Question

What does Friar Lawrence mean when he says, “O, then I see that madmen have no ears.

Answer 1

In Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, Friar Lawrence says this line in Act 3, Scene 3, after Romeo has just threatened to kill himself upon hearing his sentence of banishment. Friar Lawrence means that in moments of intense emotion or madness, people are too consumed by their own thoughts and feelings to listen to reason or think rationally. Romeo's extreme despair has blinded him to the potential consequences of his actions and prevents him from hearing the friar's advice or considering alternative solutions. Thus, Friar Lawrence laments that madmen, or individuals in a state of emotional turmoil, are unable to listen or comprehend rational advice.