This astonishes modern day audiences, as nowadays a full time nurse would leave when the child is about the age of 5 or 6. At that time, the child would start school and would be in full time education until the age of between 16 or 21. Therefore a close bond doesn’t usually occur as the carer has left by the time the child has matured enough to view the carer as more of a friend than a figure of authority.
The following quotation shows how close Juliet and the nurse actually from act two: scene five. This scene is when the Nurse comes back from meeting with Romeo and arranging the wedding, when she returns she appears tired and worn out and light heartedly jokes with Juliet. Juliet dotes on the nurse and eventually she tells Juliet the news she’s been dying to hear.
I am a-weary, give me leave awhile:
Fie, how my bones ache! What a jaunt have I had!
(Act two: Scene five)
This quote shows how the nurse is teasing Juliet. They are very close, as they know that they are playing and not really trying to get one another angry and annoyed. I think this playfulness is a sign of their close friendship and that Juliet is actually still young and childlike.
In the Baz Luhrmann film adaptation, this scene is directed particularly well as the bond between the Nurse and Juliet is portrayed with insight into the character played. When the Nurse enters and starts complaining of her aches and pains, Juliet starts massaging her back and from behind actually puts her arms around the Nurses neck. This physical contact is never shown with Juliet and her mother and this shows the difference between Juliet’s relationship with her mother and the Nurse.
Lady Capulet chose to have very little input into her daughter’s upbringing and did not spend quality time with Juliet, Lady Capulet shows her insecurity when she tries to tell Juliet of Paris’s proposal. Firstly Lady Capulet tells the nurse to leave while she has a private word with Juliet, but she subsequently realises that she needs the Nurse there, as she doesn’t feel comfortable solely in her daughter’s presence.
This is the matter: --Nurse, give leave awhile,
We must talk in secret: --nurse, come back again;
(Act one: Scene three)
This quote shows that Lady Capulet doesn’t feel comfortable talking to her daughter without the nurse there. There is not a strong bond between Lady Capulet and Juliet and because they have never had to spent time getting to know each other, Lady Capulet feels Juliet is only her daughter in name only. I think Lady Capulet is fearful of her daughter’s reaction as she feels she won’t be able to handle it, as she hasn’t had the experience of the nurse.
This scene is shown very well in the Baz Luhrmann film adaptation as the mother is portrayed as quite a selfish person who just doesn’t seem connected with being a mother who doesn’t seem to have the time or the want of responsibility for Juliet.
Nowadays arranged marriages are not very common and most people meet and decide their future spouse without any or very little This is shown in Act three: scene five when Lady Capulet tells Juliet about the arranged marriage with Paris with the expectation of Juliet being pleased and how shocked she is with negative response she receives.
Lady Capulet: Marry, my child, early next Thursday morn,
…Shall happily make thee there a joyful bride.
Juliet: … He shall not make me there a joyful bride.
(Act three: Scene five)
I think this shows the differences between modern day society and the time the play was set, because there are still arranged marriages, but they rarely happen in western society and culture, they usually occur in eastern Asia, so parents very rarely have to tell their child who they are to marry but the other way round. Juliet refuses in a very stubborn way, almost childlike; she outwardly dismisses the proposal and expects the matter to be over with very quickly.
In the Zeffireli film adaptation this section is shown by Juliet shouting and screaming at her mother in shock and disbelief; She outwardly shows her feelings and does not hold anything back. Although Juliet acts this way with her mother, she would never act this way in front of her father because she knows the harsh consequences if she did.
Juliet reasons that it is too soon to marry and that she would rather marry Romeo before Paris, which is ironic.
I will not marry yet; and, when I do, I swear,
It shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate,
Rather than Paris. These are news indeed!
(Act three: Scene five)
This quote shows that Juliet is trying to tell her mother that she cannot and must not marry Paris, she says it is too soon after Tybalt’s death. I think Juliet is trying to bide time because she cannot marry because she is already wed to Romeo, Tybalt’s murderer.
A modern day audience would empathise with Juliet, as she doesn’t want to upset her mother, but her parents cannot know why she doesn’t want to or in fact can’t marry Paris. A modern day audience would see her parents as quite unreasonable and uninvolved in their child’s upbringing.
A similarity between the time the play was set and modern day is that parents do not like to be disobeyed, parents always have to be the authority figure and children should listen and take advice from their elders.
This is shown in Act three: scene five when Juliet is told of the marriage, this scene is very insightful to the family relationships in the Capulet household.
How now! A conduit, girl? What, still in tears?
Evermore showering? In one little body
(Act three: scene five)
This quote shows that Capulet is trying to persuade Juliet into marrying Paris by acting kind and sympathetic like he did when she was a child. He speaks to her as a father would speak to a young child, not a young adult. Capulet acts very understandingly and tries to reason with his daughter before becoming angry. I think he does this because she always used to see his point of view when he tried to persuade her when she was a little girl. Therefore he still thinks the same way even though she is a lot older, but he still treats her as if she were still young.
