The Friar

• The Friar


  Enables and facilitates most of the action within the play; he marries Romeo and Juliet, and also helps Juliet devise the plan to 'reunite' with Romeo after she is instructed to marry Paris
• Religion


  • Although many of the characters use religious imagery, the Friar is the only character who presents religion in the play. Thus religion is portrayed as a rational and peaceful presence. Arguably though, Friar causes the death of the young lovers by helping Juliet stage her suicide - which could be an interpretation on the dangers of religion if not kept in check. Alternatively, it could suggest the polluting of religion which occurs when conflict (such as from the two families) arises.
• Friar Lawrence


  • Political/Scheming - He intentionally marries Romeo and Juliet with the intention of ending the civil tension which was occurring between the Montagues and Capulets. This demonstrates that whilst he is neutral in stance within the conflict between the two families, he has an agenda of his own. This means when he helps Romeo and Juliet it isn't solely with the intention of helping two young lovers be united, instead he also wants to bring the two families back together.
  • Trusted - Both the characters Romeo and Juliet frequently seek guidance throughout the play. This suggests that the Friar is a neutral figure between the two families and therefore can offer rational and unbiased help. However, the Friar does have an agenda - ending the civil strife in Verona. This means that though unintentional, his wish to end the conflict leads to the young lovers death. In this respect, he is to be trusted but is not wholly neutral.
  • Wise - When Romeo reveals to the Friar that he wants to pursue Juliet instead of Rosaline, the Friar questions this sudden change. He is also shown to be a figure the two principal characters always turn to for wisdom. This may demonstrate his age or prowess in the realm of religion and the Church.
• Romeo


  The Friar acts as a father figure for Romeo. The Friar uses Romeo's relationship with Juliet to try and end the conflict occurring between the two families.
• Juliet

  The Friar helps Juliet come up with the plan to reunite with Romeo by pretending to commit suicide - however that backfires, and because of this, he unintentionally kills Juliet.
• Friar Lawrence: '"Within the infant rind of this small flower/ Poison hath residence, and medicine power" (A2S3)'
• Friar Lawrence quote: 'By referencing nature, the Friar is revealing to the audience that there are positive and negative sides to everything, because plants can be used for both healing and poisonous purposes. This can be likened to the situation between the Capulets and Montagues; within opposition, Romeo and Juliet are still able to fall in love. It foreshadows the ending of the play'
• Friar Lawrence: '"For this alliance may so happy prove, // To turn your households' rancor to pure love." (A2S4)'
• Friar Lawrence quote: 'This quote displays the Friar's good intentions, however in the end of the play he is proved wrong, as it is in fact the death of the two lovers which unites the Montagues and Capulets, instead of their marriage.'
• Friar Lawrence: '"For by your leaves, you shall not stay alone, Til Holy Church incorporate two in one." (A2S4)'
• Friar Lawrence quote: 'A major theme of the novels is the imagery and reference to pairings, and naturally Romeo and Juliet's relationship is the central pairing of the play. The phrase "incorporate two in one" reflects this semantic field of pairings, and suggests that the Friar is a key motivator in their relationship.'
• Friar Laurence


  A key character in Romeo and Juliet, a Franciscan monk who lives in a humble shack in the countryside near Verona, a kind of doctor who gathers herbs and makes medicines, well-known and available to advise and help the teenagers of Verona
• Friar Laurence


  • Caught up in the fast-developing tragedy of Romeo and Juliet's star-crossed love affair, a dramatic device vital to the development of the play, not just a minor device
• When Romeo comes to Friar Laurence


  Friar Laurence is horrified, counsels Romeo to change his mind, but then sees it as a way to bring about peace between the two leading families of Verona and agrees to marry them
• Friar Laurence's plan


  Drug Juliet so she will appear dead, later to be revived and carried away by Romeo
• When Juliet wakes up in the tomb and finds Romeo has killed himself


  Friar Laurence fails to get her to leave the tomb with him, and she commits suicide
• Friar Laurence is a good man, and when the parents arrive he owns up to his part in the tragedy
• Friar Laurence has achieved his goal of peace between the two families, although not in the way he had envisaged
• Friar Laurence: 'Young men's love lies not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes (act 2 scene 2)'
• Friar Laurence: 'But come, young waverer, come, go with me. In one respect I'll thy assistant be, This alliance may so happy prove To turn your households' rancour to pure love (act 2 scene 3)'
• Friar Laurence: 'A lover may bestride the gossamers That idles in the wanton summer air, And yet not fall, so light is vanity (act 2 scene 6)'
• Friar Laurence: 'So smile the heavens upon this holy act That after-hours with sorrow chide us not (act 2 scene 6)'