Friar Lawernce Flashcards
Introduction
Shakespeare uses the multi faceted character of the Friar as a vehicle to criticise those within society who fail the vulnerable by providing poorly considered advice, despite having ostensible good intentions. The friar acts as a surrogate father to Romeo allowing Shakespeare to highlight the lack of paternal figures in Romeo’s life.
‘What is her burying grave, that is her womb’
‘Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied’
He consistently uses his herbs as a symbol to represent the good and bad in life, that must be taken care of in moderation to prevent things from spiralling and falling into chaos. He foreshadows the deaths of Romeo and Juliet and how they give life to the city by ending the feud, through the reference to the paradoxical nature of life ‘The earth that’s nature’s mother is her tomb. What is her burying grave, that is her womb”.
Despite friars warnings against acting in moderation he too falls into rational decisions, presenting him as a hypocrite as previously he was satiring the ways of rash decisions
If good or bad is not moderated properly it becomes ‘minapplied’
Pupil mine
Demonstrates the parental figure that the Friar presents to Romeo through the endearment of ‘pupil mine’. The use of the possessive pronoun suggests that Romeo belongs to Friar, showing the closeness and trust between the two.
Son
The friar acts as a surrogate father to Romeo as Romeo confides and trusts him just as Juliet confides in the nurse, which highlight the lack of positive role models within Verona. The noun ‘son’ demonstrates affection and love that the Friar has for Romeo
For this alliance may so happy prove to turn your households rancour to pure love
He sees this marriage as an ‘alliance’ between the two families. Previously he was criticising Romeo for moving to fast with the relationship, however now he has quickly changed his mind in a split second as he realised that he will be able to use the marriage to improve relations within Verona. This suggest that he acts upon selfish reasons rather than for the happiness of Romeo, allowing Shakespeare to criticise those within society who fail the vulnerable by providing poorly considered advice, even those with ostensibly good intentions. The juxtaposition of ‘rancour’ to ‘pure’ highlights how the friar is dreaming of an altered reality relating back to mercutio’s queen Mab speech about how dreaming can lead to irrational and impulsive decision warning us against the impetuous nature of dreaming
They stumble that run fast
He juxtaposes himself as he tells Romeo to think carefully and wisely about his decision to marry Juliet, however he is hypocritical as he helps them rush into the marriage to help restore peace within Verona.
These violent delights have violent end’s
He acknowledges that his advice is flawed, as he predicts what ought to happen yet he still facilitates the marriage, showing his loss of restraint. Friars words are foreboding as he draws parallels the destructive passion of Romeo and Juliet and the feud that will ultimately cause the deaths of many of the younger generation in the play. Allows Shakespeare to criticise against excessively passionate behaviour, highlighting how acting recklessly out of love can have equally negative consequences as acting recklessly out of hate
Unhappy fortune
He should be taking responsibility but rather diverts it and blames it on faith, Shakespeare argues that fate is often self inflicted, brought about by a failure to recognise our own flaws of moderate our own behaviour. Ostensible the friar is a compassionate confident surrogate father, however under the surface we learn that he is much more vainglorious and reckless.
I’ll dispose of thee upon the nuns
He wants to dispose of Juliet as he sees her as a burden as he recognises that he is responsible so his solution is to get rid of Juliet in order to protect himself. He is vainglorious as he acts out of self preservation and cowardliness.
Her nurse is privy
Attempts to divert blame during his confession
Young mens love, then, lies not truly in their hearts but in their eyes
He says that their love is superficial and insincere as Romeo quickly changed from Rosaline to Juliet,suggesting that the friar understands Romeo and recognised his fickle behaviour
To swift arrives as tardy as too slow
Ironic as he tells them to take it slow but he’s helping them speed up this marriage, he is majorly hypocritical
Ah what an unkind hour Is guilty of this lamentable chance
Blames all responsibility on faith rather than his own flawed advice allowing Shakespeare to criticise the lack of positive role models within Verona, Romeo attempts to confide in Friar, but ultimately friar is the one whom he trusted, helped lead to his death due to the collection of the impulsive decisions. Therefore Shakespeare uses Friar to criticise against the excessively passionate behaviour by the lack of positive role models within Verona, which inevitably lead to the death, furthermore emphasising the futile squandering of young lives.
