Question

100 points! Short essay question! Please help

In Act IV, Scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet, Juliet cries, "O, bid me leap, rather than marry Paris . . . And I will do it without fear or doubt."
Both Romeo and Juliet seek out Friar Lawrence for counsel during their difficulties. How does he affect their decisions, and eventually, the outcome of the play? Write an essay analyzing the cause-and-effect relationship between the two lovers and Friar Lawrence. You may want to address why Friar Lawrence marries the two in the first place, and the results of his advice throughout the story. The introduction of your essay should include an attention-getter and thesis statement. The body of your essay should explore how and why Friar Lawrence orchestrates many of the developments in the plot. Close your essay with an overall conclusion, including a restatement of the thesis.

Answer 1

Friar Laurence, friend or foe? He can be seen as a holy man who is greatly trusted by many but gets caught in the mix of Romeo and Juliet’s love. Friar Laurence is to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet because he married them, came up with the plan to keep them together and abandoned Juliet in her time of need. At the start of the play, Friar Laurence decides to marry Romeo and Juliet. He marries them secretly, not honestly thinking about their feelings or what affect it would have in the future. Before Friar Laurence marries the two he says, “But come, young waverer, come go with me, in one respect I’ll thy assistant be for this alliance may be so happy prove to turn your households’ rancor to pure love” (2.3.89-92). This shows that Friar Laurence does not…show more content…

This plan is not thoroughly thought out. The letter about the plan which was to be delivered to Romeo never did. After the deliverer, Friar John returned with news that the letter did not reach Romeo, Friar Laurence says, “Unhappy fortune! By my brotherhood, the letter was not nice but full of change, of dear import, and the neglecting it, may do much danger” (5.2.17-20). This shows just how careless Friar Laurence had been by not telling Friar John the importance of the letter beforehand. He could have easily avoided all the commotion if he delivered the letter himself. Furthermore, the plan was to have Romeo get Juliet but instead Friar Laurence had to do it. Friar Laurence goes to get Juliet from her tomb but makes mistakes along the way. He reaches Juliet but makes the mistake of leaving her when she needed him the most. Before running off Friar Laurence says, “Stay not to question, for the watch is coming. Come, go, good Juliet. I dare no longer stay” (5.3.158-159). This quote shows that he tried to help her but is mostly concerned about his own well being. By leaving Juliet it eventually lead to her

Answer 2

Answer: In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the lovers' choices and how the play ends are significantly influenced by Friar Lawrence's character. He is Romeo and Juliet's go-to source of guidance at various points in the story. The first reason Friar Lawrence weds them is that he believes it could put an end to the Montagues' and Capulets' decades-long rivalry. In any case, the story's shocking outcomes are brought about by his advice.

The play is about Friar Lawrence's actions that set up the players to marry Romeo and Juliet, hoping their union will bring peace to Verona. In addition, he suggests to Juliet that she feigns death to avoid her planned marriage to Paris and reunite with Romeo. His activities, at last, brought about the passing of Romeo and Juliet, regardless of his good aims.

Friar Lawrence's involvement in the plot can be seen as a cause-and-effect relationship. When Juliet comes to him in desperate need of a way to avoid marrying Paris, he comes up with a plan for her to fake her death. Romeo eventually takes his own life because he mistakenly believes that Juliet has died due to this plan. The involvement of Friar Lawrence in Romeo's decision to commit su!cide can be seen as the direct cause of the play's tragic conclusion.

Furthermore, Friar Lawrence's advice needs to be corrected. For instance, when he suggests to Juliet that she take an elixir that will make her appear dead, he fails to consider the possibility that the arrangement could deviate. In addition, the play's tragic conclusion is facilitated by his decision to conceal the strategy from Romeo. The incorrect advice given by Friar Lawrence causes the young lovers' tragic deaths.

Friar Lawrence significantly impacts the cause-and-effect relationship between Romeo and Juliet. Despite his good intentions, his actions and advice have tragic results. His decision to wed the two lovers and his involvement in Juliet's plan to kill herself set the stage for the play. His incorrect advice and disregard for the consequences of his actions led to the tragic end of Romeo and Juliet.

Explanation: ^^