Examples Of Moderation In Romeo And Juliet

Throughout the entirety of the play Romeo and Juliet, there is always a feeling of tension. Many times that tension is conveyed through violence, and many times it is conveyed through love. In the play, Friar Lawrence acts as a perfect buffer for the two sides. The moderation between the two extremes, Friar Lawrence is able to influence the way that the way that two families interact with each other in love, feud, and pride. This theme of moderation occurs many times in the story line and has a starring role in the play.
There are a few times in the play where Friar Lawrence’s moderation comes into effect. The first time occurs when Romeo comes to the Friar and asks if he will marry himself and Juliet. Friar Lawrence is a little bit alarmed to see that Romeo has gotten over Rosaline so quickly, and Romeo states that he “Have forgot that name and that name’s woe.”1* Friar Lawrence advises Romeo to not go rushing in headfirst into another relationship, and explains to Romeo that his love may be unrequited as it was last with Rosaline.
Another time following this moment is when Friar Lawrence actually agrees to marry the two lovers. However, the most important part of this agreement is when the Friar realizes that by binding the two households in marriage, it may stop the turmoil that they cause in Verona’s streets. He says to

Romeo, “In one respect I’ll thy assistant be, for this alliance may so happy prove to turn your households’ rancor to true love.” 2*
While Friar Lawrence does his best to try and moderate what is going on between the groups, he also manages to inflame it.

When Juliet’s father, Lord Capulet, arranges for Juliet to be married to Paris, he tells the Friar that they should be married. Unbeknownst to Lord Capulet, however, Juliet was already married in secret to Romeo. When Paris goes to Friar Lawrence and asks for him to marry Juliet and himself on Thursday. Friar Lawrence agrees to, but already knows of the Juliet/Romeo marriage. By allowing the Juliet to marry Paris, it not only goes against the Catholic faith but also goes behind Romeo’s back, and against Juliet’s

will.
The Friar’s involvement into the love lives of the two families often makes him take controversial risks. One of these risky decisions being when he decides to give Juliet a sleeping potion to make her appear dead. He says “Take thou this vial, being then in bed, and this distillèd liquor drink thou off, when presently through all thy veins shall run a cold and drowsy humor, for no pulse shall keep his native progress, but surcease. No warmth, no breath shall testify thou livest.” 3* This deceit eventually leads Romeo to kill himself and leads to the grief of both of the families. However, what Friar Lawrence set out to do, mitigate the families quarrels, he actually succeeds in. These kind of decisions make him seem as a somewhat neutral player in the lives of the two families, helping them sometimes, but also hurting them sometimes.
Due to his controversial nature and ability to intercede for both sides, Friar Lawrence is considered to be one of the main aggravators in the story and while his abilities to control and hold back people are very important, he sometimes goes over the top and is unable to control them. Friar Lawrence acts as a sort of arbitrator between the two sides and his actions eventually lead each side to come to a decision, whether they be good or bad.