In Act 1 Scene 3 Shakespeare contrasts the eagerness of Old Capulet to marry Juliet to Paris with the reluctance towards marriage displayed by Juliet when asked by Lady Capulet ‘ Tell me daughter Juliet, how stands your disposition to be married?’ (Lines 64-65). This is Lady Capulet’s cue to introduce to her daughter the idea of marrying Paris. Juliet’s answer ‘ It is an honour that I dream not of line 66, shows to the audience the direct contrast of where Juliet feels within her life, and what her father believes she should be. By contrasting these very different approaches to marriage between father and daughter, and showing in Act 1 scene 2, the power of men in Verona, it leaves the audience wondering what the reactions of Juliet’s father will be, and wondering how Juliet will react if her father forces her into a betrothal. In this way the audience is invited into the play.
Act 3 Scene 4 happens on Monday, just the day after that in which Juliet and her family were introduced, but even in the short space so much has happened. Romeo and Juliet have been married, Romeo has killed Juliet’s cousin Tybalt in revenge for Tybalt killing Romeo’s best friend, Mercutio, and he will be banished. Nevertheless, Juliet’s family, apart from the nurse, have no idea about her relationship with Romeo. This signifies to the audience that she does not trust her mother and father, not because she does not tell them, but because she told her nurse. The contrast of her parents ignorance of her marriage indicates the closeness and love briefly suggested by Old Capulet in Act 1 Scene 2 was an act put on to impress, rather than a father’s true unconditional love for his daughter. Act 3 Scene 4 is important for dramatising Juliet’s and Old Capulet’s relationship as it is in between two central scenes of the play, Act 3 where Romeo finds out his punishment for murdering Tybalt will be banishment, and then in Scene 5, Juliet secretly losing her virginity to Romeo, before he is banished.
In Act 3 Scene 4 Juliet has gone to bed, and Old Capulet and Lady Capulet meet with Paris, late at night. Paris asks whether or not he can marry Juliet. Capulet reaches a sudden and unexpected decision, ‘Well, Wednesday is too soon, O’ Thursday let it be, o’ Thursday, tell her, she shall be married to this noble earl.’ Capulet does not give any reason for his decision, nor does he appear to think of Juliet and what she wants, although he does think of Tybalt when it is decided that Juliet and Paris should marry on Thursday, and decides the wedding will not be a grand occasion out of respect for the recently deceased. This is an interesting scene in many respects. First of all, Shakespeare’s dramatic irony with Old Capulet’s ignorance of the fact that Juliet is already married. Then there is his haste to marry her off, without even considering whether or not it is her wish too. This can be perceived as an old man, so used to having enormous power he is unaware of the people’s feelings around him, and in times of death his wish is simply to have more life, more marriages and happiness. However I do not believe this is why Old Capulet does not give a thought to Juliet’s feelings when rashly agreeing to a wedding, I believe it is used by Shakespeare to show the emptiness of Old Capulet’s relationship with Juliet, how between scenes of such passion, such as Romeo’s agony at being banished, and the purity and passion of Romeo and Juliet’s love, finally culminating in the loss of her virginity to her new husband. I feel Shakespeare dramatises the emptiness and the lack of true feeling Old Capulet has for his daughter with the passion in the scenes all around him. By showing the lack of respect, the shallow man that Old Capulet truly is becomes clear, similarly worthlessness of his relationship with Juliet is just enhanced by the powerful feelings she has for Romeo, which he knows nothing of. Shakespeare uses Capulet’s impulsiveness and haste to create suspense and dramatic tension as the audience wonder how Juliet will escape a second marriage planned to take place two days after her first marriage.
Shakespeare contrasts passionate scenes between two young lovers, Romeo and Juliet, and the way their feelings have swept them up into a whole new realm of chaos, excitement, and love with the cold, almost unreal, love Old Capulet has for his daughter. I feel throughout the play, especially the scenes I have selected, Old Capulet tries to use Juliet as a pawn, and does not see her as a true human, although she is his daughter. Ultimately, Shakespeare shows the audience how as a consequence of Juliet being controlled by her father, she is pushed into faking her own suicide, rather than confronting her father or even fighting against doing what he tells her. This is all in contrast to Capulet calling her ‘the hopeful lady of my heart’ in Act 1 Scene 2, and describing his love for her.
Shakespeare dramatises the relationship between father and daughter in Act 1 Scenes 2 and 3, and Act 3 Scene 4, by contrasting it to the passion of young lovers to the irrational thinking and power hunger of an old man, and compares the different reactions of father and daughter to marriage. This shows the audience the lack of communication and trust between the two. Throughout the play the audience I]
s struck by the way Old Capulet and Juliet’s relationship changes almost everyday. One moment he is exhibiting the love of a father, the next he is controlling her, using her to gain a higher social status. I believe this is because Old Capulet had to make a choice, with his last living child, Juliet. He had to choose between his desire to love Juliet as a father, and his need to marry her off, using her to control his social status. When Old Capulet chooses to use her in Act 3 Scene 4, in between scenes of such infatuation and excitement, this truly shows the audience the shallow relationship between Juliet and Old Capulet.