The Role of the Nurse in Act 3 Scene 5 of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

The Role of the Nurse in Act 3 Scene 5 of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

'Romeo and Juliet' is a tragic play about love and it's effects. The

main protagonists are Romeo and Juliet, a pair of teenagers, that fall

in love, who seek help from various adults such as their parents,

Friar Lawrence and the Nurse, who all in some way let them down. In

this essay I am concentrating on the role of the Nurse and her

relationship with Juliet.

The Nurse is Juliet's confidant, she has cared for Juliet all her life

and cares for her as she would have Susan, her own child who died.

Shakespeare contrasts the Nurse's memories of Juliet and her enjoyment

of it, 'Now good sweet Nurse', the Nurse has so many memories about

Juliet, she talks about her in a way her mother does and clearly

enjoys the relationship. 'Faith, I can tell her age unto the hour'.

This relationship is contrasted with the one Juliet has with her

mother, Lady Capulet, which is more formal, 'Madam I am here, what is

your will?'. In Act3 Scene 5, the Nurse warns Juliet that her mother

is coming and Romeo to leave. The Nurse is included in Juliet's plans

and plays a pivotal role to pass messages between Juliet and Romeo,

for example, she gives the ring to Romeo earlier in this act. She has

encouraged Juliet's relationship with Romeo, 'There stays a husband to

make you a wife', she has arranged here for Romeo and Juliet to meet

in secret. Considering that she know that Lord and Lady Capulet want

Juliet to marry Paris, that she is in a position of trust in the

Capulet household, has she exceeded her role here? Audiences in

Shakespeare's time would expect children to obey their p...

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audience to measure the change within Juliet, who moves from someone

who needs the Nurse's advice, 'Oh honey Nurse, what news?' to a mind

of her own, 'Go counsellor/ than and my bosom henceforth shall be

twain'.

Does Shakespeare wish us to judge the Nurse as practical or just

merely fickle? The scene ends with Juliet choosing her own path,

'myself have power to die', and choosing to make her own decisions.

The problem with this is that Juliet lacks the experience and wisdom

of life that the Nurse has.

The Nurse plays a critical role in 'Romeo and Juliet'. Her

relationship with major characters and her part in the secretive

romance of the two lovers cause the play's actions to move quickly and

in a powerful way. The Nurse acts as Shakespeare's pawn to guide the

events of the play in a dramatic manner.