Friar Laurence agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet because he hopes that their union will bring peace and end the longstanding feud between the Montague and Capulet families. Despite his initial skepticism about Romeo's sudden shift of love from Rosaline to Juliet, Friar Laurence sees their love as an opportunity to turn the hatred between the families into reconciliation. He believes that the good resulting from their love and marriage might overcome the evil of the family feud, which motivates him to secretly marry the young couple.
Friar Laurence's Motivations
- He is wise and compassionate, wanting to help Romeo and Juliet be together and hoping to bring peace to Verona through their marriage.
- He trusts both Romeo and Juliet and plays a crucial role as their advisor.
- He imagines their marriage as a potential way to end the destructive conflict between the families, believing their love might have a positive influence on the feud.
Secret Marriage
- Friar Laurence agrees to marry them in secret as public knowledge could cause blame and contempt due to the families' animosity.
- He aims to create a fait accompli, thinking that by the time the families learn of the marriage, reconciliation will be more likely because the families cannot undo the union.
Thus, Friar Laurence's agreement to marry Romeo and Juliet is both an act of hope for peace and an attempt to use their love as a means to heal a deep social rift.
