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Example research essay topic: Act Ii Scene Romeo And Juliet - 2,158 words

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Comparison and Contrast between the Nurse and Friar Lawrence in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is one of the greatest tragedies of all times. It is actually a very sad story about very strong feeling of love by two people: Romeo and Juliet that ends very tragically. There were many characters in the tragedy, positive and negative ones, but we are going to focus this research on two very controversial characters of The Nurse and Friar Lawrence. These characters appear to be the mother and father figures for Juliet and for Romeo. Friar Lawrence was Romeos father and Romeo had a great deal of respect to him.

He was actually a descent man but of a lower than the Nurse position in the society of those ages. Although these two people are very similar in their actions and attitudes towards the main characters of the tragedy, they have some differences as well. In this research we are going to get to the bottom of these similarities and differences. This tragedy or we can also call it a novel has a notion of intermezzo. Here we have a situation where the events develop in the direction of love and positive outcomes up to this critical point of intermezzo. The second parts (after the intermezzo) events develop in tragically shaped way.

This makes us as the viewers and critical people to think about two ways of developing of the relationships between the two main characters of the tragedy. I think that William Shakespeare used this notion of intermezzo to make this masterpiece more interesting and educating people of all ages and all eras. (Van Doren) In William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the Nurse and Friar Laurence play an enormous role. We need to pay attention to how the main characters have their attitude shaped towards the Nurse and Friar Lawrence. Romeo and Juliet have a great deal of respect to these two older people. Also they always listen to their advises of what and how to do everything to have better outcomes. The Nurse actually shown as a regular woman that want her daughter to be successful in her marriage in terms of material (money) values.

She tries to pick up a good husband for Juliet from high ranked society and her choice was a man of good wealth and origin Paris. She also wants that man to be worthy of Juliet and also she has a desire that he would have a great feeling of love to her. If the Nurse and Friar Lawrence could look somewhat shortly into the future, they could probably create a better situation with better outcomes for the main characters. In this case their good intentions accidentally turned into a trouble.

Not only does their advice aid Romeo and Juliet but their actions and the decisions they make throughout the whole play affects the whole outcome of numerous situations. Had the nurse and the friar not made the decisions they did, the tale of Romeo and Juliet might have not ended in tragedy. Friar Laurence is a Franciscan friar who aids both Romeo and Juliet throughout the whole play. Choices he made determined the outcome of the play and had he made different choices, the play may not have ended the way it did. Despite their good intentions these two characters, The Nurse and Friar Laurence are very kind but powerless characters that inadvertently contribute to the tragic ends of Romeo and Juliet.

The Nurse is ignorant and unthinking as she enjoys and sets up the secret marriage, but she does not think about the consequences or take responsibility for them. The Nurse helps Juliet to marry Romeo when she knows it is forbidden. The Friar is wise and insightful when he marries Romeo and Juliet, but he simply does not have the power or the foresight to stop the tragic events that come after the marriage. Friar Laurence agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet, even though it is risky. (Bullough) Friar Laurence is a man of good intentions. He will always look on the bright side of things. The following quote implies that Friar Laurence hopes that by marrying Romeo and Juliet, the violence between the house of Montague and the house of Capulet will cease.

In one respect Ill thy assistant be; for this alliance may so happy prove, to turn your household rancor to pure love (Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 3, Line 86). (Van Doren) Another good example of his good intentions is when he tells Juliet that everything will be all right even though Romeo is banished. She will take the sleeping potion and by the time Romeo comes to pay his respects she will be up and alive again. (Bullough) The Friar, a Franciscan monk in Verona, is a priest who has taken the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. As the confidante and confessor to both Romeo and Juliet, he is privy to their innermost thoughts and desires. It is the Friar who agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet in secrecy, though he knows their parents would not consent.

He also concocts the plan for Juliet to play dead and is supposed to get the word out to Romeo. He fails. Nothing that Friar Lawrence touches turns out right. What are his motivations for getting so deeply involved with the star-crossed lovers? Friar Lawrence's first appearance onstage suggests a framework for understanding his character. (Stauffer) While gardening, he contemplates the coexistence of good and evil in nature and in people. The Friar is suspicious of Romeos sudden change of heart.

He knows that Romeo has been pining for Rosalyn and he tells Romeo that Rosalyn did not return his love because she could tell that it did read by rote, that could not spell (2. 3. 88). (Van Doren) Basically, he tells Romeo that he was never really in love with Rosalyn and that he was just repeating empty words he didnt really understand. After such a quick turnabout, the Friar has good reason to be suspicious of Romeos new love. (Van Doren) Friar Laurence marries Romeo and Juliet even though he believes that the marriage will end up in tragedy. However he marries them in hope that it will end the continuous feuding between the two families. When Romeo asks Friar Laurence to marry him with Juliet the Friar doesnt think that his love is true.

