Extent the Nurse is to Blame in Romeo and Juliet

634 Words2 Pages

In Romeo and Juliet, to what extent is the Nurse to blame for the tragedy?

In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the Nurse, by her thoughtless support of the affair between the lovers and fickle counsel, is partly to blame for the tragedy. However, it is not one factor alone that brings about the death of Romeo and Juliet, but a combination of significant actions and underlying forces.

In spite of this, is certain that the Nurse played a serious role in encouraging the lovers? relationship to blossom. Instead of advising Juliet on the dangers of a love that is ?too rash, too unadvis?d, to sudden?, she continues to place Romeo upon a pedestal, proclaiming his ?face be better than any man?s, his leg excels all men?s, his [body parts] are past compare?. Her haste for Juliet to ?hie hence to Friar Lawrence? cell?, and preparations for ?cords? to be brought for Romeo to ?convoy [to Juliet] in the secret night?, are gestures that illustrate her desire for their relationship to progress quickly. Therefore by offering her approval of Romeo, the Nurse inadvertedly strengthens Juliet?s devo...

Show More
Related

  • Quotes For Romeo And Juliet

    902 Words  | 2 Pages

    She always wanted to keep Juliet happy. As Juliet fell in love with Romeo The Nurse went behind the backs of Juliet’s parents and was sending messages between the two. “By my troth, it is well said. “For himself to mar,”/ Quoth he? Gentlemen, can any of you tell me where I/ May find the young Romeo?” (2.4.60). The Nurse was someone Juliet went to whenever she needed help, and The Nurse always delivered, but this time The Nurse helped her do something that was never thought about in the house of a Capulet, to marry a Montague. Furthermore, Juliet’s actions were very childish, but the person that was supposed to guide her did not do anything to stop her. Instead of going to Juliet’s parents and telling them what was going on between the two, The Nurse helped them get married. “Then hei you hence to Friar Lawrence's cell./ There stays a husband waiting to make you his wife.”(2.5. 60-65) She could have put it to a stop by telling Juliet she was not allowed to get married. Instead The Nurse gave Juliet her blessing and was helping her get married. By the time The Nurse realized she should not have been helping Juliet it was already too late. All in all, The Nurse failed as a God Teacher because she had the power to stop all of this, but instead she put Juliet's happiness before her best interest and that did not end well resulting in the death of Juliet

    Read More

  • Dishonesty in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

    764 Words  | 2 Pages

    The suicides of Romeo and Juliet reflect their hasty and impulsive decisions as well as the dishonesty of Friar Lawrence and the Nurse. Romeo’s haste in drinking the venomous poison, Friar’s cowardice in handling the consequences as well as the Nurse’s choice of standing against the relationship of Romeo and Juliet contribute equally to their fatal end. Therefore, dishonesty and haste can result in undesirable circumstances to any individual.

    Read More

  • Mercutio and the Nurse in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

    661 Words  | 2 Pages

    his life round than just one woman. On the same night they go out Romeo first sets his eyes on Juliet and it is love at first sight. They are both for Romeo or Juliet when they most need it. The Nurse is totally devoted to Juliet and is also loyal to her.

    Read More

  • The Nurse in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

    1674 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Nurse possesses many qualities. For example, she is very hearty towards Juliet, kind, protective, compassionate and a loving lady. In some parts of the play The Nurse can be long-winded, insensitive, arrogant, insecure and stupid at times but she loves Juliet very much, partially as she imagines that Juliet is a substitute for her own daughter Susan. She has a bawdy sense of humor, which brings out the naturalness of sex and childbearing. This is seen when she tells Juliet to look for love, - “Go girl, seek happy nights to happy days';. This displays a realistic attitude to love. Such bawdy realism is, like the ribaldry of Mercutio and company, a contrast with the tender, romantic and passionate feelings of Romeo and Juliet. The Nurse is a practical but rather stupid woman at times. She loves Juliet like her own child. Throughout the play The Nurse is very talkative. She will usually do what she believes is right or what Juliet wants, like secretly meeting with Romeo and arranging the wedding of Romeo and Juliet.

    Read More

  • The Deaths of Romeo and Juliet

    1198 Words  | 3 Pages

    This shows that the Nurse is following orders from Juliet, because she thinks it will make Juliet happy. Although she does, she does not seem to be bothered about the damage she could cause in the future. This is one reason why the Nurse could be to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Another point in the play where the Nurse contributes to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet is when the proposal of Paris comes along. At this stage in the play, Romeo has been banished.

    Read More

  • Causes Of Suicide In Romeo And Juliet

    971 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Nurse’s job is take care of Juliet and raise her; however, upon learning that Juliet is romantically involved with their family’s enemy, she doesn’t provide any form of counsel to Juliet.” I must another way, To fetch a ladder by the which your love Must climb a bird 's nest soon when its dark.” (2.5.77-79). The Nurse aides Romeo by telling him a way to Juliet’s room showing her approval of the relationship. She did not provide any form of counsel to Juliet or inform Capulet or Lady Capulet about Juliet’s relationship. Due to the fact that the Nurse does not do her job and doesn’t tell Juliet to end her relationship with Romeo, it caused this ill-fated relationship to continue. To add to the issue, the Nurse later betrays Juliet when Juliet begs her for help. “I think you are happy in this second match, For it excels your first, or, if it did not, Your first is dead, or 'twere as good he were, As living here and you no use of him.” (3.5.226-238). The Nurse goes against her previous actions and expects Juliet to forget about Romeo by dispraising him. Juliet wants to remain faithful to her husband and this betrayal along with Capulet’s ultimatum causes Juliet to act hastily and want to die if she wasn’t with

    Read More

  • Moral Dilemmas in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

    1235 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Nurse was another ally to Romeo and Juliet. The Nurse loved Juliet and wanted what was best for her.

