Friar Lawrence is a peacemaker.

Friar Lawrence is a peacemaker.

Throughout reading whole acts 1 and 2, I think that Friar Lawrence is a peacemaker. He takes a significant role during the story who connects between Romeo and Juliet and he is the only character who actually approves their relationship and tries to make the relationship between Montagues and Capulets better.

Act 2 strongly shows that he is a peacemaker through showing his movement and conversation between Romeo and Friar. After Romeo falls in love with Juliet after the masquerade, he goes out to find Friar Lawrence to approve and help the process of their marriage. In scene 3, the scene starts with showing Friar Lawrence collecting herbs outside his cell. Then he says that “For naught so vile that on the Earth doth live but to the earth some special good doth give; nor aught so good but, strained from that fair use, revolts from true birth, stumbling on abuse. Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied, and vice sometimes by action dignified.” Through this monologue, it shows Friar muses the fact that everything on earth from herbs to virtues has some special good, but if that any of those things misapplied or used in excess, they can cause disaster. It indicates the disaster between two families Montague and Capulet, and he has a mind about to make a peaceful relationship between them to prevent battle or disaster.

After his monologue, Romeo appears in the scene and describes that he has already forgotten about Rosaline, and also starts describing about his love toward Juliet and his desire to marry her. However, at first, Friar is being suspicious of Romeo’s sudden love switch from Rosaline to Juliet through saying “Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here! Is Rosaline that thou didst love so dear, so soon forsaken? Young men’s love then lies not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.” It reveals Friar worries about Romeo’s immature and young love toward Juliet. However, soon after, he agrees the marriage of Romeo and Juliet since he thinks their marriage can be an opportunity to end of the grudge between the Montagues and Capulets through saying “For this alliance may so happy prove to turn your households’ rancor to pure love.” In scene 3, through the conversation between Romeo and Friar, and Friar’s monologue, it clearly indicates Friar’s mind that the main reason that he approves their marriage is in order to make the peace between the two families.

Also scene 6 is one of the significant parts showing Friar is such a peacemaker through showing the conversation among the characters. The scene starts with Friar and Romeo waiting for Juliet in the church for the marriage, and Romeo expresses his happiness and excitement and says that no matter what sorrow might come, it cannot compare to his joy. The Friar soon counsels and officially approves their marriage in the church, saying that “These violent delights have violent ends. And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, which as they kiss, consume.” Through Friar saying that, it reveals Friar approving their marriage, and also hoping for the end of the violent and hatred between Capulets and Montagues at a same time.

Friar Lawrence is one of the important characters during the story who approves the marriage between Romeo and Juliet, and tries to make the peaceful relationship between the two families.