english romeo and juliet

Olayemi Fagbemi

Coursework

Based on Act 3 Scene 5, what is my opinion of Juliet’s relationship with her parents? How responsible do I think they have for her tragic death? Who else do I hold responsible?

In the introduction Shakespeare made us understand the story by the way of writing and that it is all about love by using stars, moon, and soon. These describe a very peaceful and enjoying moments. Shakespeare used moon, stars and so on because in those days people believe in stars, they use them to predict what the future holds for them and so on.

In the beginning Romeo and Juliet had just spent the night together. Juliet doesn’t want Romeo to leave because she won’t see Romeo again. Romeo has been banished to Mantua because he killed Tybalt.

“Must you go? It’s not nearly day” – these quote shows that Juliet doesn’t want Romeo to leave yet

Juliet is sad and confused about Romeo leaving and not seeing each other any more, they do not know what to do. Romeo tells Juliet that he has to go or he will get arrested and will be killed. Romeo doesn’t want to go either, he want to stay will Juliet.

“Let me be arrested. Let me be put to death. – Romeo is trying to let Juliet understand that if he stays he would get kill because he killed Tybalt.

“That’s all right with me if it’s what you want”. – Romeo would do any thing to be with Juliet at any time at any point.

At the beginning of Act 3 Scene 5, Lady Capulet enters Juliet’s bedroom to tell her that she was to marry Paris. Lady Capulet is Juliet’s mother but as the scene goes it doesn’t show that she gave birth to her, she is a very cold woman. Juliet calls her madam which means she respect her very much. It seems like it was the nurse, the nurse breast fed Juliet as soon as she was born. This was how Juliet got closer to the nurse than her mother, the nurse was more like a mother top Juliet. Juliet tells the nurse almost everything even some secrets, she trusts the nurse.

Lady Capulet enters Juliet’s room and found out that she was crying, she thought Juliet was crying because of Tybalt’s death. Juliet cleverly lets her mother think she was crying because of Tybalt’s death but she wasn’t she was crying because she won’t she Romeo again.

“Why, how now Juliet?”

“Evermore weeping for your cousin’s death?” – Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin had just died. When her mother came into the room she thought Juliet was crying because of her cousin

Lady Capulet tells Juliet about her getting married to Paris on Thursday. Juliet disagrees and shouted at her mother that she ...

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“Why, how now Juliet?”

“Evermore weeping for your cousin’s death?” – Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin had just died. When her mother came into the room she thought Juliet was crying because of her cousin

Lady Capulet tells Juliet about her getting married to Paris on Thursday. Juliet disagrees and shouted at her mother that she is definitely not getting married to Paris on Thursday.

“He shall not make me there a joyful bride” – she knows that the only reason her father wants her to marry Paris is because of more position that Lord Capulet would get from the upper class. Also she doesn’t love Paris she’s in love with Romeo

Lady Capulet also got angry and told Juliet to tell her father herself.

“Here comes your father, tell him so yourself, and see how he will take it at your hands.” – Lady Capulet knows that Lord Capulet will be very angry, she agrees with Lord Capulet on Juliet marring Paris because of social status.

Lady Capulet thinks Lord Capulet was right that Juliet to marry Paris after all they have been through to give the best she wanted and also because of wealth.

“Ay sir, but she will none, she gives you thanks. I would the fool were married to her grave. – she is trying to make Lord Capulet calm down and make sure that he know she is on his side.

I think Lady Capulet was in one way or the other responsible for Juliet’s death, she should have paid more attention to Juliet’s wishes and listened to her opinions.

Lord Capulet is a proud, cheerful, grateful, and wealthy man at the beginning of the scene. He is the lord, head of his household. He was glad and happy about Juliet’s marriage, He wanted Juliet to marry Paris because he wants to be popular, important (status), and more wealthy. In those days children obeyed and respected their parents ( they worship their parents like God, Followed their rules).He didn’t discuss the idea with Juliet because she never refuses to what ever they told her to do and also parents made their children decision

Lady Capulet told Lord Capulet about how Juliet refused to marry Paris. Lord Capulet got really angry and started to ask Juliet why she refused to marry Paris or is she not happy, proud or thinks she is fortunate to marry Paris? Lord Capulet is angry because he has made a lot of arrangement for the engagement and also because of the status.

“Doth she give us thanks? Is she not proud? Doth she not count her blest, Unworthy as she is” – Lord Capulet thinks Juliet is not proud after all the things they have done for her.

He told Juliet that she will marry Paris on Thursday and if she doesn’t go there he will drag Juliet himself to the Church.

“But fettle your fine joints `gainst Thursday next to go with Paris to Saints Peter’s Church or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither”.

Juliet feels alone, she feels she has been betrayed by the nurse, her mother and her father. Her father doesn’t want her to say a word to him nor did her mother.

“Talk not to me, for I’ll not speak a word. Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee. – Lady Capulet sides with Lord Capulet because; everyone including her worships Lord Capulet.

I think Lord Capulet was also in on way or the other responsible for Juliet’s death; he should have also paid more attention to Juliet’s wishes and listened to her opinions. He was also too hard on her when she refused to marry Paris. Lord Capulet was thinking more of his status, leadership and higher place from the upper class.

Other factors

I think that Lord and Lady Montague were also responsible in some ways, if they have also been listening to Romeo they would understand him and He wouldn’t have kept any secrets form them. They would have also shared Romeo’s thoughts. They should have also stopped the feud between the two families. The Capulet’s should have also done the same thing.

The prince should have also worked out some solutions to the feud between the two families. It was also wrong of him to send Romeo away from Verona immediately as a punishment for killing Tybalt when the fight was started by Tybalt.

Friar Lawrence shouldn’t have agreed to get Romeo and Juliet married in secret. He should have made sure that he told their parents in other to confirm and convince them that Romeo and Juliet should get married. He also gave Juliet the potion which also made it worse.

The nurse encouraged Juliet in everything in her life. She carried messages, and helped Romeo and Juliet to meet and get married secretly. She should have let their parents know what was going on . She also advised Juliet to Marry Paris after she was already married secretly with Romeo.

Romeo acted too hastily, he shouldn’t have asked Juliet to marry him so quickly, he should have also thought more carefully before rushing back to Verona after hearing of Juliet’s death.

Juliet shouldn’t have deceived and disobeyed her parents. Likewise Romeo, she was too hasty in rushing into marriage. She was already engaged to marry Paris at the time of good, and until then, had been very happy with her parents’ choice.

Fate

The problem was not the fault of anyone basically , it happened because of bad luck. It was fate that Romeo and Juliet fell in love with each other, and bad luck that the letter which could have saved their lives didn’t reach Romeo in time.

Conclusion

As a member of the audience I would feel sad for Juliet and Romeo because their life hasn’t been type of life they wanted. Everything got ruined by the two families, they are always arguing leading to them fighting. When they heard that Romeo and Juliet have married, the families didn’t agree with them. I think in those days young children should have been allowed to make of the decisions- this was what Juliet’s parent should have done and also discuss with her whether she wanted to get married to Paris. If they have been really close to her and also listen to what she say and asking for, then she wouldn’t have gone off to marring Romeo without her parent’s permission. I guess after the death of Romeo and Juliet, both families have come together to discuss why things went wrong between the families.

Romeo and Juliet’s death ended the feud between the two families.