Friar Lawrence
Encyclopedia
Friar Laurence is a fictional character in William Shakespeare
's play Romeo and Juliet
.
, along with aiding in major plot developments.
Alone, he foreshadows
the later, tragic events of the play with his soliloquy about plant
s and their similarities to humans. When Romeo requests that the Friar marry him to Juliet
, he is shocked, because only days before, Romeo had been infatuated with Rosaline
, a woman who did not return his love. Nevertheless, Friar Laurence decides to get Romeo and Juliet married in the attempt to end the civil feud between the Capulets and the Montagues.
When Romeo is banished
for killing Tybalt
(who had previously murdered Mercutio
) and flees to Mantua
, Friar Laurence tries to help the two lovers get back together using a death-emulating potion to fake Juliet's death. The friar sends a letter to Romeo explaining the situation, but it does not reach him because the people of Mantua suspect the messenger came from a house infected with the plague, and the Friar is unable to arrive at the Capulet's monument in time. Romeo kills Count Paris
, whom he finds weeping near Juliet's corpse, then commits suicide
, by drinking poison that he bought from an impoverished apothecary, over what he thinks is Juliet's dead body. Friar Laurence arrives just as Juliet awakes from her chemically-induced slumber. He urges Juliet not to be rash, and to join a society of nun
s, but he hears a noise from outside and then flees from the tomb. Juliet then kills herself with Romeo's dagger
, completing the tragedy. The Friar is forced to return to the tomb, where he recounts the entire story to Prince Escalus, and all the Montagues and Capulets. As he finishes, the prince proclaims, "We have still known thee for a holy man." (In Shakespeare's source, The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet
, however, the apothecary is hanged.)
1748 adaptation excluded Rosaline: Romeo abandoning her for Juliet was seen as fickle and reckless. Critics such as Charles Dibdin
argued that Rosaline had been purposely included in the play to show how reckless the hero was, and that this was the reason for his tragic end. In the 20th century, these moral arguments were disputed by critics like Richard Green Moulton
. He argued that accident, and not some character flaw, led to the lovers' deaths.
Shakespeare uses a variety of poetic forms throughout the play. He begins with a 14-line prologue
in the form of a Shakespearean sonnet, spoken by a Chorus. Most of Romeo and Juliet is, however, written in blank verse
, and much of it in strict iambic pentameter
, with less rhythmic variation than in most of Shakespeare's later plays. In choosing forms, Shakespeare matches the poetry to the character who uses it. Friar Laurence, for example, uses sermon
and sententiae
forms, and the Nurse uses a unique blank verse
form that closely matches colloquial speech.
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's play Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
.
Role in the play
Friar Laurence plays the part of an advisor to Romeo and JulietJuliet
Juliet is one of the title characters in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet, the other being Romeo. She is the daughter of old Capulet, head of the house of Capulet. The story has a long history that precedes Shakespeare himself....
, along with aiding in major plot developments.
Alone, he foreshadows
Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing or adumbrating is a literary device in which an author indistinctly suggests certain plot developments that might come later in the story.-Repetitive designation and Chekhov's gun:...
the later, tragic events of the play with his soliloquy about plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
s and their similarities to humans. When Romeo requests that the Friar marry him to Juliet
Juliet Capulet
Juliet is one of the title characters in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet, the other being Romeo. She is the daughter of old Capulet, head of the house of Capulet. The story has a long history that precedes Shakespeare himself....
, he is shocked, because only days before, Romeo had been infatuated with Rosaline
Rosaline
Rosaline is an unseen character and niece of Capulet in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet . Although silent, her role is important. Romeo is at first deeply in love with Rosaline and expresses her cruelty for not loving him back...
, a woman who did not return his love. Nevertheless, Friar Laurence decides to get Romeo and Juliet married in the attempt to end the civil feud between the Capulets and the Montagues.
When Romeo is banished
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
for killing Tybalt
Tybalt
Tybalt is a fictional character and the main antagonist in William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. He is Lady Capulet's nephew, Juliet's hot-tempered cousin and Romeo's rival. Tybalt shares the same name as the character Tibert/Tybalt the "Prince of Cats" in Reynard the Fox, a point of...
(who had previously murdered Mercutio
Mercutio
Mercutio a fictional character in William Shakespeare's 1597 tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. He is a close friend of Romeo, and Romeo's cousin Benvolio, and also a blood relative to Prince Escalus and Count Paris. As such, being neither a Montague nor a Capulet, Mercutio is one of the few in Verona...
