Searching For Advice In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

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When searching for advice, it is wise to choose an individual who has a considerable amount of experience in the field in which one is searching for guidance in. This advisor should be someone who is trustworthy, and an individual whose lifestyle is optimal. It should not be someone who has no experience in the field. If the individual searching for advice chooses an inadequate mentor, there is a low probability that this advice will be wise. In William Shakespeare’s drama The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, Romeo decides he loves Juliet because of her appearance. Juliet decides the same upon meeting him for similar reasons. Romeo seeks advice on love from one incapable of providing any. {One common belief is that …show more content…

Despite his hesitance, the two still rely on him for guidance because they have no one else to turn to. When Juliet needs help in a life or death situation, Friar Lawrence backs out of it. He claims that “it strains [him] past the compass of [his] wits” (4.1.48), proving his inability to properly aid the two. He does not want a role in Romeo and Juliet’s situation anymore, but he must return to his mentor duties when Juliet begins crying. He does so with reluctance, but hastily comes up with another plan to lead them to their deaths. Furthermore, Friar Lawrence’s past actions have definitely left an impact on Juliet, because she does not trust him anymore. When he gives her the potion, she second guesses his plan, worrying "what if it be a poison which [Friar Lawrence] / subtly hath ministered to have [her] dead?” (4.3.25-6). This potion is a result of Friar Lawrence’s hasty decision making; she does not know whether to trust him or not because of his hastiness. Her willingness to die is great enough to risk it, and she drinks the potion. Friar Lawrence fails to provide his mentees with ample guidance when they need it …show more content…

Friar Lawrence is a man of the church, so relationships are not an option for him. Because of this, he has very rudimentary knowledge of love. Romeo comes to Friar Lawrence with news of his new love interest, and Friar Lawrence decides that he will be the perfect mentor for Romeo. He invites him to “come, young waverer” (2.3.96) in hopes that their “alliance may so happy prove / to turn [their] households’ rancour to pure love” (2.3.98-9). Friar Lawrence does not receive the role of mentor because he is the only one available; he steps in himself to guide them. He has very unrealistic goals for their relationship, hoping that it will end the feud. Because of his inexperience, he does not know what to expect out of a relationship between feuding families. Friar Lawrence acts like he knows more about love than Romeo does. He explains to Romeo that “[his] love did read by rote and could not spell” (2.3.95). According to Friar Lawrence, Romeo loves in a way that he believes to be right, but Friar Lawrence scorns the idea of Romeo having any knowledge or experience of what to do. He thinks that Romeo does not know what he is doing and that he is in need of guidance. Additionally, he does not know what to do in situations when the initial plan does not work out. When Friar John returns from Mantua after failure to deliver the letter to Romeo, Friar Lawrence immediately decides to “write

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