Discuss how Shakespeare makes the audience feel sympathy for Juliet in act 3 scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet

In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet especially in act 3 scene 5, many successful techniques are used such as: juxtaposition, which is a contrast between two ideas, feelings or behaviour; oxymoron’s, the contrast between two words next to each other or close together, to create tension; dramatic irony, when the audience knows something but the character does not. This happens many times during act 3 scene 5 such as: when Romeo thinks they will meet again when he leaves Verona but the audience know that they will not. Both the Elizabethan and the modern audience feel sympathy for Juliet, as she had to be involved in an arranged marriage against her will this makes the modern audience feel sympathy for Juliet as she was being forced against her will and makes us feel uncomfortable to watch. Even though it’s a way of life for the Elizabethan’s it would still be uncomfortable for them to watch it, as they know that she is in love with someone else. The Elizabethan’s would also feel anger against Juliet as she went behind Lord and Lady Capulet’s back and married their enemy. They would feel sympathy for Lord and Lady Capulet, as this would be seen as very disrespectful and disobedient.

When Romeo is exiled Shakespeare makes the audience feel sympathy for Juliet. For example “I must be gone and live, or stay and die”. This conveys a feeling of sadness as both options aren’t good because it means Romeo and Juliet won’t be together. To Juliet, whichever way he’ll be dead to her: either literally or metaphorically. The audience empathise with Romeo and Juliet and think what it would be like if that was them, and how hard it would be to decide what to do. The use of an oxymoron “gone and live or stay and die” really shows tension and contrast between their feelings, they show this effectively. There’s tension in Juliet’s feelings, as she knows she’s not going to be able to see Romeo any more and she’s confused what she should do. There could be anger in Juliet as Romeo put her in an uncomfortable position. Equally, Shakespeare makes the audience feel sympathetic for Juliet when she says “Some say the lark makes sweet division; that doth no so, for she divideth us”. This makes the audience feel sympathy for Juliet as she is taking the blame off Romeo having to leave and displacing it onto the lark as it is singing so they know it is morning. It’s Romeo’s fault as he killed Tybalt so now he has to face his punishment of being banished from Verona but Juliet wants her last moments with Romeo to be happy and doesn’t want them spoilt we know this by the word “that doth not so” as it is says that it normally does but on this day it is splitting them up and they can’t find anything else to put the blame on. The feeling of nice and happy and the word “divided” gives a sad feeling as they are being divided up. This oxymoron is making them being split up sound nice, which shows contrast with their feelings as they feel sad and upset that Romeo has to go. Furthermore the audience feel sympathy for Juliet: “ O think’st thou shall ever meet again? I doubt it not, all these woes shall serve for sweet discourses in our times to come”. As it is using dramatic irony because the audience know that they will never see each other again, but Romeo and Juliet think they will. This makes the audience feel sympathy for Juliet as she has doubts if she will ever see her husband again. These methods that Shakespeare uses makes us feel sympathy for Juliet.

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Another way Shakespeare makes the audience sympathise with Juliet is by the way her mother: Lady Capulet, behaves towards her daughter and is forcing her into marrying Paris without her consent. Evidence of this is shown when Lady Capulet says, “ Is she not down so late, or up so early?” This shows Juliet is surprised to hear her mother so early. The words “is she not down so late” imply that she has not gone to bed yet, and has been awake all night. Furthermore the words “ up so early” suggest that she is up very early, and it is unusual behaviour for Lady Capulet. This makes us feel sympathy for Juliet as the audience know why her mother is up so early wanting to talk to her, this creates dramatic irony, and the audience are worried for Juliet. Another way that Lady Capulet’s is making Juliet feel forced into marriage is when she says “ He shall not, make me there a joyful bride”. The words “shall not” Imply that she defiantly wont marry Paris. This is the first time that Juliet challenges her parents because she is already married to someone she actually loves. The modern audience would sympathise with Juliet being forced into marriage whereas the Elizabethan audience would feel sympathy for Lord and Lady Capulet as Juliet disobeyed her parents and went behind their backs. If Juliet had said no to marrying Paris her dad would have disowned her, she would have no job or training to earn money. In Elizabethan times there was no support system for the homeless so she would have nobody to help her and nothing to support her. Juliet is motivated to disobey her parents by her love for Romeo. Before Juliet fell in love at the party she told Lady Capulet she would look at Paris and see if she could love him but now she’s totally refusing to marry him “ I will not marry yet”. The words “will not” suggest she will definitely not marry Paris, again she is challenging her parents which is very unusual. In this way Shakespeare has made the audience feel sympathy for Juliet because her mother is behaving differently to normal.

