Friar Laurence In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

In William Shakespeare’s world-renowned play, Romeo and Juliet, Friar Laurence, Romeo, and fate contribute to the tragedy of the play, the sorrow death of Romeo and Juliet. Friar Laurence is one of the primary causes of the tragedy due to his easily persuaded attitude and good-hearted nature. Romeo’s role in the tragedy is a result of his romantic yet impulsive nature. Fate plays the most significant role in this tragedy; it ultimately controls the events and the timing in which they occur.

Friar Laurence’s character plays a significant role in the tragedy because of his easily persuaded and good-hearted nature. Friar Laurence is a holy man who is respected by the people in the city of Verona. However, he can be easily persuaded on many occasions

such as when Juliet implored Friar Laurence to help her escape from marrying Paris and he hands her a potion and says,
“Take thou this vial, being them in bed,
And this distilled liquor drink thou off;
When presently through all thy veins shall run
A cold and drowsy humour; for no pulse” (IV.i.93-96).

After hearing the announcement that she is going to be married to Paris, Juliet flees to Friar Laurence’s cell where she persuades him to help her reconcile with her beloved Romeo.

The Friar gives into Juliet’s pleadings and grants her a potion that will make her appear “dead” for 48 hours. If the Friar had refused to help Romeo and Juliet rather than being easily persuaded, they would not have gotten married, which would have reduced the chances of the tragedy occurring. Although Friar Laurence is easily persuaded by Romeo and Juliet, he is good-hearted and his intentions are pure.When Romeo and Juliet come to his cell seeking help to get married, Friar Laurence displays his good hearted nature: “For this alliance may be so happy prove,/To turn your households’ rancour to pure love” (II.iii.91-92). Initially, Friar Laurence was reluctant to help Romeo and Juliet get married because he was worried that his reputation would be tarnished. However, he is beneficent and his intentions are to marry Romeo and Juliet in hopes that their matrimony will help bring peace and love to the Capulet and Montague households. Friar Laurence’s kind-hearted nature leads to the tragedy. If he was not kind-hearted, he would not have considered the possibility of the two houses reconciling. He would have refused out of fear for his reputation. Although Friar Laurence’s easily persuaded and good hearted attitude plays a big role in the tragedy of the play, Romeo and fate play more

significant roles in the tragedy.
Romeo contributes a significant role to the tragedy with his romantic yet impulsive nature.

He is widely known for being a very romantic and love-stricken character. He falls in love with Juliet quickly and acts upon his feelings for Juliet remarkably fast. Shortly after Romeo sees Juliet for the first time, he confronts her and says,

“If I profane with my unworthiest hand

This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:

My lips, two blushing, pilgrims, ready stand

To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss” (I.v.93-96).

Romeo first catches a glimpse of Juliet at the Capulet's party where he instantly falls in love with Juliet and her exquisite beauty. He takes her hand and says that her hand is a holy place that his hand unworthy to touch. He is expressing his romantic character while trying to impress Juliet. Romeo’s romantic nature aids him to make Juliet fall in love with him. Although Romeo is very romantic, he tends to be remarkably impulsive. He acts upon his feelings without thinking twice. Romeo’s impulsive nature is displayed when he decides to avenge Mercutio:

“Alive, in triumph! And Mercutio

slain!
Away to heaven, respective lenity,
And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!
Now, Tybalt, take the villain back again
That late thou gavest me; for Mercutio's soul
Is but a little way above our heads,
Staying for thine to keep him company.
Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him” (III.i.121-128).
Tybalt challenges Romeo and Mercutio interferes and is killed by Tybalt when Romeo attempts to separate the two. Romeo is partly to blame for the death of Mercutio and he proceeds to avenge Mercutio by killing Tybalt. Romeo’s impulsive decision to kill Tybalt leads to his banishment from Verona. Romeo’s romantic yet impulsive nature is an eminently important element in the tragedy. However, Romeo’s role is not as important as the role that fate plays in the tragedy.
Fate possesses the most significant role in the tragedy of the play. Fate has complete control over all of the events that occur and the timing in which events take place. In the prologue of the play, the Chorus introduces the audience to the feud between the two households:

“Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life” (Prologue.page 9. 1-6).

Along with the introduction to the feud, the Chorus gives the audience background information and gives a synopsis of the events that are bound to occur in the play such as Romeo and Juliet falling in love which leads them eventually taking their lives. Fate controls all of these events, which leads to the tragedy.
If the fate of the play allowed the Montagues and Capulets to avoid any prior quarrels, Romeo and Juliet could have gotten married with ease and they would still be alive. In Shakespeare’s play, fate has a tendency to strike at the worst times and is the foremost cause of tragedy. Fate’s bad timing is displayed when Romeo says: “Here’s to my love! [Drinks.] O true apothecary!/ Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die” (V.iii.118-120). Romeo is completely unaware that Juliet has consumed a potion and she will wake up promptly after the potion wears off. As soon as Romeo discovers Juliet “dead” body, his impulses cause him to drink poison given by the apothecary so that he can die beside Juliet, his one true love. If Romeo waited for a few more moments, Juliet would have awoken and they could continue with their plan to elope and live happily ever after. Fate’s horrible timing led to Romeo consuming the poison. Consequently, Juliet stabbed herself with his dagger and as a result, she created the plot, the tragedy of the play. The occurrence of events and the timing of the events are caused by fate. Therefore, fate is the most significant element to the tragedy because it controls everything that occurs across the play.

In William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, Friar Laurence, Romeo, and fate contribute to the tragedy of the play: the devastating death of Romeo and Juliet. Due to Friar Laurence’s beneficent and easily persuaded nature, he is one of the prime causes of the tragedy. Romeo is portrayed as a love-stricken, romantic character who has a tendency to be impulsive, making him one of the major elements leading to the tragedy. Overall, fate plays the most significant role in the tragedy because it controls all of the events and the timing. In conclusion, all three of the characters play exceptionally important roles in the tragedy. However, all of the most crucial events are a result of fate, making it the most significant role in the tragedy of the world-renowned play.