Friar Laurence

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Friar Laurence
Romeo and Juliet character
Romeo and Juliet with Friar Laurence by Henry Bunbury
Created byWilliam Shakespeare

Friar Laurence or Friar Lawrence is a character in William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet.

Role in the play

Friar Laurence is a friar who plays the part of a wise adviser to Romeo and Juliet, along with aiding in major plot developments.

Alone, he foreshadows the later, tragic events of the play with his soliloquy about plants and their similarities to humans.[1] When Romeo requests the Friar marry him to Juliet, he is shocked, because only days before, Romeo had been infatuated with Rosaline,[2] a woman who did not return his love. Nevertheless, Friar Laurence decides to marry Romeo and Juliet in the attempt to stop the civil feud between the Capulets and the Montagues.[3]

When Romeo is banished for killing

Prince Escalus
and all the Montagues and Capulets. As he finishes, the prince proclaims, "We have still known thee for a holy man."

Metre

Shakespeare uses a variety of poetic forms throughout the play. He begins with a 14-line

colloquial speech.[11]

Portrayals

In 1968 the part of Friar Lawrence was played by Milo O'Shea in Romeo and Juliet. In 1996, the role was played by Pete Postlethwaite in Romeo + Juliet.

The West Side Story (1961) character Doc fills a similar role to Friar Lawrence; Doc was played by Ned Glass. In the 2021 version, that role was rewritten for Rita Moreno as Doc's widow.

References

Sources

  • Halio, Jay (1998). Romeo and Juliet: A Guide to the Play. Westport: .

External links