How important is the role of the Nurse in `Romeo and Juliet’? Would the play still work without her?
Romeo and Juliet
How important is the role of the Nurse in `Romeo and Juliet'? Would the play still work without her?
The Nurse is a highly developed character who is bawdy and humorous. The role of the Nurse is important in many ways and here are many reasons why Shakespeare used such a character in the play. One's initial reaction to the Nurse is that she is in the play as a source of humour even though the play is a tragedy. This gives the play a twist because she changes the mood from one scene to another. In order for as to see whether her presence is essential, important or merely incidental, one should look at each scene in detail and analyse her interaction with other characters and the atmosphere she creates.
When the Nurse first makes her emergence she is characterized as a vulgar commoner. The effect the unnamed servant has on the play is momentous. Shakespeare changes her status from a lower class maid to a member of the Capulet household.
" No less nay bigger. Women grow by men".
This demonstrates the Nurse's crudeness and her use of sexual implication. The Nurse has obviously brought up Juliet since she was a child and has even breastfed her.
" Thou wast the prettiest babe that ever I nursed".
The Nurse also refers to her daughter Susan who passed away.
" .... Well, Susan is with God; she was too good for me".
This also shows that the Nurse takes dignity in her reminiscence. The Nurse uses Juliet as a substitute for her daughter Susan. The Nurse would do anything to please and fulfil the wishes of Juliet.
The Nurse helps Lady Capulet communicate with her daughter because it is implied she cannot talk to her face to face. This also demonstrates how loving the Nurse is towards the family and how the family see her as a member of the Capulets.
The Nurse irritates Lady Capulet because she doesn't stop talking, which brings hilarity to the tragedy.
"Enough of this; I pray thee, hold thy peace".
Here is a fine example of what Lady Capulet thinks of the Nurse's long, base speeches and her sexual insinuation.
During the 'masked ball', when Romeo and Juliet first meet, the Nurse acts as a go-between for them. Romeo and Juliet both ask several questions concerning each other separately. The Nurse gives her typical answer.
" I tell you he that can lay hold of her, shall have ...
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The Nurse irritates Lady Capulet because she doesn't stop talking, which brings hilarity to the tragedy.
"Enough of this; I pray thee, hold thy peace".
Here is a fine example of what Lady Capulet thinks of the Nurse's long, base speeches and her sexual insinuation.
During the 'masked ball', when Romeo and Juliet first meet, the Nurse acts as a go-between for them. Romeo and Juliet both ask several questions concerning each other separately. The Nurse gives her typical answer.
" I tell you he that can lay hold of her, shall have the chinks".
She is also rebuking Juliet for talking to Romeo after she found out that he was from the Montague family sect. She also appears in the 'balcony scene' and she is calling for Juliet. To juxtapose the romantic interaction if the Nurse wasn't there then Lady Capulet would have been calling her and their romance would have been discovered. The Nurse is a source of mockery when she goes to meet Romeo and warns him that he had better look after Juliet properly. The ridiculars are Romeo's friend Mercutio and his cousin Benvolio.
" Good Peter, to hide her face; for her fans the fairer of the two".
Here they are stating that her fan looks better than her. The Nurse foreworns Romeo about the consequences of leading Juliet astray.
" If ye should lead her into a fool's paradise....".
This enhances our understanding of the play by indicating that if Romeo mistreats Juliet, the Nurse will not let him off easily. In this way, the Nurse asserts her concern and support for the well being of Juliet, whilst maintaining her authoritative role. The Nurse is also showing her hilarity by having an argument with the Montague clan. The Nurse has been very courageous to go into the Montague territory and has undertaken all this for Juliet. This again shows how thoughtful and considerate she is to her surrogate daughter.
The most humorous scene is Act 2 Scene 5. The Nurse is bantering with Juliet about whether or not Romeo has given the answer concerning the wedding proposal. The Nurse deviates from one point to another to get on Juliet's nerves, and make her worried about whether her lover has accepted her request of marriage or not. The Nurse falsely claims that she is of ill health. This is also done to make Juliet feel uncomfortable. When the Nurse finally tells her she spits it out quickly, thus shocking the desperate Juliet.
In the next scene we meet the Nurse, when she narrates the death of Juliet's cousin to the daughter of Montague. She is flabbergasted when she finds out what happened. This scene shows another episode of the play where the Nurse is emotional and is not full of comedy. People may think the Nurse is over reacting compared to the death of Juliet. The Nurse also has to break the news that Romeo murdered Tybalt after an argument with his friend.
" O Tybalt, O Tybalt, the best friend I had..."
She promises Juliet that she will go to Romeo and give him the ring from her.
" Hie to your chamber, I'll find Romeo to comfort you".
She is used as a go-between once again in the play. This is one of her most important roles.
The Nurse's betrayal begins in Act 3 Scene 5. The Nurse gives the news of Lady Capulet's decision for Juliet to marry the County Paris.
" I think it best you married with the County. O, he's a lovely gentleman".
She also changes her mind about what she thinks of Romeo calling him a "dishcloth" compared to Paris. The Nurse changes her loyalty. During the first part of the play, it is evident that the Nurse is encouraging a union of marriage between Romeo and Juliet. Act 3 Scene 5 suggests a movement of loyalty. This may be because the Nurse realises that she is deceiving her employers.
At this point in the play, Juliet has lost her confidant and no longer has a "shoulder to cry on".
The last time we see the Nurse is when Juliet has taken the poison and is pretending to be dead. The Nurse's reaction is genuinely distraught and devastated.
" Alas, alas! Help! Help! My lady's dead! .... Most lamentable day! Most woeful day.... Ever did I yet behold".
From this, you see that the Nurse is feeling guilty about betraying Juliet.
The Nurse is not included in the final scenes; one could argue that Shakespeare ignores her character because she betrayed Juliet.
The Nurse interacts with Juliet and the rest of the Capulet family because they have made her part of the family. To Juliet she is kind, loving and caring but the betrayal at the end changes all this.
Benvolio and Mercutio mock her because she is a Nurse. They mock her appearance.
Lady Capulet thinks that the Nurse is talkative and talks when she is not needed. Lord Capulet only communicates with her at one point when he tells Lady Capulet and Juliet of Paris' love. The Nurse doesn't talk well with the head of the family but she does respect him.
The Nurse orders Romeo around but he thinks well of her at first because she helps him and Juliet.
In conclusion, the role of the Nurse is an important one as it is she who creates tension. The audience is able to gain a further understanding into the role of both Romeo and Juliet, because of the way in which they interact with each Nurse.
Although it may not be apparent at first, it is clear that the Nurse is the character who makes the play work. Her role is such that if her character were absent from the play, the play would definitely not have concluded in the way it does. It is the Nurse who has a major role in developing the relationship between Romeo and Juliet, and at the same time it is her who is partly responsible for their deaths. Despite this, it can be argued the Nurse has many functions. To summarize, these are that that of a go between, a surrogate mother and she also adds to the humour of the play. She creates dramatic irony and enables the development of the plot and other characters.
Overall, Shakespeare uses the Nurse as a tool to move the play forward. The Nurse's role is of paramount importance and it can be said that the play would not function without her.
AHSAN AHMED
AHSAN AHMED 17/05/07
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