Capulet Confronts Crying Juliet in Act

This suggests that he is a caring and protective father to her. We have seen this attitude before in the play, when in Act 1, Scene 2 Paris asks him for Juliet's hand in marriage. He says:

"My child is still a stranger in the world, she hath not seen the change of fourteen years." This again shows Capulet's caring and protective attitude towards Juliet. He is keen for his daughter to find a considerate husband, but goes along with Paris' proposal as long as Juliet consents.

Other scenes in the play where we see Lord Capulet in a pleasant mood are at the party scene, when Capulet offers a hearty welcome to his guests and then sits down with his aged cousin to watch the fun. This shows that he is a bit of a party animal. Later on in this scene Tybalt catches Romeo at the party, and wants to pick a fight. Capulet stays calm, and scolds him. He doesn't really mind Romeo being there.

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He says:

"Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone." Which is another example of his pleasant personality. But this is ironic because later on in the play his attitude changes dramatically, he forces Juliet into marriage.

In Act 3 Scene 5, Capulet is furious with Juliet. There has been evidence that he has a temper, and does not like his position as head of the Capulet family to be challenged, e.g. in Act 1, Scene 1 a furious riot in the streets of Verona develops. It is Capulet's first appearance.

This made me think that he could be a bit of a joker, especially when his wife says "A crutch, A crutch" She stops him from fighting and tells him that he needs a crutch, not a sword. But in fact this is misleading. He says

"Give me my long sword ho!." He is infuriated by Montague, who has pulled his sword. Another instance where we experience Capulet's fiery temper is in Act 1 Scene 5, when he rebukes Tybalt for wanting to pick a fight with Romeo. He is calm at first, but then says:

"You'll not endure him! God shall mend my soul! You'll make a mutiny among my guests!" This quote reinforces my idea that he is angry with Tybalt, and does not want him to start a fight in front of his guests and cause trouble just because of this little thing. He repeatedly gives him firm warnings.

In Act 1, Juliet appears as a kind and obedient daughter. She answers her mothers call:

"Madam, I am here, what is your will?" I notice that she calls her "Madam" not mother, it is obvious that she has been influenced by the nurse, which tells us that maybe she is not as close to her mother as she is with the nurse. Her mother is very dominating, like her father. We also get the impression that Juliet would never want to betray her parents.

When Juliet meets Romeo, they both fall in love, unaware that they belong to rival families. It is love at first sight, as the 2 share a kiss and a sonnet. When she meets him she suddenly becomes romantic and passionate, I notice this by looking at the language she uses. She says:

"Then move not, while my prayers effect I take. Thus from my lips, by thine my sin is purged." This suggests that she wants him to kiss her, and then encourages him to do so again, by saying:

"Give me my sin again" and then compliments him: "You kiss by th' book." She is suddenly

head-strong, and not thinking about what she is doing, putting love above her loyalty to her family, and in effect betraying her parents by kissing a Montague, although she is not aware of it right at this moment In this scene Romeo says that their love can only be described religiously, he sees Juliet as a saint that should be worshipped. In the Elizabethan times this was called idolatry and disrespectful. Juliet then again puts her love above her family by freely talking to him about this, and she describes Romeo as "God of her idolatry", so basically she is replacing God with Romeo. I think the reason for Juliet's sudden change of attitude might be because she is starting to mature from a teenager to a mature woman, and has never experienced love properly. Act 3 Scene 4 opens, and we see Capulet, and Lady Capulet talking to Paris. They discuss Juliet's reaction to Tybalt's death, and decide to make a date for Paris to marry her. But because of Tybalt's death they cannot have a celebration to soon. Capulet decides that Thursday would be suitable, and sends Lady Capulet to tell Juliet the news. Paris leaves happily. Old Capulet's inconsiderate and secretive decision is like Romeo and Juliet meeting, the scene is short, quick and to the point. It shows Old Capulet's authority and power. This is ironic to the audience because we already know that Juliet is married to Romeo Montague. Capulet says that his daughter will accept his advice:

"I think she will be ruled in all respects by me; nay more, I doubt it not." He thinks that Juliet will marry whoever he recommends to her, and Paris can be assured that his wedding will take place.

