Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet - Friar Laurence Essay -- Romeo Juliet

Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet - beggar LaurenceFriar Laurence plays a most intriguing percentage in Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet. He is a priest, and a friend to Romeo. With the absence of Montague parental scenes, Friar Laurence also becomes like a surrogate father to Romeo. Romeo seeks him away to marry him and Juliet, obviously assuming that the friar would without parental permission. The friar greets him and addresses Romeos past love. He even tells Romeo that he mistook what he felt for Rosaline as love when it was not, and then not be too haste, They stumble that run fast (2.2.94). Therefore, not only has Romeo discussed matters of the heart with the friar, but also the friar himself feels in the position to be able to speak with Romeo on a more personal level. Friar Laurence doubts Romeos professed love to Juliet and compares it to what Romeo himself swore he felt for Rosaline, Young mens love then lies/ not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes (2.2.67-8). Bluntly, yet fatherly, he corrects Romeos claim of love by saying (in reference to Rosaline), For doting, not for loving, pupil mine (2.2.82). Still, he agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet without thinking twice. In fact, his greater preoccupation is not whether or not they truly do love each other, but how their love could end the feud between their families, as he states, For this alliance may so happy prove/ To turn your households rancour to pure love (2.2.91-2). Friar Laurence also doubts Juliets love for Romeo. Before she even enters the scene the Friar notes that moderate love is best because it does not overwhelm or become consumed by itself as a rash love would (2.5.10-15). Ironically enough Juliet enters the scene somewhat fast (... ...ave to face responsibility for his death. Thus, he leaves Juliet alone in a leap filled with dead ancestors, as well as recently dead Romeo and Paris, and she kills herself. This is not say that Friar Laurence does not feel responsible for Romeo and Juliets deaths, he recounts his bosh to the Prince and offer his life as a sacrifice if their deaths are his fault (5.3.228-68). In every step of deceiving Romeo and Juliets parents, the government, and everyone who thought Juliet to be dead, Friar Laurence was attempting to end a great feud between two families, help Juliet keep her marriage vows (by helping her out of marrying Paris), keeping Juliet alive, keeping Romeo safe from imprisonment or death, and ultimately, defend the lovers love from outside influences. He sees his acts as acts that are working for the greater good, and therefore they are just.