Essay: Relationship between Lord and Lady Capulet and Juliet

Explore Shakespeare’s presentation of the relationship between Lord and Lady Capulet and Juliet in Act 1 Scene 2, Act 3 Scene 5 and Act 4 Scene 5 of ‘Romeo and Juliet’.
In Act 1 Scene 2 Lord Capulet is seen to be very understanding and takes a modern approach to Juliet’s love life, which was quite unusual for Elizabethan times, “My child is yet a stranger in the world, She hath not seen the change of fourteen years;” This quote shows that Lord Capulet cares about Juliet and doesn’t want her to be married off so early, he also want Juliet to pick who she wants to marry and for it not to be forced. It really shows how much Lord Capulet loves her, “Earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she; She’s the hopeful lady that of my earth,” this quote shows how much Lord Capulet loves Juliet and that he is hesitant and he thinks it is to early to let her go. Shakespeare also infers that Lord Capulet doesn’t love his wife and only Juliet, this suggests that Lord Capulet fell into the same trap that Romeo did with Rosaline, which was only loving her for her looks. In this scene Lady Capulet is not really mentioned and doesn’t say anything about Paris, which quite typical for a patriarchal society.
However in Act 3 Scene 5 and Act 3 Scene 4, Lord Capulet changes approach and wants Juliet to marry Paris without her approval, “she will be married to this noble earl,” Juliet hears this and is frightened and distressed because she is married to Romeo, Shakespeare uses dramatic irony here to create tension between Juliet and her parents. This quote can also be interpreted as Juliet’s mother and father don’t actually love her and want her to get married to improve the Capulets wealth and status, and don’t really care about their daughters happiness and future. When Juliet responds negatively towards Lord Capulet’s ideas and he becomes mad that Juliet doesn’t obey his, “decree” and if is she doesn’t get wed she will be kicked out, “And you be not, hang, beg, stave, die in the streets,” Lord Capulet gets mad at this because he is man of the house and in 1609 William Perkins put out, ‘the authority of parents must not be resisted or violated’, William Perkins was an influential English cleric and Cambridge theologian, who was highly respected by the majority of Elizabethan England. In ‘Romeo and Juliet’ it seems like Juliet has two motherly figures, her actual mother and the nurse. Both try to help Juliet but have no power and tell Juliet to obey Lord Capulet’s commands. “Then, sine the case so stands as now it doth, I think it best you married with the county.” The nurse tell Juliet to forget about Romeo and marry Paris, she does this because Capulets patriarchal authority overpowers the nurse and she can’t do anything except agree with him.
Also when arguing with her father Juliet is regarded as piece of property, “Hang thee, young baggage! Disobedient wretch!” here Juliet is called a worthless wretch, this another way Lord Capulet shows his patriarchal authority and dominance. Lord Capulet shows that he is controlling Juliet by saying, “And you be mine, I’ll give you to my friend,” here Capulet says that he will force Juliet to marry paris if she wants to stay. All of Capulets behaviour would of been considered acceptable by a Shakespearean audience and the audience would think of Capulet’s actions as benefiting to Juliet.
In Act 4 Scene 5 when her parents find her dead they suddenly change and are no longer infuriated or upset with her, they are now in shock and despair, “O child, O child! My soul, and not my child.” Capulet quickly orders for the wedding to change to a funeral. You can see Capulets change in attitude from angry to sad when he says, “Death lies on her like untimely frost / Upon the sweetest flower of all the field.” this links to Act 1 Scene 2 when he says “the earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she.” This is an example of irony which Shakespeare uses to foreshadow the future.
In this scene Lady Capulet reacts, “But one, poor one, one poor and loving child,” this one on the only time Lady Capulet shows love and affection toward Juliet and has never really spoken to her in this way, this could be inferred as now that she is ‘dead’ Lady Capulet feels that she can express her love to Juliet, I think that Lady Capulet felt that Lord Capulet would get jealous of her love to Juliet and therefore Lady Capulet felt trapped and couldn’t show Juliet any of her affection.
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