Friar Laurence facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Friar Laurence |
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| Romeo and Juliet character | |
Romeo and Juliet with Friar Laurence by Henry Bunbury
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| Created by | William Shakespeare |
Friar Laurence (also spelled Friar Lawrence) is an important character in William Shakespeare's famous play Romeo and Juliet. He is a friar, which is a type of monk. He acts as a wise friend and helper to both Romeo and Juliet. He also plays a big part in the main events of the story.
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Friar Laurence's Role in the Play
Friar Laurence is like a mentor to the young lovers. He often gives them advice. When he is alone, he talks about plants and how they are like humans. He says plants can be both helpful and harmful, just like people. This talk hints at the sad things that will happen later in the play.
Romeo asks the Friar to marry him and Juliet. The Friar is surprised because Romeo had just been in love with another woman named Rosaline. However, Friar Laurence agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet in secret. He hopes their marriage will help end the long-standing fight between their families, the Capulets and the Montagues.
Helping Romeo and Juliet
Things get difficult when Romeo is sent away from Verona for a serious event. He has to go to Mantua. Friar Laurence tries to help Romeo and Juliet be together again. He gives Juliet a special potion that will make her seem like she is dead for a short time. The plan is for her family to place her in a tomb, and then Romeo can come and get her.
The Friar sends a letter to Romeo to explain the plan. But the letter never reaches Romeo. The messenger cannot deliver it because people in Mantua think he might have come from a place with a serious illness. Because of this, Romeo does not know Juliet is only pretending to be dead.
The Tragic Ending
Romeo hears that Juliet has died and believes it is true. He goes to her tomb. There, he finds Count Paris, who is also sad about Juliet. Romeo believes Juliet is truly dead and takes his own life.
Friar Laurence arrives at the tomb just as Juliet wakes up from her sleep. He tries to convince Juliet to leave and join a group of nuns. But he hears noises from outside and leaves the tomb. Juliet then finds Romeo and also dies.
The Friar is later found and has to explain everything that happened to Prince Escalus and both the Montague and Capulet families. After he tells the whole story, the Prince says that Friar Laurence has always been known as a good and holy man.
Portrayals in Movies
Friar Laurence has been played by different actors in movies based on Romeo and Juliet.
- In the 1968 film Romeo and Juliet, Milo O'Shea played Friar Laurence.
- In the 1996 movie Romeo + Juliet, Pete Postlethwaite took on the role.
The musical West Side Story is a modern version of Romeo and Juliet.
- In the 1961 West Side Story movie, the character Doc has a similar role to Friar Laurence. Doc was played by Ned Glass.
- In the 2021 version of West Side Story, the role of Doc was changed. Rita Moreno played Doc's widow, who helps the young characters.
Images for kids
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Romeo and Juliet with Friar Laurence by Henry Bunbury
See also
In Spanish: Fray Lorenzo para niños