O, she knew well/Thy love did read by rote and could not spell. (Act 2, Scene 3, 87 - 88). As was his love for Rosalyn, the Friar believes that his love for Juliet will not last. Even though he thinks that the marriage is flawed he agrees to marry them in his own self-interest of ending the feuding. Come, come with me, and we will make / short work; /For, by you leaves, you shall not stay alone/Till Holy Church incorporate two in one. (Act 2, scene 6, 34 - 27). This is the first action that will eventually lead to the young couples deaths. (Stauffer) He marries them even though he forebodes that the marriage may end in tragedy.

These violent delights have violent ends/And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, /Which, as they kiss, consume (Act 2, scene 6, 9 - 11). (Herford) The Friars intentions are well, however he himself even warns Romeo that rushing into it will not work out. The marriage of Romeo and Juliet is the trigger of the events that will soon come that will eventually lead to the tragedy of their deaths. (Bullough) The lovers biggest role models, the nurse and Friar Laurence did an awful job of advising Romeo and Juliet. (Stauffer) With all good intentions in mind, they gave Romeo and Juliet very poor and naive advice. Friar Laurence had the idea in his head that Romeo and Juliets love would end the war between the families. The nurse, giving Juliet her interpretation of what love is, all about sex, Thou wilt fall backward when thou comes to age; Wilt thou not Jule? and the physical appearance person his face be better than any mans, yet his leg excels all mens... Then when it all goes terribly wrong with Romeo, the nurse gives Juliet an insensitive solution, I think you are happy in your second match... (Romeo and Juliet) It is necessary to mention that in this tragedy there is an intention to teach the younger people to listen to their parents. (Stauffer) Because parents usually have better of all intentions to their children and try to support their childrens actions as long as they are going to bring success to children according to their parents minds.

Shakespeare did a good job in presenting this issue. Reading this masterpiece sometimes we can come to the conclusion that if it had ended in a successful manner for the Romeo and Juliet they probably would not really enjoy their lives anyway. This is because of the time period that they lived in, particularly because of the relationships between the high ranked society and the lower level ones. But The Nurse and Friar Lawrence had actually had a very deep feeling of love for their children that they wanted to support them in their risky venture anyway.

These two characters share good intentions and love for Romeo and Juliet, and share the responsibility for their deaths. The Nurse helps Juliet to marry Romeo because she is just thinking about Juliets feelings without thinking about the problems this marriage could cause. In Act I, Scene. V. , lines 137 - 138, she tells Juliet who Romeo is. It causes Juliet to get very upset: My only love, sprung from my only hate. (I. V. 139), but the Nurse doesnt think about this.

She doesnt see the trouble that has started. After the nurse realizes that Juliet and Romeo love each other, she doesnt stop it; instead, she agrees to carry the message to Romeo, although she knows Romeo is a Montague. (Bullough) After the Nurse has a secret meeting with Romeo, she teases Juliet and praises Romeo as a handsome and nice young man. She does not explain to Juliet the problems of loving Romeo. She helps and encourages Juliet to get to Friar Laurence's cell to get married. The Nurse doesnt consider the dangerous result of this action. She only thinks of the moment.

After the marriage, the Nurse quickly abandons Juliet. The Nurse refuses to help Juliet any more after Romeo kills Tybalt. Even though the Nurse supported the marriage before, she does little to stop the forced marriage of Juliet to Paris. She does not understand Juliets emotional love for Romeo because the Nurse only thinks love is physical.

She suggests to Juliet that Paris is as good as Romeo, and Juliet might as well take Paris because no one will know: I think you are as happy in this second match, / For it excels your first: or if it did not, / Your first is dead; or there as good he were (III. v. ) The Nurse ignores the feelings that Juliet has, and she doesnt think about Juliets religious fear about marrying two men at the same time: My husband is on earth, my faith in heaven; / How shall that faith return again to earth, / Unless that husband send it me from heaven/ By leaving earth? (III. V. ) (Stauffer) The Nurse thinks Romeo is as good as dead, and no good to Juliet. Her ignorance makes the Nurse unwise in letting Juliet sleep alone at the wedding eve, even though Juliet is upset and doesnt want to marry Paris.

In Act II, scene v, after returning from her first mission to Romeo, Juliets Nurse tells her impatient mistress, I am the drudge, and toil in your delight (II, v. , l. 75). (Herford) At this juncture, we are inclined to take the Nurse at her word. When we first encounter her in Act I, scene iii, the Nurse of Romeo and Juliet appears to be comics figure given to bawdy humor and innuendo, but this coarse character is softened by her fondness for Juliet. Thereafter, she proves a reliable go-between, taking a message to Romeo in Act II, scene iv, and then apprising first Juliet and then Romeo of events in the wake of Act Iii's dueling scene. But in Act III, our perception of the Nurse as a helping figure undergoes a sharp reversal as she changes... (Granville-Barker) On his account Friar Lawrence always supports this two main characters and does everything for them to be happy.

Shall Romeo by my letters know our drift, and hither shall he come; and he and I shall watch thy waking, and that very night shall Romeo bear thee to Mantua. (Romeo and Juliet, Act 4, Scene 1, Line 114) Unfortunately, for all his good intentions, the play...


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Research essay sample on Act Ii Scene Romeo And Juliet

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