) and flees to Mantua
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
, Friar Laurence tries to help the two lovers get back together using a death-emulating potion to fake Juliet's death. The friar sends a letter to Romeo explaining the situation, but it does not reach him because the people of Mantua suspect the messenger came from a house infected with the plague, and the Friar is unable to arrive at the Capulet's monument in time. Romeo kills Count Paris
Count Paris
In William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Count Paris is a suitor of Juliet Capulet. He is handsome, somewhat self-absorbed, very wealthy, and is a kinsman of Prince Escalus...
, whom he finds weeping near Juliet's corpse, then commits suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, by drinking poison that he bought from an impoverished apothecary, over what he thinks is Juliet's dead body. Friar Laurence arrives just as Juliet awakes from her chemically-induced slumber. He urges Juliet not to be rash, and to join a society of nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s, but he hears a noise from outside and then flees from the tomb. Juliet then kills herself with Romeo's dagger
Dagger
A dagger is a fighting knife with a sharp point designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon. The design dates to human prehistory, and daggers have been used throughout human experience to the modern day in close combat confrontations...
, completing the tragedy. The Friar is forced to return to the tomb, where he recounts the entire story to Prince Escalus, and all the Montagues and Capulets. As he finishes, the prince proclaims, "We have still known thee for a holy man." (In Shakespeare's source, The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet
The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet
The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet is a narrative poem, first published in 1562 by Arthur Brooke, who is reported to have translated it from an Italian novella by Matteo Bandello...
, however, the apothecary is hanged.)
Analysis
In the later part of the 18th and through the 19th century, criticism centred on debates over the moral message of the play. Actor and playwright David Garrick'sDavid Garrick
David Garrick was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of theatrical practice throughout the 18th century and was a pupil and friend of Dr Samuel Johnson...
1748 adaptation excluded Rosaline: Romeo abandoning her for Juliet was seen as fickle and reckless. Critics such as Charles Dibdin
Charles Dibdin
Charles Dibdin was a British musician, dramatist, novelist, actor and songwriter. The son of a parish clerk, he was born in Southampton on or before 4 March 1745, and was the youngest of a family of 18....
argued that Rosaline had been purposely included in the play to show how reckless the hero was, and that this was the reason for his tragic end. In the 20th century, these moral arguments were disputed by critics like Richard Green Moulton
Richard Green Moulton
Richard Green Moulton was a professor, author & lawyer born in England, 1849 and died in America on 15 August 1924. He was the brother of William Fiddian Moulton, John Fletcher Moulton, and James Egan Moulton.- Selected publications :...
. He argued that accident, and not some character flaw, led to the lovers' deaths.
Shakespeare uses a variety of poetic forms throughout the play. He begins with a 14-line prologue
Prologue
A prologue is an opening to a story that establishes the setting and gives background details, often some earlier story that ties into the main one, and other miscellaneous information. The Greek prologos included the modern meaning of prologue, but was of wider significance...
in the form of a Shakespearean sonnet, spoken by a Chorus. Most of Romeo and Juliet is, however, written in blank verse
Blank verse
Blank verse is poetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter. It has been described as "probably the most common and influential form that English poetry has taken since the sixteenth century" and Paul Fussell has claimed that "about three-quarters of all English poetry is in blank verse."The first...
, and much of it in strict iambic pentameter
Iambic pentameter
Iambic pentameter is a commonly used metrical line in traditional verse and verse drama. The term describes the particular rhythm that the words establish in that line. That rhythm is measured in small groups of syllables; these small groups of syllables are called "feet"...
, with less rhythmic variation than in most of Shakespeare's later plays. In choosing forms, Shakespeare matches the poetry to the character who uses it. Friar Laurence, for example, uses sermon
Sermon
A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts...
and sententiae
Sententiae
Sententiae are brief moral sayings, such as proverbs, adages, aphorisms, maxims, or apophthegms taken from ancient or popular or other sources, often quoted without context. A sententia , also called a "sentence," is a kind of rhetorical proof...
forms, and the Nurse uses a unique blank verse
Blank verse
Blank verse is poetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter. It has been described as "probably the most common and influential form that English poetry has taken since the sixteenth century" and Paul Fussell has claimed that "about three-quarters of all English poetry is in blank verse."The first...
form that closely matches colloquial speech.