There are many different types of people that are found through the course of life. Each individual has a distinct set of personality traits and characteristics. Each of these traits shape these individuals to be different among the other people in their society. The traits influence their ways of thinking, and their certain way of thinking influences their actions. Actions are vital to how people live and what they face, having the ability to lead to great things as well as tragedies. Romeo and Juliet, is a love play written by Shakespeare, displays a story with unique characters similar to those found in the real world. These characters differentiate from each other throughout the play, and even show growth towards the end. In the play, Shakespeare writes about two young “star-crossed” lovers, Romeo and Juliet, whose fatal flaws lead to their deaths. Both of their deaths reconcile their clashing families, and are remembered as a tragedy. Each of the characters in the play have different experiences, different outlooks, and different ways of expressing things. Key characters with important inputs are characters such as Friar Lawrence, Juliet, and Lord Capulet. It is because of the very different opinions expressed from these characters at certain times throughout the play that influence all of the events leading to the unfortunate deaths of Romeo and Juliet.
To begin with, Friar Lawrence expresses on multiple occasions that his view of love is more simple, peaceful, and moderate. His view becomes clear when he is questioning Romeo about his new love for Juliet. As Romeo speaks about Juliet so passionately, Friar Lawrence seems to not understand how Romeo could move on from Rosaline and fall deeply in love with another girl so suddenly. Friar Lawrence’s confusion clearly demonstrates that his feelings towards love are quite a bit more complicated than Romeo’s, and that he doesn’t find passionate love realistic.
Furthermore, Friar Lawrence finds that when Romeo’s actions lead to instability, he begins to believe that it is in fact not true love. The Friar expresses his view on love again when he weds the young couple. Concerned over their haste to get married, the Friar wisely warns them by asserting, “violent delights have violent ends” . This quote reflects off the play as a whole, only proving that the star-crossed lovers intense love only ends in a violent manner, in which they both die. The Friar does not understand why their love must be an ardent when it can be much more simpler. With a love as intense and passionate as Romeo’s and Juliet’s, Friar Lawrence clearly understands that it can only end tragically, and he voices that out to them in hopes of them understanding. Though, of course, the young couple doesn’t seem to pay much attention to his words and continue on with what will end as a tragic love story. Even when Romeo is banished for slaying Tybalt out of blind rage, it only convinces Friar Lawrence more and more that the love is doing more harm than good. Heartbroken and distraught, Romeo threatens to kill himself in front of Friar Lawrence. The Friar, again, can not find himself understanding why Romeo is so saddened and tries to calm him down. Friar Lawrence tells Romeo that he should be glad he hasn’t been executed, but Romeo instead tells him that he does not wish to be alive without Juliet.
The Friar’s attitude towards love demonstrates that he believes it is much more simple and shouldn’t bring people to do or act in such extreme ways. Friar Lawrence’s character is much too kind-hearted towards the young couple, unintentionally being a servant of fate in the story. It is because of kind and caring qualities that allow Romeo and Juliet to get further involved, get caught in misunderstandings, and then finally die as a result.
