The most memorable love stories are the love stories that have sad endings. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, a tragedy play about two doomed lovers, is no exception in that sense. The richness of Shakespeare’s characters in the play along with the emphasis on the main protagonists overshadows many other important characters, whose role cannot be overestimated. One of such characters and the subject of this paper is Friar Laurence, a priest, and Romeo’s advisor and friend.
Friar Lawrence’s responsibilities, as a priest in Italy in the 15th century included procedures such as marrying couples and conducting funerals. In addition a priest at that time was accepting confessions and forgiving sins. Being a Franciscan monk, the members of such order “practice the principles of monastic life and devote themselves to the service of humanity in the secular world.” (“Franciscans”)
“Friars differed from monks in that the monk was attached to a specific community within which he led a cloistered life, having no direct contact with the secular world. The friar, on the other hand, belonged to no particular monastic house but to a general order, and worked as an individual in the secular world. Thus, friar and monk are not synonymous terms, even though in popular usage monk is often used as a generic term for all members of religious orders.”
The position taken by Friar Laurence in Romeo’s life can be sensed throughout the novel. Friar Laurence, as Romeo’s friend, can be described as a person to ask for advice. The Laurence’s position as a friend differs from the position as a priest in advising Romeo in delicate themes. The strengths of such friendships can be seen in the way Friar Laurence accepts and anticipates Romeo’s actions, showing that he is ready to hear him as a friend not as a priest,
“Doth couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign.
Therefore thy earliness doth me assure
Thou art uprouse with some distemp’rature;
Or if not so, then here I hit it right –
Our Romeo hath not been in bed tonight.” (Shakespeare and Holland 47).
The weaknesses of such friendship can be seen through the reaction of Friar Laurence to Romeo’s love, where Friar started reproaching him for forgetting Rosaline so quickly and questioning the seriousness of Romeo’s intentions. In this scene the contrast can be seen, as Romeo was coming to ask for the advice, where the problem was in Juliette being a Capulet, and Friar Laurence underestimated the seriousness of Romeo’s confessions as notes of irony could be heard in his words.
“Holy Saint Francis! What a change is here!
Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear,
So soon forsaken? Young men’s love then lies
Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.” (Shakespeare and Holland 48).
The role of Friar Laurence as a priest and as a person that is concerned about the ongoing hostility between the two families was his main strength. This strength can be seen through the potential to reconcile the Capulet and the Montague. This potential was fulfilled through marrying Romeo and Juliet,
“So smile the heavens upon this holy act
That after-hours with sorrow chide us not!” (Shakespeare and Holland 60).
Friar truly believed that by marrying the Romeo and Juliet, he was acting behalf of the church from one hand and as a peace maker from the other.
“For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone
Till Holy Church incorporate two in one.” (Shakespeare and Holland 62).
The Friar Laurence’s weaknesses as a priest are the most apparent where he acted without foreseeing the consequences of his actions. In order for the secret of Romeo and Juliet to be kept, he evaded direct answers when speaking with Paris about why the marriage should not be hastened,
“On Thursday, sir? The time is very short…..
You say you do not know the lady’s mind:
Uneven is the course; I like it not.’’’
I would I knew not why it should be slow’d.” (Shakespeare and Holland 94-95).
The idea itself of offering the lovers the potions to save their love, can be considered an improper action of a priest, where Friar Laurence should have advised the lovers to think reasonable, although at some point he might have thought that in case he did not help them, they would have done actions with much worse consequences.
The presentation of a character such as Laurence is an appeal in itself by Shakespeare to have the audience sympathy regarding the church. Persuading Romeo from killing himself appealing with his love to Juliet is a confession of the power of love, where a priest did not use religious threat of committing such sin, rather than using the logic of the young blood. In addition, Shakespeare used Romeo and Laurence’ monologues to show the points of agreement and disapproval between the rational old generation and the somewhat reckless young generation, a generation driven by emotions and passion.
Romeo and Juliette’s love is not simply an infringement of family interdictions. It is a call thrown on the century tradition of hatred throughout which many generations of Montague and Capulet had died and upon which the state foundations of Verona were based. Therefore, it can be seen why the feelings that captured both Romeo and Juliet scared almost everyone that surrounds them. For their love, their union undermines bases, and breaks what the laws that were forbidden to break.
Despite the youth and the carelessness, despite all boyish bravery of Romeo and Juliette’s spontaneity, they practically knew from the very beginning their desperate position. The power of their passions, the finality of their decision and reckless determination on everything including death, shocked even the one who, apparently, understands them and not only sympathizes with them, but also helped them in every possible way- Friar Laurence. The friendship of Friar Laurence and his status as a priest make the audience sympathize with him, despite his prediction of the end,
“These violent delights have violent ends,
And in their triumph die; like fire and powder,”
Works Cited
“Franciscans”. 2008. The Franciscans. 2009. Web.
Shakespeare, William, and Peter Holland. Romeo and Juliet. The Pelican Shakespeare. New York: Penguin Books, 2000.