In Act 3, Scene 5 dramatic tension is created. At the beginning of the scene we see the two lovers, the morning after their wedding night. They are deeply in love and do not want to be separated. This is shown in their language. Juliet says: "Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet near day; it was the nightingale, and not the lark." This quote implies that she is trying to persuade Romeo to stay because she loves him so much and cannot bear to see him go. But Romeo persists, by saying: "I must be gone, and live, or stay and die!" He knows what will happen if he stays. Dramatic tension is created in the audience because we know what will happen if Capulet or Lady Capulet bursts in right at that moment, especially as he should be in Mantua, banished from the land. We cannot imagine what Capulet's reaction would be to see him in his daughters bedroom, and taken her virginity.

Finally, they accept it is morning and time to part. The nurse bursts in and warns the lovers that her mother is coming, which brings the tension to a climax. They are both at the window, putting of their moment of final separation. He even offers to stay there and die, he says: "Let me be ta'en, let me be put to death; I am content so thou wilt have it so." Dramatic tension in this scene is supported by elevated poetry, called an "aubade" that Shakespeare used to heighten the emotions. When Romeo leaves, Juliet's words are filled with feeling that trouble is coming: "It is the lark that sings so out of tune, straining harsh discords, and unpleasing sharps." This creates more tension because we know that Lady Capulet is coming to tell her about the marriage, but Juliet will never marry Paris, because she is already married to Romeo.

When Juliet is upset at loosing the love of her life- Romeo, Lady Capulet makes the situation much worse for her. She comes in, assuming that she is weeping over the death of her cousin Tybalt, she says: "Evermore weeping for your cousin's death?" But actually, they are tears for Romeo. Juliet uses language full of double meanings, and clever puns that make it more dramatic for the audience, who know what she really means. She leads her mother to believe that she wishes Romeo was dead, when in fact she is actually showing her love for him, e.g.: "If you could find a man who has poison, I would like to improve it. [make it harmless] so when Romeo takes it he will sleep quietly [literally]"

Her mother threatens vengeance, and promises to have him poisoned in Mantua. She then tells Juliet that her thoughtful father has arranged a surprise for her: "Well, well, thou hast a careful father, child; one who to put thee from thy heaviness," This suggests that Lady Capulet is sure that she will like her dads special arrangement- A wedding with Paris. But when she delivers the good news the gets a shock: "Now, by saint Peters Church, and Peter too, He shall not make me there a joyful bride." She refuses, appalled and horrified. She then goes on to say: "I will not marry yet; and when I do, I swear it shall be Romeo!" From these quotes we can now tell that she is fully mature. She carefully disguises her love for Romeo. Lady Capulet's response is angry, as right from the start she has wanted her daughter to marry Paris. She wants to raise her family status. She does not care about how she feels. She is Juliet's biological mother, but she only tells her what to do, and has never been personally close to her. She feels that she has been let down by her own daughter, and then hears her husband coming. She says: "Here comes your father- tell him so yourself, and see how he will take it at your hands." More tension is created here as we already know that Capulet does not like being messed around with by youngsters. We experienced this at the party scene, where he looses his temper with Tybalt.

The scene I am about to describe is the key part of the scene, where most dramatic tension occurs. Capulet enters, and at first treats Juliet with kindness. He sees her weeping, and like his wife- assumes that they are for Tybalt's death. He says: "How now! A conduit, girl? What, still in tears?" A conduit means a pipe, that water always flows from, so in this quote he may be implying that she is crying to much. But still, this suggests that he is sympathetic. He suddenly realises that Juliet should already be calm, because of the news of the wedding. He turns to Lady Capulet, and demands: "How now wife, have you deliver'd to her our decree?" But she bitterly replies: "Ay, sir; but she will none, she gives you thanks. I would the fool were married to her grave!" He had expected Juliet to thank him a lot, and expected her to be the proud wife of Paris. Tension is created her, as the audience see Capulet burst out into a raging temper.