In the Shakespeare’s shorts television adaptation of this scene this point is shown as Capulet picks Juliet up in his arms like he is carrying a baby, this shows how he still imagines Juliet to be young and child-like.
A modern day audience would not treat this very differently to a Shakespearian audience as both now and at the time the play was set, parents treat their children with respect like this. Although in modern times mother and father would speak to their children in the same manner as the mother may be just as strict an authoritarian figure as he.
When Juliet declines Capulet becomes very angry, it is not so much about her not wishing to marry Paris, but her disobeying him. Juliet does not wish to anger her father, but she is put in a very awkward position, that she cannot marry Paris because she is already married to Romeo.
To go with Paris…
Or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither.
Out, you greensickness carrion! Out, you baggage!
You tallow-face! (Act three: scene five)
Hang thee, young baggage! Disobedient wretch!
I tell thee what: get thee to church o' Thursday… (Act three: scene five)
This quotation shows that Capulet turns to insulting and threatening his daughter thus becoming very angry because she has disobeyed him. Capulet is very harsh, surly and insulting towards her, as he is not used to being defied and this has come as a big shock to him. I think Juliet feels sad and sorry for herself and her actions but feels that there is nothing she can do at the present to change the circumstances, she cannot marry Paris, and she cannot tell her parents she is already married. I think Capulet didn’t handle the situation very well though, as he made Juliet uncertain and feel constantly controlled.
A modern day audience would respond with shock and horror at what Capulet is saying to his daughter, as he is threatening her with horrible pressure. Even nowadays to threaten children is not acceptable especially in such a case as this.
When Lady Capulet exits Juliet tries to persuade her mother to talk to Capulet, but Lady Capulet is not going to stick up for her daughter or try to change Capulet’s mind.
Talk not to me, for I'll not speak a word:
Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee. (Act three: scene five)
This quotation shows that Lady Capulet wants nothing to do with her daughter, she doesn’t want to be involved in the argument between Capulet and Juliet. I think this is because she is fearful of Capulet and feels that if she sticks up for Juliet and if Juliet doesn’t turn up at the church and is thrown out, onto the streets, she fears she may go with her. This shows how much power Lady Capulet has, compared to Capulet.
A modern day audience would think this harsh that Lady Capulet dismisses her daughter in such a manner as this, this sort of thing would very rarely happen in this day and age.
In the Baz Luhrmann film adaptation this is shown that Lady Capulet is very afraid of Capulet. She almost backs away from him as she doesn’t want to be caught up in his rage and anger; and when she talks to Juliet, she spits out the words and acts as if she is a tramp or infected low life that she wouldn’t even spit on.
Juliet expects the nurse to be there for her, to have a plan that can end all of Juliet’s misery, and most of all, to understand that she is truly in love with Romeo.
Juliet: … Comfort me, counsel me…
Nurse: Faith, here it is.
Romeo is banish'd; and all the world to nothing,
…Then, since the case so stands as now it doth,
I think it best you married with the county. (Act three: scene five)
This quotation shows that Juliet feels she needs the nurse as a mother figure, she feels the Nurse is always there for her no matter how hard her life becomes, she thinks the nurse will always have something positive to say as that is in her nature. But when the Nurse advises her to leave Romeo and marry Paris I think Juliet feels let down by the one person she can rely on. She feels the Nurse is betraying her and has been influenced by her parents although I think that the Nurse is just looking out for Juliet and doesn’t want to see her hurt again.
A modern day audience would not expect this from the Nurse but would understand her reasons for advising Juliet to leave her loved one. They would still react with a sense of loss and sadness for Juliet because after everything Romeo and Juliet have been through, one would expect them to live happily ever after.
In conclusion a modern day audience would react differently to a Shakespearian audience, this is because different things are socially acceptable in today’s society than in Shakespearian times.
Firstly they lived in a patriarchal society, this meant that the father was the leading figure of the household. Also their wives did not work, thus living off their husband’s earnings.
Family relationships were not as strong, rich families often employed a nurse for the upbringing of their children. Subsequently families did not bond and were not as close, often the nurse would form a mother figure for the daughter, and this would lead to the nurse becoming a lot closer to the daughter than the mother, this can be seen very clearly in the play.
Marriage was viewed very differently, parents often arranged marriages for their children, into families with the same wealth, and with whom they were on good terms with, this ensured a safe and stable future for their children. The age of consent was not put in place then so many married young, often 13 or 14 years old whereas now it is 16 years old.
Although even now parents are still a figure of authority that do not like to be disobeyed and there are always harsh consequences if they are.