How does the Presentation of the character Friar Lawrence in the original Shakespeare Play compare with the 1996 Baz Luhrmann film adaptation?
During the course of this essay I will be looking at how the presentation of the character of Friar Lawrence in the original Shakespeare play compares with the 1996 Baz Luhrmann adaptation. Friar Lawrence is portrayed differently in the play than in the film. There are a number of themes which include: fate, violence, and destiny.
Firstly, In Act 2, Scene 3 in the original Shakespeare play, the character of Friar Lawrence is presented as an important character as he has lots of lines and soliloquy. Shakespeare shows Friar Lawrence to be intelligent through the soliloquy. An example of soliloquy is when Shakespeare writes “Chequering the eastern clouds with streaks of light”. Shakespeare’s use of soliloquy tells the audience more about the character of Friar Lawrence. Another way in which Shakespeare shows Friar Lawrence to be intelligent is through his use of rhyming couplets. An example of a rhyming couplet used by Friar Lawrence is “From forth day’s path and Titan’s fiery wheels”. This quote not only implies just how intelligent Friar Lawrence is but it also shows that he is very religious as Titan is a god. The use of rhyming couplets implies that the character of Friar Lawrence is skilful and articulate. Another way in which Shakespeare presents the character of Friar Lawrence as intelligent is by the use of juxtaposition. An example of juxtaposition is “The earth that nature’s mother is her tomb, what is burying grave that is her womb”. The words “tomb” and “womb” juxtapose. The word “tomb” has connotations to death. The word “tomb” also foreshadows that something bad may happen later on. Friar Lawrence is seen as on his own in his ‘cell’. The fact that the character of Friar Lawrence is alone on stage shows that he has an important role in the play. In this scene, Friar Lawrence is up early which shows that he is hard working. Romeo seeks Friar Lawrence’s advice and guidance. This shows that Romeo looks up to the Friar as a father figure.