Friar Lawrence's Decisions

The Fateful Friar

Friar Lawrence is the most influential character in Romeo and Juliet. Without him, the star-crossed lovers could still be alive. The Friar serves as Romeo’s spiritual advisor in the tragic drama, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare. In the play, two teenagers; Romeo and Juliet, who are from feuding families, fall in love, and employ Friar Lawrence to marry them in secret. Throughout the play, the frantic couple relies on the Friar for help and ultimately meet their end with him just outside the door. If the Friar had used better judgment and not made decisions based on what would benefit him, multiple deaths could have been avoided. Friar Lawrence’s first mistake is when he agrees to marry Romeo

Friar Lawrence knew about their family's violent feud. He knew there was no way their parents would ever consent to Romeo and Juliet’s marriage, and yet he went through with it. He hoped that the wedding would produce peace, and he must have known that it wouldn’t when he chose to marry them in secret. On page 411, the Friar and Romeo argue back and forth about whether or not he should marry them. The Friar finally gave in, stating, “Thy Love did read by rote, that could not spell. But come young waverer, come go with me. In one respect I’ll thy assistant be; For this alliance may so happy prove To turn your households' rancor to pure love”(Shakespeare 2.3-411). What the Friar is saying is that he does not think that he is making the best decision by marrying Romeo and Juliet, but that he will do it in hopes of peace. The Friar made a hasty decision that even he didn’t agree with. His decision to marry the couple helped to set into motion the tragic events that could have been

The potion he made would make Juliet appear to be dead. The Friar came up with a plan that seemed near perfect except for one flaw: he hadn’t told Romeo what he was doing. So when Juliet’s family found her “dead” one of Romeo’s servants rushed to tell him the news… and beat the Friar’s messenger there. Romeo, distraught, bought a vial of poison and rushed to Juliet’s tomb, “How oft when men are at the point of death Have they been merry! Which their keepers call A lightning before death. O, how may I Call this a lightning? O my love, my wife!...Here’s to my love! [Drinks.] O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die. [Enter Friar Lawrence, with lanthorn, crow, and spade]” (Shakespeare 5.3 471). Needless to say, the Friar’s plan did not work. Friar Lawrence acted quickly and impulsively, something he never should have done especially knowing how driven by emotions Romeo was. He never should have done something so risky without consulting both Juliet and