Romeo and Julie

In William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the nurse and Friar Laurence play an enormous role.   Not only does their advice aid Romeo and Juliet but their actions and the decisions they make throughout the whole play affects the whole outcome of numerous situations.   Had the nurse and the friar not made the decisions they did, the tale of Romeo and Juliet might have not ended in tragedy.




Friar Laurence is a Franciscan friar who aids both Romeo and Juliet throughout the whole play.   Choices he made determined the outcome of the play and had he made different choices, the play may not have ended the way it did.




Friar Laurence is a man of good intentions.   He will always look on the bright side of things.   The following quote implies that Friar Laurence hopes that by marrying Romeo and Juliet, the violence between the house of Montague and the house of Capulet will cease.


In one respect I'll thy assistant be; for this alliance may so happy prove, to turn your household rancour to pure love (Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 3, Line 86).


Another good example of his good intentions is when he tells Juliet that everything will be all right even though Romeo is banished.   She will take the sleeping potion and by the time Romeo comes to pay his respects she will be up and alive again.


Shall Romeo by my letters know our drift, and hither shall he come; and he and I shall watch thy waking, and that very night shall Romeo bear thee to Mantua.


(Romeo and Juliet, Act 4, Scene 1, Line 114)


Unfortunately, for all his good intentions, the play still ends in tragedy.




Friar Laurence is also a man willing to take risks for the happiness of others.   He risks his reputation as a friar in the following quote by suggesting to Juliet that she drink a potion to avoid marrying Paris so that she can marry Romeo.


Take thou this vial, beeing then in bed, and this distilled liquor drink thou of