Additionally Shakespeare makes us feel sympathy for Juliet in the way that Lord Capulet behaves towards her. He treats her as if she is a waste of space and she is stupid. Also that she is too young to make decision, for example “ Hang thee, young baggage, you disobedient wretch”. The word “young” have connotations that she doesn’t know what she is doing and she would make mistakes if she didn’t have Lord and Lady Capulet to guide her and boss her around. The word “baggage” suggests that Lord Capulet thinks Juliet is added pressure to his life and is annoying and in the way all the time. He acts as if she is just extra weight on his shoulders, not his daughter. The word “wretch” implies that she is wicked and unfortunate. The audience feel sorry for Juliet because it is a harsh remark to say for a father to say to her daughter. Furthermore, the audience feel sympathy for Juliet when her father is shouting her at is when he says, “ Out you green- sickness carrion! Out you baggage! You tallow- face!” The phrase “green- sickness carrion” means an anaemic lifeless corps. The audience feel uncomfortable watching Juliet being called that as she is very scared of her father shouting at her. The words “tallow- face” suggests she is pale and grieving. The way Lord Capulet speaks to his daughter intimidates the audience as well as Juliet when he says “ And you be mine, I’ll give you to my friend; And you hang, beg, die, starve in the streets” as he says he will disown Juliet if she refuses to marry Paris, Juliet doesn’t really have a choice and has to marry him as she doesn’t want to die in the streets. Shakespeare successfully makes the audience feel sympathy for Juliet using these methods.

Moreover the audience feels sympathy for Juliet by the reaction of the nurse. Juliet feels betrayed and upset as the nurse says the opposite to what Juliet wanted her to think and thinks Juliet should marry Paris. Juliet was looking for a certain reaction from the nurse as she knew about her marriage with Romeo but she sided with the Capulet’s decree. Juliet’s feeling of betrayal is shown when she says “speakest thou from thy heart?” She feels let down and surprised from the nurse’s reaction. The word “heart” implies that she is asking the nurse if she really thinks it. This phrase means do you really mean this? Juliet starts to question why the nurse doubts/ disagrees with her and if she is actually thinking it or whether she is just saying what she feels she has too to keep her job. The nurse tells Juliet that Romeo may aswell be deceased as she says “Your first is dead; or as it ‘twere as good as her were” This implies that Romeo is metaphorically dead. The word “first” suggests that the nurse assumes she will have another husband. The nurse further upsets Juliet when she says, “ Romeo is a dishclout” This upsets Juliet as she is putting her husband down and saying he isn’t as good as Paris, the word “dishclout” implies Romeo is dirty and compared to Paris he is just everyday use whereas Paris is thought to be special and more worthy. For example “ My husband is on earth, my faith is in heaven”. Here Juliet is suggesting Romeo is still alive and her faith id in god- he knows she is married so she would be going against her faith to marry Paris. Using these techniques Shakespeare makes the audience fee; sympathy for Juliet.

To conclude, Shakespeare successfully makes the audience feel sympathy for Juliet during act 3, scene 5 by making the other characters’ behavior juxtapose with Juliet’s feelings. Lord Capulet’s behavior towards Juliet is very harsh considering she is his daughter. A modern audience would find it uncomfortable to watch, as we wouldn’t be treated like that by our father’s. Whereas an Elizabethan audience wouldn’t be as sympathetic with Juliet but more with Lord and Lady Capulet as Juliet disobeyed them. Shakespeare also uses dramatic irony to make the audience sympathize with Juliet. Overall Shakespeare successfully used several techniques to make the audience feel sympathy for young Juliet.