Essay On Shakespeare's Franciscan Characters

William Shakespeare that wrote during a time in which Catholicism was discouraged in England may have shown his support for the Catholic Church secretly through some specific characters in his plays. William Shakespeare uses members of the Franciscan Order, who at the time were most despised by protestant reformers, as characters in his plays to show support for the Catholic Church. Three of his plays, Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado about Nothing, and Measure for Measure, feature prominent Franciscan characters. Shakespeare portrays these characters as helpful and concerned characters which was not typical of the ways Franciscans were portrayed in English literature of the same time period.
William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in the town of …show more content…
“Many critics of Shakespearian drama feel that the friar serves as an agent of malevolent fate” (Holland). Instead of using Friar Laurence to personify all that was wrong with the Catholic Church, he portrayed him as a religious man who was truly concerned for the young couple. He is presented as a wise, understanding man who officiates over both the sacred and secular rites of the play. He oversees the marriage of Romeo and Juliet, which he hopes will then bring about peace between their warring families. There is absolutely nothing self serving at work here because Friar Lawrence has no wish for recognition or advancement. He is only concerned with the interests of the lovers and the greater civic good that will come from making peace between the warring families. Friar Laurence is the only character in the play that is neutral and is capable of reconciling the differences between the two worlds (Salter). Shakespeare seems to go out of his way completely to absolve Lawrence of blame for the tragic events in which he plays a part, and in the final scene of the play, and after all of the tragic events have been fully revealed, the Prince clears Friar Lawrence of any guilt for the lovers' deaths