Explore the way in which Shakespeare dramatises the relationship between father and daughter in 'Romeo and Juliet' with particular emphasis on Act 1 scene 2 and 3 and Act 3 scene 4

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Explore the way in which Shakespeare dramatises the relationship between father and daughter in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ with particular emphasis on Act 1 scene 2 and 3 and Act 3 scene 4

In ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Shakespeare explores and contrasts the passion of two lovers with the violence and bitter hatred between their families. Shakespeare also has a strong theme of male domination in the play, and helps express this with the relationship between Juliet and her father, Old Capulet. Old Capulet is the head of one of the two households in contrast, Romeo is a member of the other household, the Montagues. His parents and his relationship with them is barely mentioned in the play, apart from when his Mother, Lady Montague dies of grief, after hearing Romeo had been banished, her son’s exile had ‘taken her breath’. In contrast to this Juliet’s relationship with her father is one of the main underlying storylines in the play, and the way it is dramatised helps explains why many things are the way they are in Verona, which is the city which the Capulets and the Montagues live in.

Shakespeare introduces the relationship between father and daughter in Act 1 Scene 2. Old Capulet is talking to Paris, a suitor whom he wants Juliet to marry. The audience hears of Capulet describing Juliet as his only child, saying ‘Earth hath swallow’d all my hopes but she; she is the hopeful lady of my heart’ (lines 14-15). This gives the impression that he cares deeply for his daughter, and is a good father. The phrase ‘hopeful lady of my heart’ suggests he has hope for her to be something special. He tells Paris to make her fall in love with him ‘but woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart’ this suggests to the audience his actions are not completely selfish, that he does want his daughter to be happy and their relationship is not entirely superficial. However then Capulet says in his monologue ‘and she agreed, within her scope of choice Lies my content and fair according voice’ (lines 18-19). The audience interprets this as Old Capulet making her choices for her, for instance when Capulet says ‘within her scope of choice lies my content and fair according voice’ meaning even if she disagrees to her suiting with Paris, his content will make it so. Capulet tells Paris how wonderful it would be if he married Juliet. In these few lines of Old Capulet’s monologue the audience learns a great deal about Juliet’s relationship with her father. Although he says to the outside world that he loves her, the underlying feeling is that he is in control of her, as a father figure he has the ‘ according voice’ to force her into something as big as a wedding. Shakespeare begins to dramatise the relationship between father and daughter in his play introduces the audience to Verona, a city where, if you’re female, your male peers and parents make your decisions for you.

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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 ...

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