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Portrayal of women in Shakespeare
Capulets treatment of juliet
Analysis of juliet
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In the beginning of the play Paris asks lord Capulet for Juliet’s hand in marriage. Lord Capulet, being protective and sensitive, replies ‘my child is yet a stranger in the world’. This shows us that lord Capulet did not agree to Paris and Juliet’s marriage at that time, he has proven this to the audience by describing Juliet as a ‘stranger in the world’. By using the word ‘child’ and ‘stranger’, Lord Capulet is implying that his daughter is not mature enough and that she still hasn’t seen the world properly. He is more interested in ensuring that she marries well and soon rather than her personal happiness. He tells Paris that although she is "free to choose" her own companion, it must be from a narrow pool that he has permitted. He sees no reason why his daughter would demur marrying Paris. Even so, Lord Capulet is not very ardent on having his daughter married to Paris at such a young age. This shows us how protective he is of Juliet, which is why he invites Paris to his feast the following night, so he can ‘win her heart’. Shakespeare wrote his plays in the Elizabethan age, so naturally he based most of his plays on the ethics and social standards of the time. During the Elizabethan period noble women were expected to be married off to rich, and prosperous men. Fathers choose the men they considered “suitable” for their daughters, aiming to marry them in rich families so their wealth is not propagated. Men were considered the bread winners of the family and women inferior to them. If a woman disagrees to her father's wishes, then she could be banished or disowned from the house. Juliet’s repudiation to marry Paris affects her father in a variety of ways. On his first encounter with Juliet, Lord Capulet asks why she is “evermo... ... middle of paper ... ... is stilted and genteel, whereas the Nurse is very open with her opinions, advice, and feelings with Juliet. In act 3 scene 2, when the Nurse informs Juliet about Romeo’s banishment and Tybalt's death, Juliet gets despondent. Juliet laments that she will “die” without a wedding night, as a “maiden-widowed”. The nurse tries to up her mood by assuring her that “Romeo will be here at night”. The nurse also knows that Romeo “is hid at Lawrence’ cell” This tells us that although the Nurse knows where Romeo is hiding, she still doesn’t tell that to Lord Capulet, who at that time would be looking to take revenge of Tybalt's death. And on the other hand the nurse promises Juliet that she will bring Romeo to her tonight to “comfort” her, and bringing a Montague to a Capulets mansion is against the rules, so the nurse is going against Lord Capulets authority just for Juliet.
This could potentially be because he previously said that Juliet was “yet a stranger in the world” meaning that she has not seen very much or experienced very much so far in her life, leading the reader to think that her father, Lord Capulet, believes she should be give more time to live her life as a child before being married and then having to undertake the duties of a wife. However, this is slightly ironic because throughout the play it is shown and implied that Juliet was not let out to experience the world outside her palace home very often and Lord Capulet is suggesting she should be left to experience the world for two years prior to marriage. Furthermore, this all presents Lord Capulet as both a good and bad father, depending on the time period in which it is viewed from. If it where viewed from the time period in which the play is set or written then Capulet would be frowned upon as it was the duty of a father in that period to ensure that their child has a suited to marry, in the case of a girl/women, or had been selected as a suited for somebody else, in the case of a man.
Lady Capulet is very materialistic and she wants Juliet to gain wealth and status by marrying Paris ‘’Share all that he doth possess’’. In addition, because she got married at a young age, therefore she thinks it’s right for Juliet to be married at a young age ‘’I was likely your mother at just about your age’’. Moreover, she constantly urges Juliet to marry Paris without any sense of consideration for Juliet’s opinions or feelings, about the alliance of the marriage. Furthermore, this illustrates her cold attitude towards love and marriage as she only talks about Paris Social position and wealth.
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...
When there is a fight in the market place, Capulet rushes to fight for his honor, “my sword I say, old Montague is come...” Capulet denies Paris’ request to marry Juliet “ and too soon marred are those so early made,” acting for his own good because he wants Juliet to produce many offspring to carry on the Capulets bloodline, since she is his only surviving child. When at the ball Capulet demands Tybalt to let Romeo be,” content thee, gentle coz, let him alone,” but this just fuels Tybalts anger towards Romeo, which eventually ends up in Tybalt causing his own death. Capulet believes he is giving his child the best when he announces her engagement to Paris” she shall be married to this noble earl,” and believes Paris will make a good husband for Juliet. When Juliet refuses Capulet thinks it best to threaten her, “I will drag thee,” but this just makes Juliet turn to more drastic measures.
