Question

What are some quotes that show Friar Lawrence kept Romeo and Juliet's marrige a secret in Romeo and Juliet?

Accepted Answer

One can argue that Friar Lawrence was partly to blame for the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.  While he had the best intentions, Friar Lawrence married Romeo and Juliet in secret and led to their self-destruction.
Romeo arranges with Juliet’s nurse a pretext for Juliet visiting Friar Lawrence so that they can secretly get married.

Bid her devise some means to come to shrift
This afternoon;
And there she shall at Friar Laurence’ cell
Be shriv'd and married. Here is for thy pains. (Act 2, Scene 4, pdf p. 54)

Since Juliet is “devising a means to come” to see Friar Lawrence, it is clear that the marriage is a secret.

The nurse agrees, and tells Juliet.
Hie you to church; I must another way,
To fetch a ladder, by the which your love(75)
Must climb a bird's nest soon when it is dark. (Act 2, Scene 5, p. 57-58)

Since Romeo has to use a ladder to sneak into Juliet’s room, clearly no one knows about the marriage.
Juliet’s parents do not know she is married, and they want her to marry Paris.  Juliet does not tell them.  In a juicy bit of irony, she says she hates Romeo but would rather marry him than Paris.

I pray you tell my lord and father, madam,
I will not marry yet; and when I do, I swear
It shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate,(125)
Rather than Paris. These are news indeed! (Act 3, Scene 5, p. 82)

Finally, at the end, Friar Lawrence reveals the truth.

Romeo, there dead, was husband to that Juliet;
And she, there dead, that Romeo's faithful wife.
I married them; and their stol'n marriage day
Was Tybalt's doomsday, whose untimely death(245)
Banish'd the new-made bridegroom from this city; (Act 5, Scene 3, p. 114)

Friar Lawrence describes the wedding day as stolen because it was a secret.
Note:  I will use the enotes pdf for all quotes. You can find it here: http://www.enotes.com/romeo-and-juliet-text

Answer

Friar Laurence marries Romeo and Juliet because he believes such a marriage would unite the Montague and Capulet families, who had been feuding for many years, perhaps even decades or centuries. He tells Romeo in act 2, scene 4:

For this alliance may so happy proveTo turn your households’ rancor to pure love.

That Friar Laurence keeps the marriage a secret is assumed, even when he is confronted with the debacle following the violence in the streets which claims the lives of Mercutio and Tybalt and results in the banishment of Romeo. The Friar's solution to Romeo and Juliet's separation is to keep the marriage confidential until some time has passed and tempers have calmed. He says, in act 3, scene 3:

Go, get thee to thy love, as was decreed.
Ascend her chamber. Hence and comfort her.
But look thou stay not till the watch be set,
For then thou canst not pass to Mantua,
Where thou shalt live till we can find a time
To blaze your marriage, reconcile your friends,
Beg pardon of the Prince

(The entire section contains 2 answers and 818 words.)

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Friar Laurence also hides the marriage from Count Paris when he visits the Friar to seek assistance with Paris's own marriage to Juliet. Laurence is desperate to keep the proceedings from going forth. He tells Paris, "Uneven is the course. I like it not." Moreover, in an aside at the outset of act 4, unheard by Paris, Laurence suggests "I would I knew not why it should be slowed," meaning he wants no business marrying Juliet twice.

Later in act 4, he again hides more than just the marriage when he comes to the Capulet house after Juliet has supposedly turned up dead. He acts as though Juliet is in heaven and that she is better off:

Heaven and yourselfHad part in this fair maid. Now heaven hath all,And all the better is it for the maid.Your part in her you could not keep from death,But heaven keeps his part in eternal life.

Finally, after the Friar's plan has collapses, he is summoned to the tomb where he tells the entire story of the young couple's clandestine marriage, his attempts to reunite them, and his failed attempt to get a note to Romeo informing him of Juliet's faked death. He tells the Prince:

Romeo, there dead, was husband to that Juliet,And she, there dead, that Romeo’s faithful wife.I married them, and their stol’n marriage day . . .

Then gave I her (so tutored by my art)A sleeping potion, which so took effectAs I intended, for it wrought on herThe form of death. Meantime I writ to RomeoThat he should hither come as this dire nightTo help to take her from her borrowed grave,Being the time the potion’s force should cease.But he which bore my letter, Friar John,Was stayed by accident, and yesternightReturned my letter back.

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

What are some quotes that show Friar Lawrence kept Romeo and Juliet's marrige a secret in Romeo and Juliet?

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