Spiritual Gambler
In 1888 T.S. Eliot said, "Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go". Only a few people have found out how far one can go. In William Shakespeare's, Romeo and Juliet, Friar Lawrence proves he is a risk taker finding out how far he can go. He proves this to the world by marrying Romeo and Juliet, providing Juliet an escape from her second wedding, and his plan to unite the two lovers. It is because of these gambles that make his role the most significant throughout the play. Friar Lawrence's risk taking began when he secretly wed Romeo and Juliet. When Romeo first showed up at Friar Lawrence's door, the Friar knew nothing about Romeo's new love, Juliet. In fact he provides Romeo with some wisdom noting, "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"(2.3.67-69). When Romeo told him he had channeled his love toward 13 year old Juliet that he had meet the night before instead of the former apple of his eye, Rosaline, he thought Romeo's actions were made to hastily. Naturally, after Romeo asked Friar Lawrence to wed him and Juliet, the Friar thought Romeo was moving mush too quickly. The
Another time Friar Lawrence shows his risk taking behavior, occurred before Juliet's second wedding. After the Friar secretly "incorporated two in one", Juliet's father, Capulet, arranged for her to marry Paris (2.6.37). Capulet planned this marriage without the knowledge of Juliet's previous wedding. When Juliet found out that she was to be wed to a second man, she was furious. She went to the Friar for advice on this terrible situation. At first, he provides no help to Juliet's suffering. But, when Juliet threatens to "twixt [her] extremes" with a bloody knife (4.1.63), the Friar comes with an idea. The Friar devises a plan to make Juliet appear to be dead on her wedding day. He hands her a vial telling her to drink it the night before the wedding day. He advises her of its objective, stating, "When, presently, through all thy veins shall run/A cold and drowsy humour; for no pulse/Shall keep his native progress, but surcease"(4.1.96-98). He tells her about this potion that will give her the appearance of death. Once they find her, the rest of the Capulet's will place her in the Capulet tomb. Three days after she has been placed in the tomb, she will awake to find the banished Romeo beside her. A letter of Juliet's fake death will notify Romeo of the plan. After they have joined together, they will run away and live happily ever after. The Friar is taking many huge gambles by concocting such a plan. First, the potion may not work. It is possible the potion he handed to Juliet could kill her. The potion could also turn out to be a dud. In the case of the potion not working, Juliet would be forced to either marry Paris or kill herself. She already swore to the priest that if she were in
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Approximate Word count = 1145
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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