So This should not be taken as an insult because Juliet has done nothing. wrong in her eyes. In Act III Scene 5 Lady Capulet tells Juliet that. "The county Paris at Saint Peter's Church Shall happily make thee. there a joyful bride.
Lord Capulet is a loving father who deeply cares for Juliet. When he arranges the marriage between her and Paris, he is just trying to do what he feels is best for her. He knows Paris, being handsome and rich, will make a good husband to Juliet. When she refuses to marry Paris he goes into a violent rage, saying things he doesn’t mean. “Hang thee, young baggage, disobedient wretch! / I tell thee what: get thee to church o’Thursday, / Or never after look me in the face.”(3.5.166-168). He feels that the marriage of the two will be beneficial for Juliet and he loves her so much that he doesn’t mean to hurt her feelings. When Juliet “dies” he laments. “Despised, distressed, hated, martyred, killed! / Uncomfortable time, why cam’st thou now/ To murder, murder our solemnity? / O child! O child! My soul and not my child! / Dead art thou! Alack, my child is dead, / And with my child my joys are buried.” (4.5.65-70). He cries out in a pain and anguish for his lost daughter Juliet. By showing emotion on account of her death and for her disobedience, Capulet shows that he really does care for Juliet and that he is a good father, wanting the best for her.
Where as the Nurse tried helping and did the what was best for the couple although it was not what Juliet wanted. The nurse did the most realistic, mature thing by telling Juliet to simply marry Paris.
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.
Juliet attracts the attention of Count Paris, and her father (Lord Capulet) wisely says that Juliet "is yet a stranger in the world" (Act I.2.8) and should be allowed "two more summers" (Act I.2.10) to grow until she is ready for marriage. This implies that Juliet is young and has not yet matured to the level where she is eligible to be married. Lord Capulet's love for his daughter leads him to protect her from the prospective marriage until she is "ripe to be a bride" (Act I.2.11). The audience's first impression of Juliet, however, is through her interaction with her mother (Lady Capulet) and the Nurse. From the Nurse's remarks, the audience learns that Juliet is thirteen and "Come Lammas-eve at night shall [Juliet turn] fourteen" (Act I.3.18-9).
Considerable expectations are placed on Juliet due to her gender. As a female, Juliet was expected to marry the man of her family’s choosing, granting her no control over her future. Capulet and County Paris discuss whether Juliet is fit to be a bride. Although age plays a factor in this decision, Capulet is deciding his daughter’s fate based on the expected gender roles of her being the sole female daughter of the family, “ She hath not seen the change of fourteen years;/Let two more summers wither in their pride/
When Juliet insisted she didn’t wish to marry Paris, he would hear none of it. He thought her ungrateful and disobedient, and he refused to change his plans. Juliet could see no way out except to fake her own death. Had Capulet been more understanding and flexible, Juliet’s fake death – and, later, her real one – could have been avoided. Nurse was a fickle character, her changeability was significant in partly causing Juliet’s pseudo-death.
Throughout the scene, we are given the impression that Capulet is kind-hearted, because he wants his daughter to marry for love and wants Paris to ‘woo her’ and work hard to ‘get her heart’, although we are still aware of his power to force Juliet into a marriage if necessary.... ... middle of paper ... ... Lord Capulet takes it for granted that his daughter will do what he tells her, saying ‘I will make a desperate tender / Of my child’s love’, taking responsibility away from Juliet and perhaps suggesting that she can’t decide for herself. Juliet’s parents appear understanding of her grief at first, but then plan the wedding in only 3 days, not giving her time to grieve.
In Shakespeare’s time, women had very limited rights. They were expected to be submissive to any man no matter the relationship. Women were supposed to do domestic services while the higher-class women were taken to nunneries to like. They were not allowed in any decision-making. If a husband said no, that was the end of the conversation. Women were required to respect their husband’s word and consider it law.
In the time of Romeo and Juliet, being a protective father is a good thing, rather than a burden as most modern teenagers see this situation. Mr.Capulet also has a very good reason for protecting Juliet, as she is his only living child. Since the rest of his children have died, Juliet has become very precious to him. He values her consent over his own when it comes to marriage, and wants her to wait two more years to get
“Is she a Capulet? O dear account! my life is my foe’s debt” (1.5.117-118). There are many factors that put pressure on Romeo’s and Juliet’s relationship throughout Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The young couple is effected in many ways by every instance that creates stress which Romeo’s and Juliet’s relationship is being forced to carry. The biggest factors that impact them are, their families ongoing feud, the broken relationships they both have in their families, and all the instances of miscommunication. Through the story of the couple who meet one another at a dance, sneak around at night to see one another, and fight for eachother, they face challenges many challenges, that add stress to their relationship.