Love and Death in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

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I do not think Romeo and Juliet are close to their parents, nor do I think their parents know them very well. At the beginning of the play, when Romeo is moping over Rosaline, his father is worried about him but he actually does nothing about it. Juliet's parents are nasty to her, especially her father, who is particularly horrible when she says she wants to marry for love. He tells her that he has lined up a suitable husband, meaning a wealthy one, and that is that. If she doesn't marry Paris (that's his name) she will be thrown out of the house, to fend for herself.

What her father does not know is that his only daughter, who he is supposed to be so concerned about, is already married to the son of his enemy, Montague. He really doesn't communicate with his daughter at all, if this is the case. Obviously she has not spoken to him about it. She cannot even share her secret about the most important moment in her life with her mother. The only person who knows is her nurse, who helps to arrange everything, the way a mother should. Juliet's nurse has been with her since birth and brought her up like her own daughter (she had a daughter of her own but she died). You could say that the nurse is Juliet's substitute mother, even though she is a servant in the Capulet household.

She does love Juliet

Nurse: Thou wast the prettiest babe that e'er I nursed.

An I might live to see thee married once,

I have my wish.

but she also likes to boss her around, though I think this is because she wants Juliet to be happy. She does not put Romeo down, at least not until after he has killed Tybalt and the Prince of Verona has exiled him. Then, when Paris is named as Juliet's husband, and Juliet asks her dear nurse for advice, she says the wrong thing entirely.

Nurse: I think it best you married with the County.

O, he's a lovely gentleman!

Romeo's a dishclout to him.

This is when Juliet feels completely alone, and goes to the Friar for help.

Romeo has more freedom of movement than Juliet does in Verona, before he is exiled that is, but he, too, depends on the Friar for fatherly advice.

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