Friar Lawrence: Character Analysis

and burial. He is also able

Friar Lawrence is a Franciscan monk. He lives in modest quarters suitable to someone who is

a follower of St. Francis. He is a priest who is able to conduct religious ceremonies such as marriage to hear confessions and forgive sins. He serves as an adviser to Romeo and later to Juliet, and he develops several plans for the oung lovers to follow. !lso, he comments on the action at ke points. "an of his speeches have a philosophical content to them. #hen the friar first appears on stage $%%.iii&, he is gathering weeds and flowers in the earl morning while the dew is still fresh and before the da gets hot. He makes medicines and various preparations from the plants he gathers in his willow basket. He comments that there is something powerful and potentiall good in each thing on the earth but that ever thing must be used in a good wa to preserve its good qualities. Friar Lawrence, a friend to Romeo, knows about Romeo's infatuation with Rosaline. #hen Romeo comes to him earl in the morning, he (okes that ma be Romeo has been out with Rosaline and did not get home to rest. He thinks that Romeo's shift in affection from Rosaline to Juliet is sudden and hast , but he agrees to marr them because he thinks that it ma help to end the hatred between the feuding households. Just before the marriage, Friar Lawrence counsels the lovers on the benefits of moderation. He will not allow them to sta alone together until the are married. )o the oung lovers in the pla , Friar Lawrence seems trustworth and wise, when man other adults in *erona seem to be full of re(ection, ridicule, bad advice, and bad e+ample. Romeo trusts Friar Lawrence so much that he goes to the priest's residence to hide before leaving town. Romeo is frustrated and upset and even threatens to stab himself. Friar Lawrence counsels Romeo against this course of action. He suggests that Romeo should develop a philosophic outlook, an idea heartil re(ected b Romeo. #hen nothing else will work, the friar not onl points out to Romeo all the worst things which could have happened but did not, but

instructs Romeo to visit Juliet and then to leave town until ever thing can be worked out with the families and the prince. Juliet trusts the friar when she has given up on the nurse. She goes to see the friar when her parents are insisting on her marriage to ,aris. #hen Friar Lawrence sees how desperate and frantic Juliet is, he suggests the potion to her. )his represents a change of plan from the one discussed with Romeo. )his new plan does not make an reference to gaining the approval of the families, et it attempts to preserve the happiness of the lovers. )he friar's plan fails, mostl due to accidents of mistiming. Romeo receives word of Juliet's -death- through his servant. )he friar's news that Juliet is not actuall dead has been prevented from getting through to Romeo. Lord .apulet changes the date of the wedding. Romeo arrives (ust before Juliet wakes up, and then kills himself. Still, Juliet could have been saved. )he friar does get to the tomb in time to save her. #hen she wakes up, he tries to persuade her to leave. /et, when he hears a noise, he runs out, afraid of discover . !fter the bodies of Romeo and Juliet are discovered, the friar offers the prince a summar of what has happened. Having confirmed the stor with Romeo's letter to his father $delivered b 0althasar& the prince absolves the friar of wrongdoing, calling him a -hol man- $*.iii.123&, and blames the feuding families for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.

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