English - Romeo and Juliet

 However, the relationship between Juliet and Lady Capulet is very contrasting to the relationship of the nurse and Juliet. Lady Capulet is not close to her daughter and they have a very formal relationship. It is uncomfortable for the audience because the relationship between Juliet and her nurse is what it should be between Juliet and her mother. Lady Capulet relies on the nurse to look after Juliet, “where is she” shows this. Lady Capulet is speaking to the nurse and asking where her daughter is which shows she doesn’t really care and cannot go and get Juliet for herself. The nurse talks about Juliet as precious and innocent whereas Lady Capulet doesn’t really care and just tells the nurse to go and find her. In Shakespeare’s day, the mother would not bring their daughters up and would hire a nurse to do this, therefore a previous audience would find the relationship between the nurse and Juliet normal. However, a contemporary audience would not because generally mothers and daughters have a very strong bond. Lady Capulet, Juliet's biological mother only tells her what to do, and has never been personally close with Juliet. When Juliet comes of age to get married, Lady Capulet wants her to marry Paris, and does not care how Juliet feels about it. Juliet tries to talk to her mother about it, and tell her that she does not want to marry Paris, but Lord Capulet walks in and angrily tells her that she will go and marry Paris even if he has to drag her there. Juliet again pleads with her mother to delay the marriage even for a week, but Lady Capulet only responds with, "Talk not to me, for I'll not speak a word./ Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee" this shows Lady Capulet does not care about Juliet’s feelings but cares about her reputation much more.

When Tybalt dies the relationship between Juliet and the nurse changes because Juliet no longer trust the nurse. Juliet is forced to keep secrets from the nurse and the nurse then starts to side with Juliet’s parents, the Capulet’s. For example, “why Romeo, Romeo” the nurse now just cares about her own feelings and opinions and doesn’t take into consideration what Juliet wants. Juliet thinks that the nurse is teasing her and not being truthful. Eventually, the nurse encourages Juliet to forget about Romeo, this proves that the nurse doesn’t know Juliet as she used to and doesn’t know what Juliet truly wants. The nurse then tells Juliet to marry Parris and following this Juliet says to the nurse “Thou hast comforted me marvellous much” This is dramatic irony because the audience know that Juliet has not been comforted at all.

 Finally, at the opening of Act Four Scene Five the nurse uses terms of endearment again which shows how the relationship between Juliet and the nurse has become closer once more. The nurse calls Juliet a ‘slug bug’ and ‘love’ which highlights that the nurse thinks she is still close to Juliet. In contrast, when Lady Capulet sees Juliet she uses personal pronouns which emphasizes that she only cares about herself. “O me, O me, my child, my only life” Even when Juliet is dead, her mother still cares about herself.

 To conclude, Shakespeare creates different relationships between family members to portray an Elizabethan society. Shakespeare conveys that if Juliet had been able to talk to her mother she may of lived.