So, I came across this phrase “unhappy fortune” in Romeo and Juliet the other day. It’s said by Friar Lawrence, and I was just trying to figure out when exactly he says it in the play.
First, I scoured my copy of the play. I flipped through the pages, scanning for any mention of “unhappy fortune.” It was like looking for a needle in a haystack! My eyes were getting tired, but I kept at it.
Then I remembered the internet exists! So I fired up my browser and started searching. I typed in phrases like “Friar Lawrence unhappy fortune” and “Romeo and Juliet act 5 scene 2.” I got a bunch of results, some about the play, some about libraries, and some random stuff. Not very helpful.
I dug a little deeper. I found some quotes that mentioned Friar John and Mantua, which I recalled were related to the part I was looking for. I read through a few summaries of Act 5, Scene 2. It was starting to make sense.
Finally, I hit the jackpot! I found the passage where Friar Lawrence says, “unhappy fortune!” It’s in Act 5, Scene 2. Friar John was supposed to deliver a letter to Romeo in Mantua, but he couldn’t because of some plague outbreak. That’s when Friar Lawrence says those words, realizing that this messed up everything. He then decides to send another letter to Romeo, this time through Balthasar.
- Go to Juliet and spend time with her.
- Say goodbye.
- Go to Mantua in the middle of the night.
So, yeah, “unhappy fortune” is in Act 5, Scene 2, when Friar Lawrence finds out about the undelivered letter. It’s a pretty big deal in the play because it leads to all the tragic stuff that happens at the end. Man, Shakespeare really knew how to write some drama!
Anyways, that’s my little adventure figuring out when Friar Lawrence says “unhappy fortune.” It took some searching, but I got there in the end. Now I know a little more about Romeo and Juliet, and that’s never a bad thing.
