Paris' Wedding Plans: Friar's Role Revealed

In Romeo and Juliet, Paris meets with Friar Laurence to discuss his upcoming wedding with Juliet. He tells the friar that the wedding will take place on Thursday, explaining that he wants to marry Juliet quickly to cheer her up after the death of her cousin Tybalt. Paris believes that a wedding celebration will take her mind off her grief and that company might help her feel better. He also mentions that Lord Capulet, Juliet's father, is in a hurry to marry them and that he doesn't want to slow him down.

Paris wants to marry Juliet quickly to cheer her up

In Shakespeare's tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, Paris wants to marry Juliet quickly to cheer her up. He meets with Friar Laurence to discuss his upcoming wedding with Juliet, which is set to take place on Thursday. Paris explains to the Friar that he is eager to marry Juliet as soon as possible to help alleviate her grief over the recent death of her cousin, Tybalt. He believes that a joyous occasion like their wedding celebration will take her mind off her sadness and help her move on.

Paris expresses concern about Juliet's excessive weeping and believes that being surrounded by company and the happiness of their wedding will help her cope with her loss. He tells the Friar that Juliet's father, Lord Capulet, also shares this sentiment and wants to hasten the marriage to protect Juliet from the overwhelming grief. Paris's motivation behind the rushed wedding is to bring happiness and comfort to Juliet, hoping that the celebration will lift her spirits and give her a reason to smile again.

However, unbeknownst to Paris, Juliet is secretly in love with Romeo, a member of the rival Montague family. She is desperate to avoid marrying Paris and seeks help from Friar Laurence, even threatening suicide if he cannot find a solution. The Friar devises a plan to help Juliet escape the marriage by pretending to be dead, allowing her to be with Romeo instead.

Friar Laurence's plan involves Juliet agreeing to the marriage but drinking a potion the night before the wedding, which will induce a death-like state. He assures her that Romeo will be informed of the plan and will be waiting for her when she wakes up in the family tomb. Juliet agrees to the risky scheme, highlighting the depth of her love for Romeo and her determination to avoid marrying Paris.

Despite Paris's good intentions to cheer Juliet up, his haste in arranging the wedding ultimately contributes to the tragic outcome of the play. It is worth noting that Paris's desire to marry Juliet quickly may also be influenced by his own interests, as he stands to gain a prestigious connection by marrying into the Capulet family. Nonetheless, his stated motivation remains to bring joy to Juliet and help her move on from her grief.

The wedding date is brought forward

In the play "Romeo and Juliet", Paris is busy making plans with Friar Laurence for his upcoming wedding with Juliet. However, Juliet wants to avoid this marriage and seeks help from Friar Laurence. She threatens to kill herself if Friar Laurence cannot help her. The friar then proposes a plan for Juliet to fake her own death and escape the marriage to Paris.

Paris, on the other hand, wants to marry Juliet as soon as possible. He tells the friar that he wants to marry Juliet quickly to cheer her up as she is grieving the death of her cousin Tybalt. He believes that the wedding celebration will take her mind off her grief. Paris also mentions that Lord Capulet, Juliet's father, is in a hurry to marry them and that he does not want to slow him down.

Lord Capulet agrees to move the wedding up to the next day and goes off to inform Paris of the new date. The original wedding date was Thursday, but it is changed to Wednesday. Paris is eager for the wedding and expresses his desire for it to be held even sooner.

The haste of the wedding is due to Paris' and Lord Capulet's eagerness, as well as the belief that it will help alleviate Juliet's grief. Paris tells the friar that he has barely talked about love with Juliet because of her sadness. He thinks that the company and celebration of the wedding will help lift her spirits.

Juliet is grieving the death of her cousin Tybalt

In Act III, Scene II of Romeo and Juliet, Juliet is grieving the death of her cousin Tybalt. She is initially confused by the Nurse's distress and thinks that Romeo, her secret husband, is dead. When the Nurse mentions Tybalt's name, Juliet fears that both Romeo and Tybalt are dead. She expresses her grief and sense of "general doom" with the words:

> "O break, my heart, poor bankrout, break at once!

