Friar Lawrence Consents In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

Friar Lawrence consents to Romeo and Juliet’s “love” and marries them, but his quotes hint that he knows the truth behind this love is infatuation. As Romeo explains to the Friar about his infatuation to Juliet, the Friar is shocked at his sudden change and says, “Young men’s love then lies Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.” (A2, S5, L73-74) The Friar acknowledges that Romeo and Juliet were never truly in love by explaining to Romeo about his tears that used to pour over his cheeks because Rosaline did not return his love for her, and the Friar also states that Romeo follows people by their looks and not for love. Romeo, who is sentenced to banishment after Tybalt’s death, attempts to kill himself in the Friar’s cell, but Friar

Lawrence angrily says, “I thought thy disposition better tempered.” (A3, S3, L132) The Friar bears the thought that Romeo’s infatuated mind easily acts on its own without thinking that if he killed himself, Juliet would kill herself. Juliet, who is forced to a second marriage, threatens to kill herself if the Friar does not find a solution, so the Friar calmly says, “Then is it likely thou wilt undertake A thing like death to chide away this shame, That copest with death himself to scape from it;.” (A4, S1, L81-83) The Friar knows that Juliet, who will do anything to get back to Romeo, is acting upon her emotions and not her mind because he witnesses Juliet’s desperate reaction when he offers her a potion. Friar Lawrence had known about this infatuation since Romeo told him about Juliet because he knew Romeo’s love for Rosaline was false after seeing him cry over Rosaline and rapidly changing his infatuation to Juliet.