Shakespeare develops all the characters in this scene, showing their true views and emotions and how they have developed, in Act 1, scene 3 we see Juliet’s obedience to her parents, her lack of thought on marriage when Juliet is asked by her mother what she thinks of Paris and if she will marry him she says “I’ll look to like, if looking liking move; but no more deep will I endart mine eye than your consent gives strength to make it fly.” Juliet says she will marry whom ever her parents choose if she can accept him this also shows she hasn’t really thought about marriage. However when she first meets Romeo it is love at first site because since she first sees Romeo at the ball she cannot stop thinking about him. Romeo attended the ball expecting to see Rosaline (unseen character) he then sees Juliet and instantly falls in love with her. In Act 1, scene 5 There conversation also form sonnets without them realizing it, this symbolizes that they have true love for one and other.
Juliet, after the party continues to think about Romeo this is highlighted in the famous balcony scene” Romeo, Romeo, where art thou Romeo?” Her character has developed since Act 1 because she was presented as an obedient innocent daughter where the thought of marriage hadn’t crossed her mind until meeting Romeo. She has kissed a complete stranger and is convinced she is in love, all this has happened in such a short time and Romeo is a Montague! The enemies of Juliet’s family (Capulet). Juliet is also surprisingly clever for a 14 year old when speaking to her mother she uses double language “I will not marry yet, and when I do, I swear it shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate” she says she will never marry and it would be Romeo who she hates but what she means is that she would marry Romeo whom she loves dearly. At this point in the play an Elizabethan audience would understand Juliet’s moral/ religious dilemma because in Elizabethan times the father or husband was the head of the household he was the soul provider and when his daughter would be married it was more of a business deal than a joining of two people in love forever which is what marriage is known as today. One family would marry into a family of higher wealth to gain status and wealth. Modern day audiences would see the events in this scene as loyalty to Romeo because of the love Juliet has for him. But an Elizabethan audience would be more understanding because if Juliet married two different people she would be committing polygamy this is a big sin for religious Christians. Shakespeare is making the audience feel sympathy for Juliet and preparing us for a tragedy because when Juliet has no one to turn to, the only person left is Romeo and we suspect this is what leads to her death because we read this in the prologue.
Lord and Lady Capulet treat Juliet like she is a servant because they expect her to obey when they says she must marry Paris. This is because in a patriarchal society in Elizabethan times daughters were expected to listen to their father’s choice in marriage. The father was also the soul provider and head of the household and finding a marriage partner for your daughter was more like a business deal. But Juliet refuses because she is in love with Romeo and is already married to him therefore if she were to marry her parent’s choice (Paris) she would be committing polygamy. Lady Capulet was never close to her daughter, the nurse raised Juliet so she would be more close to her and would see her as a motherly figure when Juliet has no one to turn to because her parents do not know she is already married to Romeo she turns to the nurse who says she should marry Paris this is agreeing with Juliet’s father (Lord Capulet). The nurses and Juliet’s relationship is ended at this point. This is the point where Juliet has absolutely no one to turn to apart from her husband Romeo. But in this scene when Juliet defies her father he uses the same language in Act 1 scene 5 at the party when Tybalt argues with him he takes Tybalts words and changes their context he says “he shall be endur’d” after Tybalt says “I’ll not endure him”.
The nurse is close to Juliet because in Elizabethan times the nurse would look after the child and bring her up, although the nurse hasn’t been a good influence on Juliet because she uses inappropriate language and mentions sex quite a lot, even in front of lady Capulet! In this scene the nurse does support Juliet in this scene she defends her in front of lord Capulet but Lord Capulet tells her to be quiet “Peace, you mumbling fool!” the nurse has been by Juliet’s side throughout the play this is why this part of the scene is significant when alone with the nurse Juliet questions the nurse for advice, the nurse tells her to marry Paris and obey her parents this is the end of Juliet’s and the nurses relationship. Juliet uses sarcasm when talking to the nurse “Go, counsellor” she is saying that the nurse, the counsellor gives bad advice.
This is an important scene because we see a wide range of emotions with Juliet this is the scene when many relationships are destroyed we also feel sympathy for Juliet she has been threatened, she’s already married, her parents have rejected her, her motherly figure the nurse has betrayed her, she turns to Romeo and we know she is going to die and there is a tragedy coming because of the prologue.
