Whilst parting from Romeo, Juliet says “Methinks I see thee now. Thou art so low, As one dead in the bottom of a tomb.”This foreshadows the tragic event that is yet to come but also that Juliet has a sense of foreboding, a sense that something bad is going to happen. Due to the prologue, the audience already know the outcome which increases our pity and sympathy for her. Because of his banishment, Juliet has to part from Romeo not knowing when she will see him again. This alters the audience’s feelings toward Juliet, she is no longer seen as cushioned rich man’s daughter but as a damsel in distress; causing the audience to start warming to her.
Parent-child relationships were different due to people’s status. Due to their high status’ mothers would often leave the Nurse to bring up their children, resulting a distant relationship between the two. Juliet’s relationship with her mother is very distant and cold; her mother usually only talks to her if there is an agenda and is very quick to lose patience with her. Her father seems like a caring, understanding at first, but soon the audience find out he is controlling and possessive; the total opposite of what he at the beginning. The respect Juliet shows in this scene is due to her religion.
Juliet feels she cannot marry Paris for religious reasons; as well as the reason that she does not want to because she is already married to Romeo. Shakespeare makes Capulet seem so caring at the start of this scene to create contrast in the scene. It becomes more shocking that he has turned on her because Capulet, before, was using positive poetic language comparing Juliet’s tears to a storm, to show that he is worried about her grief. . In addition, that he has this aggressive side to him. The effect on the audience is that they start to feel more sympathetic to her.
Capulet repeats ‘out’ several times such as “Out, you green-sickness carrion! Out, you baggage!” This meaning that he won’t support her anymore, but also reinforcing the threat to throw her out. The audience feel sorry for Juliet as she respectfully tries to stand up for herself and refuse to marry Paris. Also, Capulet insults Juliet by saying “One is too much, And that we have a curse in having her.” Capulet indicates that he wishes she had never been born; in spite of his insults, Juliet still calls Capulet “Good Father”, treats with him with respect, and tries hard not to be rude. Witnessing this, the audience feel even sorrier for Juliet and want to defend her.
Capulet mimics Juliet by saying, “I’ll not wed, I cannot love, I am too young, I pray you pardon me.” By saying this, it gives off the impression that Capulet is mimicking Juliet and is starting to rant. Capulet going off into a rant shows how angry he is at this precise moment. Capulet declares that “his fingers itch” meaning that he feels like hitting her. This statement shows that Juliet refusing her arranged marriage infuriates her father. He also calls her ‘baggage’ twice. He implies that she is an unwanted burden on him as well as wishing that she had never been born.
Juliet and the Nurse share a very close and intimate relationship; the Nurse is practically her mother. Up until the second half of the scene, the Nurse has always been Juliet’s main source of support. The Nurse compares Romeo to a “dishclout”, which shows the Nurse as a hypocrite as a few days ago; she had been calling Romeo beautiful. Shakespeare creates sympathy for Juliet by making the Nurse turn her back on her, leaving Juliet begging for support and comfort. The audience feel sympathetic towards Juliet; and are left surprised from the Nurse’s hypocrisy.
Even as they are insulting her, Juliet still calls her parents “Good Father” and “O sweet my mother”. This shows that she is still trying to be obedient and respectful; but also to try to put her point across and get her way. When the Nurse turns her back on her, Juliet replies with an “Amen”. The audience see this as sarcasm that the Nurse does not pick up on. Although, it also comes through as Juliet not meaning it and just pretending to side with the Nurse. The audience also see this as a cry of help that the Nurse is not responding to.
Juliet declares “make the bridal be, in that dim monument where Tybalt lies.” This foreshadows their death and give the audience a reminder about what the prologue was all about. Juliet being alone on stage making a dramatic speech to the audience illustrates the loneliness and isolation she is feeling currently. Furthermore, it also shows that she rather die than marry Paris. This makes the audience feel even more sympathetic for her.
This scene leaves the audience feeling sorry for Juliet as through one scene we see Juliet’s whole world and support system either leave or fall apart and this is something everyone in the audience can relate or sympathise to. A modern audience’s feelings towards Juliet would be different to as those of a Shakespearean audience. Shakespearean females would mostly sympathise with Juliet as at those times, women were not allowed to choose who they would marry but it was their parents’ choice.
A modern audience would not feel sympathetic towards Juliet, because towards the end of the scene; Juliet portrayed herself as being childish and she took a childish approach after she did not get her own way. Alternatively, a modern audience would also feel slightly sorry for Juliet as even sitting in the audience, you can feel that loneliness, isolation and abandonment that Juliet is feeling.