Question

Friar Laurence: Come, come with me, and we will make short work;
For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone
Till holy church incorporate two in one.

—Romeo and Juliet,
William Shakespeare

Make an inference about Friar Laurence and his motivation in this scene.

What does Friar Laurence plan to do?


What motivates Friar Laurence to go through with the plan?

Answer 1

What he plans to do
- Friar Laurence intends to marry Romeo and Juliet quickly and secretly — “we will make short work” and “Till holy church incorporate two in one” show he will unite them in holy matrimony without delay.

What motivates him
- He hopes the marriage will reconcile the Montagues and Capulets. Friar Laurence explicitly frames the match as a possible cure for the families’ feud; he sees their union as a way to “turn your households’ rancour to pure love.”
- He feels a pastoral duty to guide and protect the young lovers. He treats Romeo like a charge to be steadied and believes formalizing the relationship will stabilize both of them and prevent worse consequences from rash passion.
- He is pragmatic and optimistic about using a personal intervention to achieve a public good. He believes a secret, swift marriage can produce a larger social benefit (peace), so he is willing to bend protocol and take risk.
- A subtler motive is his faith in the power of love and his desire to be an agent of reconciliation; there’s also a hint of personal pride or hope for recognition as the clever peacemaker, which makes him confident enough to act.

In short: Friar Laurence will secretly marry Romeo and Juliet, motivated by a mix of pastoral responsibility, hope for ending the family feud, pragmatic optimism, and a desire to avert greater harm.