, impulsive,
emotional, and living very much in the moment, is so distraught at being banished from Verona
that he tellshe wants to kill himself.
As usual, Friar Laurence has to
counsel Romeo to tamp down his overblown emotional fever. When Romeo mentions suicide, Friar
Laurence rebukes him roughly, telling him he isn't making any sense. If he lovesso much that he
can't bear to be apart from her, and he is convinced she loves him, why would he even be
thinking of putting her through the pain his suicide would cause her? Friar Laurence
says,
Thy dear love sworn but hollow perjury,
Killing that love which thou hast vowed to cherish . . .
In other words, suicide would be a violation of the love he has sworn to Juliet and
would show it to be a lie. If you love somebody, you don't hurt them that way.
Friar Laurence also tells Romeo he should be gratefuldidn't have him executed for
killing , as he could have done. He advises Romeo to pull himself together, spend his wedding
night with Juliet, and then leave Verona. Friar Laurence assures Romeo that he will reveal the
secret of the wedding as soon as it makes sense to do so and plead with the prince to have mercy
and allow Romeo to return. The friar is the level-headed adult who tries to get Romeo focused on
coming up with a plan and thinking of tomorrow.
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