Essay Sample on Friar Lawrence in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

It is often said that Romeo and Juliet is the most famous love story. I agree because the play is a heartbreaking story about two young lovers from two fighting families who share a forbidden love. But there was an outstanding and unique character. Friar Laurence was a trustworthy, useful and a friendly man. Also, in the play, he was employed for several dramatic purposes.

To begin with, although friar Laurence was shown little bit on  stage, his role was a very important role, in which he was included in a lot of dramatical things in the play. When we saw the Friar for the first time, he is out early in the morning picking simples for use in medicines, a subject he has studied well and skillfully. Sadly, despite Friar Lawrence's seeming pure intentions, the play eventually ends in tragedy. 

Supposedly, Friar Lawrence is a guy who is willing to risk his name as a holy man in order to bring the families together, as he does in Act 2, Scene 3 when he secretly marries Romeo and Juliet. This is backed up by the quote: "For this alliance may so happy prove, To turn your household rancour to pure love." (Shakespeare 411). Despite knowing the risks, the friar agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet. The friar understands that marrying quickly might have serious consequences for the lovers, and he risks getting into a lot of difficulty if the two families discover he married the two lovers.

On top of that, he encourages Juliet to swallow a potion in order to fabricate her own death and escape marrying Paris, after Romeo is banished, he formulates a potion that Juliet will drink in order to look dead. The goal is for her and Romeo to leave together, but the plan's message never reached Romeo, he subverts the traditional image of a friar by tricking the families. He is unconcerned about what can go wrong if he gives her. The friar should have given his idea more thought so that it would not fail. "Take thou this vial, being then in bed, and this distilled liquor drink thou off;" (Shakespeare 453)

Another factor to consider is that he was unable to hire a messenger to inform Romeo that Juliet was not truly dead. He could have assigned various messengers at different times or just gone personally to ensure Romeo received his message. There are several things that may go incorrect this way. The fiar should have been clever and delivered the letter, having received approval from Romeo, or he might have sent the message in a safer manner, maybe in person. The friar made a mistake by relying on just one guy to provide such important information.

Last but not least, he escaped when Juliet needed him the most, and by ignoring her, she shoots herself, in the tomb scene, the friar tries to help Juliet before he escapes or disappears, but he is too self-centered. He hurries away, leaving Juliet behind, since he is afraid of being caught. If he had waited a little longer, he could have prevented Juliet from committing suicide.

In closing and taking everything into consideration, Friar Lawrence should have taken better choices throughout the play to prevent the catastrophe from happening. In which he married Romeo and Juliet in secret and quickly without fully thinking, gave Juliet the potion, and he was unable to inform Romeo that Juliet is dead. As a result, this has led to the death of the star-crossed lovers, and the end of the feud between the families. Throughout the play, Friar Lawrence remains a constant character. He hopes that Romeo and Juliet's marriage will be beneficial for their families in which the feud between them will end. The most noticeable change in him occurs near the end, when he represents sorrow for his role in their deaths.