Wednesday, December 19, 2018

What two possible reasons does Friar Laurence give for Romeo being up so early?

When Romeo shows up at Friar Lawrence's cell so early in the morning, the holy man first suggests that "a distempered head" got Romeo up early (2.3.35). There are a couple of possibilities here; the friar thinks either that Romeo is not feeling well and this got him out of bed early, or that Romeo is worried about something and his worries woke him up so early. I think it is most likely the latter, especially given that the friar goes on to say that "where care lodges, sleep will never lie" (2.3.38). He means that people always have trouble sleeping when they are worried about something. Finally, if this is not the reason Romeo is up so early, the friar suggests that "Romeo hath not been in bed tonight" (2.3.45). In other words, he begins to think that Romeo has actually just been up all night, perhaps up to some mischief, and this is how it is that he is up and moving around so early.


In Act II, Scene 3, Romeo goes to visit Friar Laurence early in the morning. This scene takes place the morning after the party where Romeo meets Juliet and falls in love with her. Romeo has come to explain to Friar Laurence that he is no longer in love with Rosaline—he now loves Juliet. Romeo also has come to ask Friar Laurence if he will marry him and Juliet. When Romeo comes into the scene, Friar Laurence is in his garden contemplating the power of nature. Friar Laurence greets Romeo and is surprised at how early Romeo has come. The first reason Friar Laurence states as to why Romeo is visiting so early is that Romeo is worried or anxious about something. Friar Laurence then says that if that is not the case, Romeo must be visiting so early because he did not go to sleep the previous night.

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