Friar Lawrence Flashcards
Friar Lawrence overview?
Main religious figure in the play as a catholic friar but also the most scheming and political of characters in the play(He devises the plan that acts as one of the largest mechanisms besides fate to the tragic end.)
Friar Lawrence’s Soliloquy on duality of good and evil in plants and humans?
Shakespeare uses his soliloquy similarly to Mercutio’s soliloquy on queen Mab to explore themes of antithesis and duality in the play such as love and hate and light and dark. His soliloquy containing many paradoxes ALSO reflects the PARADOXICAL nature of his own character and role.
Talks about poisonous plants?
Foreshadowing of Romeo’s death by poison
Points out that Romeo’s love is in his “eyes” not “heart” and that, “they stumble that run fast” yet agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet?
He ignores all the warning signs and decided to marry them anyways. He is PORTAYED as somewhat reckless despite his words of wisdom.
“they…
… stumble that run fast”
Romeo and Juliet follow all the Friar’s plans and advice in the play?
They obey him even when his plans are bizarre or ill-advised perhaps because he is a catholic priest who would have been thought of as trustworthy to a certain extent- SHAKESPEARE is criticising the people in Elizabethan society who blindly trust in and follow the church without judging
Capulet does not question Juliet’s sudden obedience to his wishes
COULD be a way to show that he simply does’t care too much about why and only cares that his wishes are being fulfilled.
COULD ALSO be another representation of the blind trust people put in religion because Juliet tells him she has “repent[ed]” after being to confession with Friar Lawrence- People feel religion is an all-powerful force that can do anything
“methinks it not for he hath been tried as a holy man”
Juliet’s words to re-assure herself that the Friar has not give her poison to kill her- Juliet entrusts her life to Friar Lawrence because he is a “holy man”
Although Juliet is usually reckless with her life, her trust also mirrors the blind trust of society in religious figures believing they can do no wrong. THE AUDIENCE who are less desperate that Juliet and Romeo would see all the dangers of going through with the Friar’s plan and even his irresponsibility in marrying Romeo and Juliet in the first place so SHAKESPEARE IS AIMING TO teach his audience to practice scrutiny when following the orders of the church and religious figures.
Represents?
Religious leaders and the church but ,specifically, the Catholic church
SHAKESPEARE WANTS TO present Catholics through Friar in a negative light in order to appeal to the monarchy as the ENGLISH REFORMATION was taking place at the time the play was written and ANTI-CATHOLIC sentiment was growing
“methinks it…
… not for he hath been tried as a holy man”
“we still have known thee for a holy man”
Prince Escalus’ words after the Friar confesses to his part in Romeo and Juliet’s death
ECHOES Juliet’s words as she takes the vial to SHOW how blind people are to put so much trust in Catholic Friars and other religious leaders as it is implied that the Friar will not be punished that much. CAUSE the AUDIENCE to reflect on their own trust of religious authorities
“we still…
…have known thee for a holy man”
