How important is Friar Lawrence in the outcome of the play?

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Syedul Miah                

Discuss the role & importance of Friar Lawrence in Romeo & Juliet

Was Friar Lawrence the cause in the outcome of events in the play Romeo & Juliet? The play, written by Shakespeare is a tragic love story which takes place in Verona and all events happen in five days. The play is based on the poem “The Tragicall history of Romeus and Juliet” by Arthur Brooke. It was written between 1594 and 1596 and is still one of the great plays in the world. Friar Lawrence is one of the most important characters in the play because of his part in events.

Friar Lawrence has many roles in the play. He is an apothecary, who studies plants and medicines. We are introduced to him in Act 2. We see that he has detailed knowledge because he knows all the properties of different plants and herb. He talks about a plant which “Within the infant rind of this small flower poison hath residence and medicine power…Being tasted...slays senses with the heart” He says the flower can be used for heal and kill purposes, which illustrates the duality of human nature. The fact that the Friar is an apothecary is important to the play because later on he gives a potion to Juliet which gives her the “look” of death.

 Friar Lawrence is also a father figure to Romeo. In old times parents were not close to their children and often their nannies would raise them. Like the nurse is close to Juliet, Friar Lawrence plays that role with Romeo. Friar Lawrence knows Romeo so well he even knows what time he wakes up because Romeo’s “early tongue so sweet saluteth me?” Romeo is Friar Lawrence’s “young son” which also shows that the two are close and it is Romeo who seeks Friar Lawrence’s advice. In this scene we also see that Friar Lawrence is more valued than any other characters by Romeo because he was the first one Romeo hurried to tell about Juliet.

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We see the loyalty of Friar Lawrence to Romeo when he agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet even if it was wrong because their parents did not allow it. However he only agreed to get them married because “for this alliance may so happy prove to turn your households’ rancour to pure love”. This questions his morality because he goes against their parents’ wishes but he believed that getting them married would be for the greater good of Verona.

Throughout the play, Shakespeare uses Friar Lawrence in his speeches to remind the audience that this play is meant ...

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