Juliet is deceiving her mother, as she knows her mother thinks she is crying over Tybalt. ‘Feeling so the loss, I cannot but ever weep for the friend.’ This statement could be taken in two ways; one is that she truly is crying over Tybalt, and two is that she is saying her true feelings about Romeo but her Mother doesn’t know.
Lady Capulet then goes on to express the hatred she feels for Romeo and the Montagues. ‘That same villain Romeo…the traitor murderer lives…we will have vengeance for it’. She then goes on to state that she will send someone to Mantua (where Romeo is banished to) to kill him. ‘That he shall soon keep Tybalt company’.
Juliet then plays along with Lady Capulets hatred for Romeo. ‘With Romeo till I behold him-dead-is my poor heart so for a kinsmen’. Juliet is trying to cover up her feelings for Romeo, and by saying horrible things about Romeo shows her that she truly is crying over her cousin’s death. This in turn tells the reader that Juliet has not and cannot tell her mother about her marriage to Romeo, as there is clearly seething hatred towards him in her family.
But in doing this, she also gives her mother a tiny clue of how she feels for him. ‘O, how my heart abhors to hear him named and cannot come to him’. In saying this, she is stating her true feelings for Romeo, but as a double meaning. Perhaps this shows the reader of Juliet’s want to tell her mother, but that she cannot.
Lady Capulet then tries to cheer Juliet up by telling her of her impending marriage to the eligible Paris. ‘But now I’ll tell thee joyful tidings, girl’. The use of the word girl shows the unfamiliarity of Lady Capulet and Juliet having these type of talks, close and intimate. ‘Hath sorted out a sudden day of joy…Marry my child…the gallant, young, and noble gentleman The County Paris’. The choice of words shows how Lady Capulet is trying to make out that Paris is a fantastic, once in a life time opportunity for her daughter. It is almost as if she is trying to make him sound so fantastic that Juliet should be lucky to be marrying him.
Juliet then shows her despair at having heard the news, as only she and the nurse know of her marriage to Romeo. ‘He shall not make me there a joyful bride!’ She then goes to make excuses as to why she should not marry him. ‘I wonder at this haste, that I must wed…I will not marry yet; and when I do, I swear it shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate, rather than Paris.’ She is stating that it is too soon for her to marry anyone, let alone Paris, and by using the phrase about Romeo, she is trying to shock her mother, by saying that she would rather marry some one she supposedly hates than Paris.
She then goes on to ask her mother to tell her father for her. ‘I pray you to tell my lord and father.’ This shows the reader of the authority of Capulet over his daughter, as it shows that she is too afraid herself to tell him that she does not want to marry the suitor that he picked out. Lady Capulet refuses to tell Capulet. ‘Tell him so yourself, and see how he will take it at your hands’. This shows that even his wife is afraid of telling him, so will put all of the pressure on Juliet. Perhaps she does this to scare Juliet into backing out of refusing the marriage, further more showing the authority Capulet has over the family.
Capulet then enters, saying a long speech just to show how happy he is. He then goes on to question Lady Capulet. ‘How now, wife? Have you delivered to her our decree?’ The use of the word ‘wife’ shows how impersonal their relationship is.
Lady Capulet informs her husband that Juliet is not willing to marry. ‘…She will none, she gives you thanks.’ Capulet then becomes furious to learn about Juliet's reluctance in the matter. Lady Capulet: ‘I would the fool were married to her grave!’ Capulet: ‘Take me with you, take me with you wife.’ By doing this, they are trying to gang up on Juliet by making her feel guilty. They are becoming a team, both wanting her to marry Paris.
Capulet then goes on to continuously insult Juliet. ‘Unworthy…disobedient wretch…you baggage.’ He also goes as far as to question her entire existence. ‘Wife, we scarce thought us blest the God had lent us but this only child’. By doing this, he is letting out his anger over the fact she isn’t going to marry Paris. He also tries to include his wife, again trying to gang up against Juliet. Also, he is being awful to her to try and make her change her mind, as he might change his attitude if she changes her mind.
He also threatens to take on physical violence on her. ‘My finger itch’. He is threatening to unleash the anger he is feeling inside towards Juliet.
He then goes to state that he will fully disown her. ‘I will drag thee on a hurdle hither…never look me in the face again.’ He is trying to guilt her into marrying Paris.
The nurse then gets involved. ‘God in heaven bless her!’ She is the only one to come to Juliet’s defence, showing her motherly instincts towards her. ‘You are to blame, my lord, to rate her so’. She is saying its all Capulets fault, as Juliet is too young and vulnerable to be married. This also backs up the motherly instincts, and shows that Juliet is closer to the Nurse than she is to her own mother.
The Nurse and Capulet disagree, and Capulet stalks off, furious at Juliet’s refusal to marry.
Juliet then tries to make a last plea to her mother. ‘O sweet mother…delay this marriage for a month, a week.’ She is trying to sweet talk her mother, and is practically begging her to postpone the marriage.
She then goes on to threaten to take her life. ‘Or if you do not, make the bridal bed in that dim monument where Tybalt lies’. By making that threat, she is hoping it will shock her mother, which goes to show how desperate she is. Lady Capulet just dismisses her, and walks away. ‘Talk not to me, for I’ll not speak a word do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee’. This shows how little concern Lady Capulet has for her daughter, and how little she cares for her.
The Nurse and Juliet then talk about what Juliet should do now. ‘O Nurse, how shall this be prevented?’ By going to the Nurse for advice, Juliet is showing the bond that they share is deep, as the Nurse is only one of two people that know about Julie’s marriage to Romeo.
Throughout the play, deception is a strong theme. Juliet’s bond with her parents is not strong, and this is shown by her dependence on the Nurse, and by how little her parents understand her.
Romeo and Juliet is seen by all as a play of young, great love, and if Julie’s relationship with her parents had been that of a closer one, perhaps the play would not have come to its tragic conclusion.
