Friar Flashcards
(18 cards)
Overview
Shakespeare uses the Friar as a vehicle to explore the unpredictable actions of fate and to act as a paternal figure towards Romeo whilst also being a highly trusted and influenced member of society. As a religious individual, he has a genuine influence on Romeo, leading the audience to gain a positive perception of him. However, his naïve and, possibly, sinful actions are considered, which leads the audience to believe he is morally ambiguous and the reason for the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet’s death, acting as a catalyst for their love.
Beginning quotes
‘that’s my good son’
‘The earth that’s nature’s mother is her tomb’
‘Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied, / And vice sometime by action dignified’
‘So soon forsaken? Young men’s love then lies/ Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.’
Middle quotes
‘These violent delights have violent ends’
‘too swift arrives as tardy too slow’
‘thy tears are womanish’
‘Tybalt would kill thee, but thou slew’st Tybalt; there thou happy too’
Ending quotes
‘Doth make against me, of this direful murder/…/Myself condemned and myself excus’d’
‘I married the, and their stol’n marriage day // Was Tybalt’s doomsday, whose untimely death…’
‘Her nurse is privy’
Beginning opening
At the beginning of the play, Shakespeare initially presents Friar Lawrence as a philosophical, and paternal figure, whose deep understanding of nature and morality frames him as a guiding force in Romeo’s life.
‘that’s my good son’
- Shakespeare presents Friar as a paternal figure through the possessive pronoun ‘my’ and the affectionate noun ‘son’, which conveys a deep emotional connection.
- This paternal language positions Friar Lawrence as a trusted moral guide, especially as Romeo appears to confide more in him than his own father.
- This bond foreshadows how the Friar’s decisions — though well-meaning — will deeply affect Romeo’s life
‘The earth that’s nature’s mother is her tomb’
- Shakespeare uses paradox and metaphor to present the Friar as wise and deeply contemplative.
- juxtaposition of ‘mother’ and ‘tomb’ symbolises that death and life are intertwined, subtly foreshadowing the tragic ending of Romeo and Juliet’s love.
- Additionally, as he is reflecting on something thoughtful it evokes a sense of spiritual depth, establishing him as a character who understands the moral complexity of the world — even if he later fails to act according to this wisdom.
‘Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied, / And vice sometime by action dignified’
- seems pansophic as he understands how everything/everyone can change and foreshadows RJ death as they are happy now but will cause suffering in the future
- Shakespeare presents him as morally insightful, but his comment is laced with irony — his later decision to secretly marry Romeo and Juliet is arguably a ‘virtue misapplied’, highlighting his later moral ambiguity
- Furthermore, the rhyming couplet of “misapplied|” and “dignified” highlight how he is speaking with sincerity,.
‘So soon forsaken? Young men’s love then lies/ Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.’
- Shakespeare presents the Friar as insightful as he recognises the fickle nature of Romeo who loved based on looks being lustful
- The use of the rhetorical question demonstrates his diasppointment, while also his wisdom as he is considering Romeo’s character and criticises the superficial nature of his love
- Perhaps seen as a pseudo-paternal figure telling Romeo what is best for him
Middle opening
As the play progresses, the Friar’s insight becomes increasingly prophetic, yet his failure to act on his own caution exposes his moral complexity.
‘These violent delights have violent ends’
- Shakespeare uses the repetition of the adjective “violent” to emphasise the overwhelming potential for tragedy that accompanies intense, unchecked passion.
- This shows how the Friar is a caring character towards Romeo as he attempts to warn him, but also foreshadows the catastrophic consequences of their secret marriage, employing dramatic irony into the play as the Friar later shuns his own advice and marries RJ anyways, highlighting his moral ambiguity
‘too swift arrives as tardy too slow’
- Shakespeare uses paradox here to emphasise the danger of haste, highlighting the Friar’s concern about the rapid pace of the relationship as well as strengthening his bond with Romeo
- Despite his wisdom, however, the Friar again contradicts his own advice by proceeding with the marriage.
- This reveals his moral conflict — he wishes to help the lovers but compromises his values to do so
- Through this, Shakespeare presents him as a complex figure who, although wise in theory, acts rashly in practice, contributing to the tragedy.
‘thy tears are womanish’
- Here, Shakespeare uses a misogynistic insult to portray Friar Lawrence as conforming to Renaissance ideals of masculinity.
- The term ‘womanish’ implies weakness and irrationality, reflecting the mistreatment of female emotion
- This line exposes a harsher, less compassionate side to the Friar, who resorts to shame in an attempt to restore Romeo’s composure.
- Although intended to motivate Romeo, it undermines the Friar’s earlier gentler persona, showing that even he can use his toxic masculinity to assert control.
‘Tybalt would kill thee, but thou slew’st Tybalt; there thou happy too’
- Shakespeare uses triadic structure and repetition of ‘happy’ to shift Romeo’s perspective from despair to gratitude.
- The Friar downplays Tybalt’s death as a means to cheer up Romeo and reminds him of how fortunate he is to be banished rather than killed.
- This further highlights the friar’s digression from his morals in order to please Romeo.
- This is further demonstrated when the Friar states that Romeo should be ‘happy’ that he killed a man rather than get killed himself, deepening the portrayal of him as a flawed but well-meaning guide.
Ending opening
As the play comes to a close, Friar Lawrence’s attempts to justify his actions reflect a crisis of guilt , revealing how his initial wisdom ultimately contributes to the tragic consequence
‘Doth make against me, of this direful murder/…/Myself condemned and myself excus’d’
- The paradox ‘condemned and excus’d’ highlights his internal conflict and overwhelming guilt.
- He was so preoccupied with preserving God’s natural order that he is distraught that he has diverted from God’s intended plan.
- As a man chosen by God, he catalysed death which is classified as a grave sin, defining him as a tragic figure, weighed down by the consequences of his own actions
- The adjective ‘direful’ underscores how this wasn’t the expected outcome and was a shocking surprise as the Friar acknowledges that his well-intended plans have gone terribly wrong.
‘I married the, and their stol’n marriage day // Was Tybalt’s doomsday, whose untimely death…’
- shows his ability to take responsibility and be culpable for his actions but only when forced to
- adjective ‘stol’n’ suggests clandestine/secretive nature of wedding
- ‘untimely’ backs up the fact that if they slowed down such fate may have not been upon them, repositioning the Friar from a figure of control to one of helplessness - overwhelmed by the speed at which events spiralled
- the fact that marriage and death are on same day eludes to haste and the fact that the feuding families were brought together serves to highlight the futility of feud from start
‘Her nurse is privy’
- The term ‘privy’ implies secrecy and complicity, and by pointing this out, Friar Lawrence distances himself from sole responsibility.
- Shakespeare may be highlighting the shared responsibility of many adult figures in the play, which include even members of the lower class such as the nurse, suggesting all classes have an active role in happenings of society
- At the same time, this line subtly reflects the Friar’s desperation to preserve his religious reputation.
- Though he admits truth, he attempts to soften his guilt, presenting him as both truthful and self-preserving.
