality of his community, and therefore a poor choice of an advisor for the couple, who more than anything need informed, practical advice. People often shop around for the advice they can agree with, and Lawrence is the only person in Verona who would encourage this marriage, since he believes it offers an opportunity 'To turn [the] households' rancour to pure love.' (2.3.92)

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       A celibate churchman would not be many teenagers' first choice of an advisor, and the couple only choose him because they cannot trust anyone else. The couple cannot trust their parents or extended families, and Romeo shuts out Mercutio and Benvolio from his thoughts. Juliet hasonly the Nurse to confide in, who is an even less reliable advisor.

      When he first appears collecting plants on a hillside above Verona, he may seem a rather distracted and professorial figure. He believes ‘nought so vile that on earth doth live, / But to the earth ...

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