Friar Lawrence As A Parental Figure In Romeo And Juliet

Parental figures very important in a child’s development, they guide them through all the challenges life throws at them. Usually a parent is a child’s parental figure, however, parental figures do not always have to be parents they can be anyone that provides support and guidance. For example, in Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare, the protagonists Romeo and Juliet parental figures other than their biological parents. Although lord and Lady Capulet and Lord and Lady Montague are the parents in this play, Friar Lawrence and the Nurse function as the parental figures for Romeo and Juliet.

To begin, Friar Lawrence acts as Romeo’s fatherly figure, greatly impacting the decision he makes in life. Romeo informs Friar Lawrence about

his major life decision/ milestones, sharing his happiness with the Friar. According to the play, Romeo shared news with the Friar saying, “ROMEO: Good morrow, Father. … With Rosaline, my ghostly Father? No. /I have forgot that name and that name’s woes. FRIAR LAWRENCE: That’s my good son. But where hast thou been then? ROMEO: I’ll tell thee ere thou ask it me again. I have been feasting with mine enemy, … Then plainly know my heart’s dear love is set/ On the fair daughter of rich Capulet…. That thou consent to marry us today.”( Lines 32, 48-68). From this quote, we can see that Romeo and Friar lawrence’s relationship is really close. The Friar and Romeo refer to each other as father and son. In addition, Romeo shares his love life with the Friar, keeping him caught up with everything that goes on in his life, even asking him to help marry them. Later on in the play, Romeo encounters the reality that he is not ready to face but the Friar gets him through. In the hopes of comforting Romeo, Friar Lawrence gives a long speech saying, “Hold thy desperate hand:/ Art thou a man? Thy form cries out thou art./ Thy tears are womanish; thy wild acts「denote⎤/...Hast thou slain Tybalt? wilt thou slay thyself,/And stay thy lady that in thy life「lives,⎤/By doing damned hate upon thyself?/ Why railest thou on thy birth, the heaven, and earth,/ Since birth, and heaven, and earth, all three do meet/… What, rouse thee, man! Thy Juliet is alive,/ For whose dear sake thou wast but lately dead;/ There art thou happy: Tybalt would kill thee,/ But thou slewest Tybalt; there are thou happy./ The law that threatened death becomes thy friend/ And turns it to exile; there art thou happy./ A pack of blessings lights up upon thy back;Happiness courts thee in her best array;/ But, like a 「misbehaved⎤ and sullen wench,/ ...Go, get thee to thy love, as was decreed./ Ascend her chamber, hence and comfort her./ But look thou stay not till the watch be set,/ For then thou canst not pass to Mantua,/ Where thou shalt live, till we can find a time/ To blaze your marriage, reconcile your friends,/ Beg pardon of the Prince, and call thee back/ With twenty hundred thousand times more joy/ Than thou went’st forth in lamentation.”(Act 3, Scene 3, lines 118-164). Friar Lawrence's speech shows the guidance he provides for Romeo. When Romeo is banished after killing Tybalt, he is crying, clueless about his next steps and wants to give up. This is when Friar Lawrence comes in with his wisdom telling Romeo that he should be grateful for not being executed instead is banished and provides next steps for him to live in Mantua until he can find other solution to be with his love, Juliet. During this whole situation Lord and Lady Montague are nowhere to be seen providing no guidance for their struggling son. Friar Lawrence, a parental figure, is a person Romeo can count on to guide him, supporting him and giving him advice through all his challenges.
In addition to Friar Lawrence being a parental figure to Romeo, the Nurse is the motherly figure in Juliet’s life.

The nurse has been taking care of Juliet since birth and always has the best intentions when it comes to Juliet. For example, the nurse one of the few people was aware of Juliet’s relationship with Romeo and she helped with arranging the marriage. In Act 2 Scene 6 the Nurse exchanges a message with Juliet saying, “NURSE: Then hie you hence to Friar Laurence’s cell./ There stays a husband to make you a wife./ Now comes the wanton blood up in your cheeks;/ They’ll be in scarlet straight at any news./ Hie you to church; I must another way,/ To fetch a ladder, by the which your love/ Must climb a bird’s nest soon when it is dark./ I am the drudge and toil in your delight,/ But you shall bear the burden soon at night./ Go; I’ll to dinner: hie you to the cell. JULIET: Hie to high fortune! Honest nurse, farewell.”(lines 73-83). This quote demonstrates the Nurse’s love for Juliet. In this scene, she comes back from talking to Romeo to tell the anxious Juliet the news on their marriage. This shows that, the Nurse will go out of her way to ensure that Juliet is happy. Furthermore, the Nurse is always there to protect Juliet even from her own father, Lord Capulet. In this scene, Lord Capulet has informed Juliet about her arranged marriage with Paris, knowing nothing about her relationship with Romeo. Lord Capulet and the Nurse have an argument: “CAPULET: Hang thee, young baggage, disobedient wretch!/ I tell thee what: get thee to church o’ Thursday,/ Or never after look me in the face./ Speak not, reply not, do not answer me./ My fingers itch. --Wife, we scarce thought us blessed/ That God had lent us but this only child,/ But now I see this one is one too much,/ And that we have a curse in having her./ Out on her, hilding!/ NURSE: God in heaven bless her!/ You are to blame, my lord, to rate her so./ CAPULET: And why, my Lady Wisdom? Hold your tongue,/ Good

Prudence; smatter with your gossips, go./ NURSE: I speak no treason.”(Act 3, Scene 5, lines 166- 180). This conversation shows the Nurse always has the best in mind when it comes to Juliet. When Lord Capulet scolds Juliet for being ignorant for not wanting to marry Paris, the Nurse steps in to try to defend Juliet but eventually gives up because of the difference and lack of power. The Nurse isn't afraid to stand up for herself and Juliet saying “I speak no treason”. The Nurse plays a vital role in Juliet’s life being her motherly figure.
In conclusion, in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet the Nurse and Friar Lawrence are the parental figures in Romeo and Juliet’s lives. They influence Romeo and Juliet’s lives providing guidance and advice, playing vital roles in the child’s life. Parental figures are a big part of a child’s life and have a great impact on a child’s decisions in life.