Act Six,
Scene One
'Reflections'
Summary- Friar Lawrence reflects on what has happened over the years, ten years after the end of the play.
[Enter, Friar Lawrence. He is atop a mountain chapel, hidden in the Alps, north of Verona. Now, he works as a monk, for the religion, and for the church. He goes about his morning chores. It is very early. It is a very important anniversary]
Friar Lawrence- [Sadly] Many years has past since the day of loss. Much time has gone by since the end of a true story of love. Many years, has it been since the loss of Noble Romeo, and Fair Juliet.
[He walks down a small path, leading down the mountain into which the chapel is built. He passes a few other monks as he goes alone, and says nothing, as it is their oath to silence. He brings several dirties clothes with him.]
Friar Lawrence- The day ahs retuned once more. Another time, must I bear the burden of my mistakes, and my faults to both noble families of Verona. For it is the tenth year, since the passing of those young lovers. I thought that I could escape my shame. I had left Verona, and joined the Monastery. I had thought that if I had put distance between myself and the city, which I might forget about what had happened. What I had helped set in motion.
[He comes to the bottom on the path, and into a very small spring, where he places his bundle down. He slowly begins to wash the clothes, as he continues to reminisce about things of the past. He drops the clothes into the icy water a few times, because of the extremely little light of pre- dawn.]
Friar Lawrence- Would things had been different had I not wed them? Would it have turned out for the better on the part of Romeo? Or Juliet? Would denying them a chance at that marriage have saved their lives? So many things I could have done different. So many things I could have changed.was going about the potion plant, a risky operation in itself, the right thing to do. Was not delivering the message to Juliet's life to Romeo myself a mistake? Had they not died, would things have been better?
[He continues to wash the clothes, as the dim light slowly becomes more and more, as the sun works its way, slowly up the alps, past the horizon. He is nearly finished with the clothes.]
Friar Lawrence- But if they had not passed, the Montagues, and Capulets both noble families in right, would never had stopped feuding. The killing would continue, even now. More and more death would deface the streets of Verona. Not just Romeo. Not just Juliet. Nor just Tybalt, or Mercutio. The struggle would not have ended.
[The first rays of sunlight piece the skies. The Friar finishes his clothing washes, packs them up, and begins to head up another path that goes back to the Monastery. This one, after leading him up a bit longer, takes him to a clearing, where he stops to observe the first raise of the sun. Orange and Red fills the skies, bouncing off a few clouds, making them seem pink. The sky is ablaze with color, and the sunlight, so thick it is almost visible, shines through the trees, in thick bands, rapping around everything.]
Friar Lawrence- But, I know, in my heart of hearts, that I am the one at fault. I got myself involved, where I should not have been. I had complicated matters, and for that, the two young and most pure of lover paid. All I can do, is stay here, and hope that my work in the sight of god, may atone for the sins I committed, that lead up to this event. Perhaps, maybe then, my soul will find peace.
[He continues up the trail to the Chapel, without another thought on the issue. The sun, in all its glory, is now raised fully into the sky.]
'Reflections'
Summary- Friar Lawrence reflects on what has happened over the years, ten years after the end of the play.
[Enter, Friar Lawrence. He is atop a mountain chapel, hidden in the Alps, north of Verona. Now, he works as a monk, for the religion, and for the church. He goes about his morning chores. It is very early. It is a very important anniversary]
Friar Lawrence- [Sadly] Many years has past since the day of loss. Much time has gone by since the end of a true story of love. Many years, has it been since the loss of Noble Romeo, and Fair Juliet.
[He walks down a small path, leading down the mountain into which the chapel is built. He passes a few other monks as he goes alone, and says nothing, as it is their oath to silence. He brings several dirties clothes with him.]
Friar Lawrence- The day ahs retuned once more. Another time, must I bear the burden of my mistakes, and my faults to both noble families of Verona. For it is the tenth year, since the passing of those young lovers. I thought that I could escape my shame. I had left Verona, and joined the Monastery. I had thought that if I had put distance between myself and the city, which I might forget about what had happened. What I had helped set in motion.
[He comes to the bottom on the path, and into a very small spring, where he places his bundle down. He slowly begins to wash the clothes, as he continues to reminisce about things of the past. He drops the clothes into the icy water a few times, because of the extremely little light of pre- dawn.]
Friar Lawrence- Would things had been different had I not wed them? Would it have turned out for the better on the part of Romeo? Or Juliet? Would denying them a chance at that marriage have saved their lives? So many things I could have done different. So many things I could have changed.was going about the potion plant, a risky operation in itself, the right thing to do. Was not delivering the message to Juliet's life to Romeo myself a mistake? Had they not died, would things have been better?
[He continues to wash the clothes, as the dim light slowly becomes more and more, as the sun works its way, slowly up the alps, past the horizon. He is nearly finished with the clothes.]
Friar Lawrence- But if they had not passed, the Montagues, and Capulets both noble families in right, would never had stopped feuding. The killing would continue, even now. More and more death would deface the streets of Verona. Not just Romeo. Not just Juliet. Nor just Tybalt, or Mercutio. The struggle would not have ended.
[The first rays of sunlight piece the skies. The Friar finishes his clothing washes, packs them up, and begins to head up another path that goes back to the Monastery. This one, after leading him up a bit longer, takes him to a clearing, where he stops to observe the first raise of the sun. Orange and Red fills the skies, bouncing off a few clouds, making them seem pink. The sky is ablaze with color, and the sunlight, so thick it is almost visible, shines through the trees, in thick bands, rapping around everything.]
Friar Lawrence- But, I know, in my heart of hearts, that I am the one at fault. I got myself involved, where I should not have been. I had complicated matters, and for that, the two young and most pure of lover paid. All I can do, is stay here, and hope that my work in the sight of god, may atone for the sins I committed, that lead up to this event. Perhaps, maybe then, my soul will find peace.
[He continues up the trail to the Chapel, without another thought on the issue. The sun, in all its glory, is now raised fully into the sky.]