The Wise Old Man In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

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The Wise Old Man The wise old man is the type of character represented as a kind and wise, grandfather-type figure who uses personal knowledge to offer guidance for the main character. The Wise Old Man tends and is willing to sacrifice himself in order to help another person, generally the main character, to accomplish that person’s goal(s). His assistance helps the leading character progress, therefore he is the source of influence or development in a story. However, the wise old may not always be the generous grandfather type, he may also be the selfish, evil man seeking the truth for his own desires. All the same, they have one core desire; to find the truth. From where I stand I believe that this archetype is the most interesting, which…show more content…
He is usually there to help the protagonist/hero of a fictional story. For instance, Friar Laurence from William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, plays a part of a wise adviser to Romeo and Juliet. He helps prepare the marriage of Romeo and Juliet as well as trying to stop the feud between the the Capulets and the Montagues. He plays a consequential role in the story. Another example of the wise old man is Utnapishtim from The Epic of Gilgamesh. He advises Gilgamesh, telling him that he can’t seek immortality, instead, he should eat and live healthy. Utnapishtim said “Gilgamesh, where are you hurrying to? You will never find that life for which you are looking. When the gods created man they allotted to him death, but life they retained in their own keeping. As for you, Gilgamesh, fill your belly with good things; day and night, night and day, dance and be merry, feast and rejoice. Let your clothes be fresh, bathe yourself in water, cherish the little child that holds your hand, and make your wife happy in your embrace; for this too is the lot of man,” proving his knowledge and the understanding of the world, which is very accurate. The significance of Utnapishtim in the Epic of Gilgamesh is that it made Gilgamesh considered giving up on seeking immortality, which may have had a huge
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