Lady Capulet delivers the news of the forthcoming marriage "Marry, my child early next Thursday morn," that has been arranged for Juliet the coming Thursday, expecting Juliet to be delighted and lifted from her sad mood. During this scene Lady Capulet would be happy and excited bestowing such an honour upon her daughter her demeanour would be softer and favourable towards her daughter. "Shall happily make thee there a joyful bride" Juliet is absolutely horrified by the news "he shall not make me there a joyful bride. I wonder at this haste, that I must wed" she tells her mother that she is too young and is too upset following her cousin's death to contemplate marriage. Juliet is stalling here, as she needs more time to sort out the dreadful position she finds herself in, she refuses to marry. Again delivering lines that have double meanings, " I will not marry yet, and when I do, I swear it shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate, rather than Paris" This is a good example of double irony as the audience will know that she would rather be married to Romeo where as her mother would believe the opposite.
Capulet appears on the scene and is initially the caring Father, he is sympathetic of his daughter's grief, as he is unaware of the truth behind it, "but for the sunset of my brother's son it rains downright. How now, a conduit, girl? What, still in tears?" He also believes his daughter will be overjoyed at the news of her marriage as he sees it as a great honour and a tremendous opportunity for her for which she should be grateful. After Juliets mother washes her hands of her she turns to the nurse expecting comfort, as the nurse is the only person who knows the truth of the situation with Romeo.
However the nurse also turns and tells Juliet to marry the county Paris. She insults Romeo comparing him unfavourably with the county Paris. "Romeo's a dishclout to him. An eagle, Madame, hath not so green, so quick, so fair an eye as Paris hath."
She is disappointed with the nurse's words and feels betrayed by her, as the nurse knows how much she loves Romeo and how unhappy she would be to marry Paris. I feel the nurse is thinking of whats best for Juliet knowing that Romeo is as good as dead because if Romeo was to return he would surely be killed but she is also thinking of her self and whats best for herself, her own position, if she sided with Romeo she would also be banished and loose her place in the capulet house hold.
Marriages during Elizabethan high class families were more often than not arranged by the parents, mainly as business deals to keep wealth, land and power within certain families. The audience of this era would not be shocked by this story line, as it was normal for their time. A modern day audience would find this shocking and unfair as in today's society we are free to choose who we marry and do not need our parents consent once we reach the age of sixteen. Most marriages today are based on love not business.
The Elizabethan audience would be more shocked by Juliet disobeying her parents and that she would have the courage to marry Romeo without their knowledge or consent. Females of this period were subordinate and should not have a mind of their own let alone act of their own free will.
Today we would admire her courage and applaud her for standing by her beliefs. Women today have equal rights to men and are free to make their own decisions. It would be normal practise today to meet and marry a person we fell in love with without obtaining permission from our Fathers.
When Lady Capulet tells her husband that Juliet has refused the marriage his whole persona changes as has hers. Capulet becomes very angry and feels let down, "how, will she none? Doth she not give us thanks? Is she not proud? Doth she not count her blest, " he is shocked that his daughter would dare to go against his wishes and turn down the honour of such a good match."unworthy as she is, that we have wrought so worthy a gentleman to be her bride?" He also sees that this will cause him immense embarrassment as he should be able to control his daughter and in not doing so will look weak.
During this scene I think that Juliet should be dressed in a white night gown, with her long hair hanging down. This would make her look young and innocent. She should be sitting on the bed with her shoulders slumped and hands entwined, this would give an image of vulnerability so getting the sympathy of the audience. Her Father should be dressed in dark clothes, looming above her, thus making her look small and frightened again evoking sympathy. He should then begin pacing the room throwing his arms around and shouting. "How how, how how, chopt-logic? What is this? 'Proud', and 'I thank you', and 'I thank you not' and yet 'not proud', mistress minion you?" This would make him seem foreboding and the audience would begin to dislike him and side even more with Juliet.
Lady Capulet would add to this image if she to were dressed in severe clothing and stood with a severe look on her face condemning her daughter in a disappointed and angry voice that she is not exited about the marriage "ay, sir, but she will none, she gives you thanks. I would the fool were married to her grave." The audience would feel that Juliet was overpowered by her domineering parents, and want her to be the victor.
Once Capulet and Lady capulet have left the nurse should sit beside Juliet on the bed the audience would see this as a sign of comfort to Juliet. Juliet is looking for sympathy ""comfort me, council me." Because she expects it because the nurse is the only one who knows Juliet's true thoughts and feelings. The nurse isn't showing much comfort to the way Juliet feels completely the opposite she tells Juliet to forget Romeo " Romeo is banished, and the world to nothing that he dares ne'er come back to challenge you; or if he do, it needs must be by stealth." Juliet feels alone thinking that the nurse was on her side and that she could confide in the nurse at this point in the scene the nurse goes to put her arm around Juliet to reassure her its for the best but Juliet disagrees and should stand to her feet and move away and sit at her dressing table this would show she feels forsaken she should stare at her reflection sticking to her own opinion "so many thousand times? Go, counsellor, thou and my bosom henceforth shall be twain. I'll to the Frair to know his remedy; if all else fail, myself have power to dies."
I feel that when Shakespeare wrote this play that he told us of the pending tragedy at the beginning of the story to make us sympathise with Romeo and Juliet throughout the play. It makes the audience want things to work out for them even though they know the relationship is doomed. We find ourselves looking for someone to blame throughout the play although I felt it was easier to blame the era rather than one particular character. As for Shakespeare believing in arranged marriages; I think he didn't, reason being it is shown throughout Romeo and Juliet how arranged marriages don't work and make bad things happen. In this case Juliet runs away.
