Romeo and Juliet Final Assignment Outline

I.          Introduction

            A.        Thesis:  In Romeo and Juliet, the character, Friar Lawrence, is an archetype. He fits in the category of two archetypes: the sage and the flawed hero.

                        1.         Friar Lawrence is a wise man who gives good advice to Romeo.

                        2.         Friar Lawrence is a flawed hero because he didn’t think about the consequences of his actions.

                        3.         Friar Lawrence fits both archetypes because he was thinking of doing good but ended up doing something bad.

II.        Friar Lawrence is a wise man who gives good advice to Romeo.

            A.        Romeo goes to the friar for advice about love, and the friar tells him he needs to be careful and slow.

                        1.         “Women may fall when there’s no strength in men,” (II.iii.85).       

B.        The friar also gives Romeo advice after the fight with Tybalt. The friar tells Romeo to be a man and not let Juliet down by killing himself.

            2.         Friar tells Romeo he has three reasons to be happy.

a.       Juliet loves him

b.      Tybalt could have killed him

c.       The prince could have had him put to death, but he exiled him instead.

C.        Analysis of friar as sage.   

III.       Friar Lawrence is a flawed hero because he didn’t think about the consequences of his actions.

            A.        The friar made a plan with Romeo and Juliet that sounded good because he thinks it will end the feud between their families.

                        1.         “In one respect I’ll thy assistant be, for this alliance may so happy prove to turn your households’ rancor to pure love,” (II.iii.89).

            B.        The friar didn’t realize that a small thing like the message not being delivered could cause desperate actions by Romeo and Juliet.

                        2. Romeo and Juliet kill themselves because Romeo didn’t get the letter.

            C.        Analysis of friar being a flawed hero.

IV.       Friar Lawrence fits both archetypes because he was thinking of doing good but ended up doing something bad.

            A.        The friar believed in the power of love to solve problems.

                                    1.         The friar thinks Romeo and Juliet’s marriage will turn their “households’ rancor to pure love,” (II.iii.89).

            B.        The friar runs away when he is most needed.

                                    2.         The friar runs away when he hears a noise instead of staying to see if Juliet is all right, but he doesn’t and Juliet kills herself.

            C.        Analysis of how the friar fits both archetypes.

V.        Conclusion

A.        So in all in Romeo and Juliet, the character, Friar Lawrence, is an archetype. He fits in the category of two archetypes: the sage and the flawed hero.

            1.         The friar is a wise man who acts as Romeo’s mentor by giving him advice about his problems.

            2.         The friar is also a bit of a cowered because he runs away when his plan fails and he is most needed.

            3.         Overall Friar Lawrence is both a sage and a flawed hero archetype because he is wise, but doesn’t know when to be brave.