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How is religion important in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet?

In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the characters have a dual relationship with religion. On the one hand, they see religion as playing a key role in all major aspects of their lives such as marriage and death. On the other hand, none of the characters are what one would call devout Christians, as the tenants of Christianity do not affect their everyday lives, evident by immoral behavior like their constant fighting.


Evidence that religion plays a part in the major aspects of the characters' lives is seen in the fact that both Romeo and Juliet go to Friar Lawrence for advice concerning lust, marriage, and death. In the scene when Romeo goes to Friar Lawrence to ask him to perform the wedding, it becomes evident that Romeo sees Friar Lawrence as important enough in his life for Romeo to have confessed to Friar Laurence his feelings for Rosaline, as we see when Friar Laurence exclaims, "God pardon sin! wast thou with Rosaline?" (Act II, Scene 3, line 44).


Yet, despite the fact that Friar Laurence plays such a major part in the two main characters' lives, none of the characters really act upon Christian principles, as seen in the fact that the Capulets and Montagues are engaged in a senseless feud. Friar Lawrence indicates he is well aware of and very distressed by his parishioners' inability to uphold Christian values. In fact, he agrees to marry Romeo to Juliet only because he hopes their marriage will end the two families' hatred:



In one respect I'll thy assistant be;
For this alliance may so happy prove,
To turn your households' rancour to pure love (Act II, Scene 3, lines 90-93).



The "rancour," or hatred, the two families feel for each other shows they are not upholding the Christian value of love. The characters' actions show they have a rather hypocritical view of religion; while they acknowledge its importance, they don't actually see it as important enough to act upon.

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