Capulet is upset that he will not be able to host another celebration, and that his daughter does not like the man that he has picked out. Juliet tries to explain to him her feelings, by saying:

"Not proud, you have; but thankful, that you have, proud I can never be of what I hate, but thankful for hate, that is meant love" Capulet doesn't like explanations, and things just get worse for her. He grows into a rage and says: "fettle your fine joints 'gainst Thursday next, or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither" This quote implies that if she doesn't get ready for Thursday, he will drag her there. It shows us that he is a dominating father, that will go to extremes to get what he wants.

This creates more dramatic tension because the audience already know that Juliet is already married, she cannot marry twice. Juliet is the only character that knows, so we as the audience feel sympathy for her. He follows his threat with name calling, and poor Juliet pale from crying gets no sympathy from her father. She wants to speak but her father screams before she has a chance to say anything: "Speak not, reply not, do not answer me! My fingers itch" He'd like to slap her, and this creates more tension in the audience. We are wondering whether he will hit her or not. He makes a dramatic exit by saying: "You by mine, I'll give you to my friend; and you be not. Hang, beg, starve, die in the streets!" He wont care what happens to her. This quote backs up my idea that he is hot tempered and will go to extreme measures. He does not like his position as head of the family to be challenged. This shows us how much status matters to him, he wants his daughter to be married to a prince so his status can be boosted. His harsh intentions make her feel hopeless. The play is set in Verona which is a very "patriarchal city" which means that the male is head of the family. The father had full control over their daughters, they thought that they could give them to anyone they chose, and would get insulted if they refused. They liked to make sexual jokes, and saw love as a "brutal- conquest".

Juliet, turns to her mother, and asks for pity. She pleads: "O, sweet my mother, cast me not away, delay this marriage for a month, a week, or if you do not, make the bridal bed in that dim monument where Tybalt lies!" She is saying that she would rather die than marry Paris, but her mother doesn't believe her, and doesn't care. She says: "Talk not to e, for I'll speak not a word, do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee" Then she leaves too, Lady Capulet is certainly not going to speak up for Juliet. She seems to be disgusted with her. So Juliet is left alone, with no one to turn to except the nurse. There is dramatic tension here because we feel sorry for Juliet, she has been deserted by her parents and only has 1 person left to turn to, the nurse.

Juliet is desperate, and asks the nurse for advice about what to do. She says: "Faith, here it is, Romeo is banish'd and all the world is to nothing." The nurse is quit sure that Romeo and Juliet will never be able to live in Verona as husband and wife. So her advice is to go and marry Paris. She says he is a "Lovely Gentleman" and that "Romeo's a dishclout!" Juliet is deeply shocked, and she understands that the nurse doesn't understand or care about her love for Romeo. She reassures the nurse that she is sorry and that she has displeased her father, and is about to seek forgiveness from the friar. She sends her away, and vows never to trust her again. She feels betrayed. This leads to more dramatic tension as the audience feel sympathy for her.

Dramatic tension is built up in this part of the scene as we are wondering whether or not the nurse will tell her parents that she is already married to Romeo, if she refuses to follow her advice. Juliet makes the decision never to confide in her in future.

She is left alone, and the scene is ended with a soliloquy. She expresses her hatred for the nurse and says that if the friar cannot help her, she will kill herself. "If all else fail, myself have the power to die." This ends the scene dramatically.

As I have explored in this essay, Act 3, Scene 5 is full of dramatic tension, and will leave the audience feeling gripped and effected. Capulet's attitude changes dramatically in this scene, after Tybalt's death. First we see him as a wise and charming man who prevents Tybalt from fighting Romeo, and now as a firm and ruthless father who is forcing his only daughter into marriage. In this scene, Juliet shows up as a character willing to die rather than marry Paris, and cheat on Romeo. Her feelings descend dramatically, when it opens she feels loved, and complete, but by the end she has been deserted by everyone. I think it is a powerful, and well- developed act, because of the gentle opening, and rage at the end make it so powerful.