Father and Daughter Relationship in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

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Father and Daughter Relationship in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

In 'Romeo and Juliet' Shakespeare explores and contrasts the passion

of two lovers with the violence and bitter hatred between their

families. Shakespeare also has a strong theme of male domination in

the play, and helps express this with the relationship between Juliet

and her father, Old Capulet. Old Capulet is the head of one of the two

households in contrast, Romeo is a member of the other household, the

Montagues. His parents and his relationship with them is barely

mentioned in the play, apart from when his Mother, Lady Montague dies

of grief, after hearing Romeo had been banished, her son's exile had

'taken her breath'. In contrast to this Juliet's relationship with her

father is one of the main underlying storylines in the play, and the

way it is dramatised helps explains why many things are the way they

are in Verona, which is the city which the Capulets and the Montagues

live in.

Shakespeare introduces the relationship between father and daughter in

Act 1 Scene 2. Old Capulet is talking to Paris, a suitor whom he wants

Juliet to marry. The audience hears of Capulet describing Juliet as

his only child, saying 'Earth hath swallow'd all my hopes but she; she

is the hopeful lady of my heart' (lines 14-15). This gives the

impression that he cares deeply for his daughter, and is a good

father. The phrase 'hopeful lady of my heart' suggests he has hope for

her to be something special. He tells Paris to make her fall in love

with him 'but woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart' this suggests to

the audience his actions are not completely selfish, that he does...

... middle of paper ...

... man, and compares the different reactions of father and

daughter to marriage. This shows the audience the lack of

communication and trust between the two. Throughout the play the

audience I]

s struck by the way Old Capulet and Juliet's relationship changes

almost everyday. One moment he is exhibiting the love of a father, the

next he is controlling her, using her to gain a higher social status.

I believe this is because Old Capulet had to make a choice, with his

last living child, Juliet. He had to choose between his desire to love

Juliet as a father, and his need to marry her off, using her to

control his social status. When Old Capulet chooses to use her in Act

3 Scene 4, in between scenes of such infatuation and excitement, this

truly shows the audience the shallow relationship between Juliet and

Old Capulet.

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