    Read More

  • Lord Capulet Is To Blame In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

    667 Words  | 2 Pages

    The fact that the Nurse sided against Juliet was the last straw for Juliet. That was what finally pushed Juliet into seeing the Friar to discuss their deviant and ultimately unsuccessful plan. In the end, Juliet’s nurse shares the blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet because, similar to Juliet’s parents, she supports the idea of Juliet marrying Paris. Furthermore, this gives Juliet the reason to hopelessly give up because she has already lost everything. Juliet would be willing to do anything to be with Romeo at this point, all because of the

    Read More

  • Three People, Two Deaths, One Great Tragedy

    737 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Nurse was also responsible for the tragic ending of the play. When Romeo and Juliet met, the Nurse became their messenger. She helped them be together even though she knew Romeo was a Montague and that Juliet's family would disapprove. The Nurse brought news to Juliet from Romeo telling her to sneak out so they could get married. She helped Juliet get out of her house by bringing her a rope ladder to climb off her balcony with and telling her parents that she went to shrift. The Nurse kept Romeo and Juliet's marriage a secret from the families. When Juliet's parents said she should marry Paris, the Nurse agreed and said that Juliet should forget about Romeo because he was in Mantua. With the Nurse no longer on her side she had no one to help her and back her up but the Friar. In this way she had a large impact on the terrible ending of Romeo and Juliet.

    Read More

  • Comparing Nurse And Friar Lawrence In William Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

    460 Words  | 1 Pages

    In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Juliet’s Nurse and Friar Lawrence both intentionally advance Romeo and Juliet’s relationship, yet they help for very different reasons. The Nurse firmly believes that “women grow by men,” meaning that young girls should marry a proper man, aids Juliet’s relationship with Romeo so that Juliet herself could be happily married (1.2.95). Just before the Capulet ball, the Nurse encourages Juliet to “seek happy nights and happy days” urging her to watch for a suitable match at the ball, especially Paris (1.4.106). On the following day, the Nurse, sent by Juliet, willfully rushes to Romeo and arranges the next meeting between the two lovers because her greatest wish is for Juliet to be happily married. Before planning the union of the two

    Read More

  • The Nurse Is To Blame In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

    587 Words  | 2 Pages

    One reason why the nurse is responsible for this is because she enables Juliet to experience passionate feelings for Romeo. She complimented Romeo when she knew it was wrong. “Your love says, like an honest gentleman, and courteous, and a kind handsome, and I warrant, and a virtuous,” (2.5.40). Instead of saying negative things about Romeo, the nurse says compliments about him. She should be saying bad things to discourage Juliet from falling in love with him. One of the reasons that the nurse is responsible for the deaths is because of all the good things the nurse said about Romeo, therefore causing Juliet to fall in love with him. This causes them to have a relationship which later lead to their

    Read More

  • Friar Lawrence In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

    863 Words  | 2 Pages

    After Juliet had known Romeo for a day, the Nurse aids Juliet with wedding plans as she delivers the offer to Romeo and tells Juliet the plan. Despite the Montagues harassing and belittling her, the Nurse enables the marriage that was solely based on haste. If the Nurses reasoned and discussed with Juliet, she could’ve prevented the complications that later occurred especially when her parents enforced Juliet to marry County Paris. After Romeo kills Tybalt and flees to Friar Lawrence’s cell, the Nurse informs Romeo that Juliet forgives him. The Nurse then continues with the plan and retrieves the sex ladder.

    Read More

  • Responsible For Deaths In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

    747 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the Shakespearean tale of Romeo and Juliet, the kins of two feuding houses, fall madly in love and proceed to tell but a few loving individuals of their sudden romantic endurance. These individuals could have easily prevented their deaths and given them a chance at a longer life, but they proceeded to craft and aid in these two love struck kids ticket to death. The person that I believe to be mostly responsible for their deaths is the motherly Nurse.

    Read More

  • Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet: Good and Bad Advice

    1597 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...give you happiness. This is also referring back to the Romeo and Juliet effect because the nurse wants Juliet to find someone else although this just makes Juliet like Romeo even more. Juliet took this advice by staying with Romeo that led to more conflict thus leading to Juliet’s death. Therefor, the nurse is once again responsible for Juliet’s death.

    Read More

  • The Role Of Parents In Romeo And Juliet

    1348 Words  | 3 Pages

    Firstly, Juliet is misguided by the Nurse – a bawdy woman who is too caught up in her own sentimental feelings to support and direct Juliet through hers. She is responsible for encouraging Juliet’s marriage with Romeo (her lover) shortly after they meet, despite knowing that

    Read More

More about Extent the Nurse is to Blame in Romeo and Juliet

Open Document