Romeo and Juliet essay
Romeo and Juliet is play a written William Shakespeare about Juliet and Romeo’s secret romance that results in a tragic death of Mercutio, Tybalt, Paris, Romeo, Juliet and Lady Montague. There are many secondary characters that play essential roles in the play; one of those characters is Friar Lawrence. Friar Lawrence is an important secondary character that influences the major events in the play by marrying Romeo and Juliet and also gave Juliet the special potion. Friar Lawrence gives good advice to both Romeo and Juliet that has an effect on their character development. Friar Lawrence’s importance to the theme was that he supported young love and proved young people have poor judgment.

Friar Lawrence has a major influence on the plays action. He first appears in the play in Act 2, Scene 3 where he is approached by Romeo. Romeo has come to Friar Lawrence to tell him about his new interest of love for Juliet. Romeo asks Friar to marry them and his first thought was that young love was nothing but foolishness, but Romeo defends himself and says that Juliet loves him back while Rosalind did not. Friar Lawrence says, “O, she knew well thy love did read by rote, that could not spell. But come, young waverer, come, go with me. In one respect I’ll thy assistant be, for this alliance may so happy prove to turn your households’ rancor to pure love” (II, iii, 94-99). Friar accepts to marry Romeo and Juliet in hope to end their family’s feud. Friar Lawrence also plays a role in giving Juliet the secret potion. He gives her the potion to help get out of marrying Paris. He gives the potion to Juliet to help her get Romeo back. Juliet is willing do anything to get out of marrying Paris. She asks Friar for help he tells her, “take thou this vial, being then in bed, and this distilling 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…” (IIII, i, 91-122). Friar Lawrence implies that the potion will make her look dead for two days and she and Romeo can run off together. When she takes the potion the Capulet’s, the Nurse, and Paris all think she is dead so the wedding is off. Little does Romeo know that the potion last for two days and we he arrives at the vile he thinks she is dead and ends his life.
Friar Lawrence helps both Romeo and Juliet make good decisions that has an effect on their character development. Friar Lawrence convinces Romeo and Juliet not to kill themselves. He also helped them make smart decisions that involved their love life. Romeo was banished from Verona for killing Tybalt in a street fight. Romeo goes to Friar to seek advice. Romeo is devastated that he was banished because he feels that he can’t live without being with Juliet, he rather die than be without her. Tired of hearing Romeo weep, Friar Lawrence says, “…Art thou a man? Thy form cries out thou art. Thy tears are womanish; thy wild acts the unreasonable fury of a beast. Unseemly woman in a seeming man, and ill-beseeming beast in seeming both!...” (III, iii, 119-123). Friar Lawrence influence Romeo to be a man and he makes Romeo realize that he should be happy that he isn’t dead and Juliet isn’t dead. He influences Romeo to be happy his life wasn’t taken away. Juliet is also devastated that Romeo was banished. The Capulet’s thinks she is cry over Tybalt’s death so to cure her sadness Capulet tells Paris that they are getting married. Juliet goes to Friar for help. Friar says,”… if, rather than to marry county Paris, thou hast the strength of will to slay thyself… (IIII, i, 72-73). Friar Lawrence influences