> Vile earth to earth resign; end motion here,

> And thou and Romeo press one heavy bier."

However, when she understands that Romeo has killed Tybalt and been sentenced to exile, her emotions become conflicted. She feels betrayed by Romeo and is angry that he has caused the death of her cousin. She exclaims:

> "O serpent heart, hid with a flow'ring face!

> Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave?

> Beautiful tyrant, fiend angelical!

> Dove-feather'd raven! wolvish-ravening lamb!

> Despised substance of divinest show!

> Just opposite to what thou justly seem'st,

> A damned saint, an honourable villain!"

Juliet's emotions are complex as she struggles to reconcile her love for Romeo with her anger towards him for killing her cousin. She acknowledges her familial ties to both men, referring to Tybalt as her "cousin" and Romeo as her "husband." Despite her grief for Tybalt's death, she justifies Romeo's actions by saying that if he hadn't killed Tybalt, her cousin would have killed him.

Juliet's grief and confusion are further compounded by the news that her father has arranged for her to marry Count Paris, a match she does not want. She seeks help from Friar Laurence, who gives her a potion that will make her appear dead, allowing her to avoid the marriage and escape with Romeo.

Lord Capulet gives his blessing for the hasty marriage

In Act 4, Scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet, Paris is busy making plans with Friar Laurence for his upcoming wedding with Juliet. Paris explains the haste of the wedding by claiming that it may help alleviate Juliet's grief over her cousin Tybalt's death. He tells the Friar:

> Her father thinks it’s dangerous for her to be so affected by grief, and he’s wisely tried to hasten our marriage to stop this overwhelming grief of hers. It’s possible that company can help her while loneliness only encourages it. Now you can see the reason for this haste.

Lord Capulet, Juliet's father, has promised Paris that she will marry him in three days. He says:

> I tell thee what: get thee to church o' Thursday, Or never after look me in the face. Speak not; reply not; do not answer me.

Capulet is convinced that a quick marriage will settle Juliet down and take her mind off her sorrows. He believes that Juliet is grieving too hard for the death of her cousin, Tybalt, and that a hasty marriage to Paris is the cure for it. He also believes that Juliet will be thrilled with the news of the marriage.

When Juliet refuses to marry Paris, Capulet is driven into a rage. He feels that Juliet is being unappreciative of the marriage he has organised for her and threatens to disown her, stating that if she does not agree to marry Paris as instructed, he will cast her out.

Paris tells the friar that he has barely talked of love

In Act IV, Scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet, Paris meets with Friar Laurence to discuss his upcoming wedding with Juliet. He tells the friar that he has "barely talked of love" with Juliet, as she is "wallowing in tears" over her cousin Tybalt's death. Paris believes that the wedding will help alleviate Juliet's grief and that her father, Lord Capulet, is wisely hastening the marriage to stop her overwhelming sorrow.

Paris's comment about not talking much about love with Juliet is significant as it highlights the difference between their relationship and that of Romeo and Juliet. Paris and Juliet's marriage is arranged, and their relationship lacks the depth of emotion and passion that characterises Romeo and Juliet's love for each other. Paris's focus is on the wedding itself and how it might improve Juliet's mood, rather than on the love between them. This contrasts sharply with Romeo and Juliet's relationship, which is driven by their intense and consuming passion for each other.

Furthermore, Paris's comment reveals his misunderstanding of Juliet's true feelings. While he believes that her tears are solely due to Tybalt's death, the audience knows that Juliet is also mourning Romeo's banishment and the impending forced marriage to Paris. This creates a sense of dramatic irony, where the audience is aware of the truth that eludes the characters on stage.

Paris's discussion with Friar Laurence also underscores the haste with which the wedding is being arranged. Lord Capulet, Juliet's father, wants the marriage to take place as soon as possible, and Paris is eager to comply. This urgency contrasts with the usual pace of courtship and marriage, and it raises questions about the motivations behind the rushed union.

In this scene, Paris's words to the friar provide insight into the dynamics of his relationship with Juliet, the complexities of their upcoming marriage, and the underlying tensions that will ultimately contribute to the tragic outcome of the play.

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