The Friar Lawrence's Speech In Romeo And Juliet

Romeo and Juliet
Directors often choose to interpret Shakespeare’s plays on stage in different ways, understanding that the characters may reveal their thoughts and actions using a variety of inflection, tone, and cadence in their dialogue. In act 2, scene 3, of Romeo and Juliet (1595), the character Friar Laurence could be played as either surprised or concerned when he delivers his speech to Romeo.
Before Friar Laurence’s speech, Romeo had just gone to the ball and met Juliet after just weeping about Rosaline, then Romeo arrived at Friar Laurence’s cell and told him of his love for Juliet and how he wants him to marry them. The Friar said in his speech to Romeo, “Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear, So soon forsaken?” (66-67). Friar Laurence is surprised when Romeo comes to him asking to get married to Juliet because Romeo was just madly in love with Rosaline. Romeo had just been crying about Rosaline because he

While the Friar is still processing that Romeo is ready to marry a different person rather than the one he was just sobbing about, he says, “Young men’s love then lies Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes”(67-68). The Friar is saying true love is in a man’s eyes and he’s referring to Romeo crying about Rosaline. Therefore, since Romeo had been crying about Rosaline the Friar is concerned that Romeo had already found true love. At the end of Friar Laurence’s speech to Romeo he refers to Romeo’s tears again, “How much salt water thrown away in waste To season love, that of it doth not taste!” (71-72). The Friar is concerned that Romeo was just crying and carrying on about Rosaline and Romeo is already moved on. The Friar is referring to Romeo’s tears as salt water and he’s saying that they had no taste because the tears meant nothing now that Romeo found Juliet. He also could be concerned because what if Romeo could move on this quickly from Juliet, whom he wants to