The language used by Lord and Lady Capulet is cruel and unparentlike. Juliet is called disobedient because she doesn’t do as her parents say. I think she should be able to decide her own life. And is being called a whore, whats that about, its like shes adopted because no-ones calls their daughter a whore. I think that Juliet is the odd one out because shes nothing like her parents, in personality etc. I think her parents always get what they want, this has probably never happenend before.
We learn that Lord, Lady Capulet and the nurse, when it comes down to it, they are all in it together, it’s like when 3 become 1. The nurse is turning a blind eye and saying that her parents are right. I think that the nurse doesn’t take married life seriously, she thinks that you should just enjoy yourself. But on the other hand Lord and Lady Capulet take everything seriously. They don’t even want to know the reason why Juliet doesn’t want to marry Paris, it’s either marry or be abandoned. Juliet was looked after by the nurse, and is closer to the nurse than her mother. This tell me that her mother wasn’t prepared to look after her, it tells us that Elizabethan mothers and daughters had a distant relationship. I think that the audience would sympathise with Juliet because her innocent hides her, it makes her look like the victim. And the way she says her lines, she is begging.
I think this scene includes the departure of Romeo because it will be the last time that they will be together. It’s like they never want to leave each other but everytime they try to leave each other, they are pulled back together. They always show their love for one another, they would do anything for each other. When they speak to each other it’s all lovey-dovey. They use the environment around them to say how they feel about each other. Their loyalty is much stronger than with their parents. I think that they are designed to engage our simpathy because here are two star-crossed lovers who are kept back because of this brawl. They don’t want to fight but are forced to. They are put in a situation that they don’t want to be in.
Juliet’s situation is hopeless because she tries everything to try and change their minds. Her speeches indicate this. Her words sound desperate, frightend, she is practically begging. She knows that her situation is hopeless. The way that she uses her words that relate to her situation, also the way she says them. This makes us engage our sympathy, because we know what her situation is, and makes us feel what she is feeling, this puts us in her position. Also the way she says it, the puntuation in the text. Lord Capulet’s speech shows us that he loses it straight away. Juliet has been put in a difficult situation. When the nurse says your parents are right, Juliet knows that she is by herself, at that point she acts and speaks differently.
Juliet’s bedroom is very plain and simple compared to the rest of the house. The rest of the house is well furnished, Juliet’s room is basic, only a bed, cupboard, curtains, and a wall hanging, that’s basically it. The colour is mainly white. The other places, such as the stairway, corridor was darker and more decorative than Juliet’s room. I think that Lord and Lady Capulet are shown talking in the stairway because Zefferilli wanted to show what Elizabethan parents were like, planning their childrens lives for them.
Juliet is wearing white, this shows her innocent, her hair is loose, and it makes her look like a helpless child. Lord and Lady Capulet are dressed in black, this makes them look evil. The complete opposite of Juliet. The nurse looks like a nun, this makes her look like a confidont, agreeing with Juliet’s parents, but also keeping Juliet’s secrets. Lady Capulet wears a lot of jewellery, Lord Capulet has only got a big chain. Lord and Lady Capulet match, they wear a his and hers outfit. They show a united front, their costumes show power and wealth.
Juliet moves around her room frequently, its like shes like a frightend animal. She also uses objects to try to protect herself, eg the curtains, pillows and the nurse. She begs, pleds, even gets down on her knees, but Lord Capulet doesn’t accept it. Juliet is looking for a way out and is looking for comfort. Lord Capulet reacts straight away, he is very expressive. His anger is expressed mostly in his hands and when he shouts. His hands are always shaking, also he pushes Juliet to the floor. He expects to be obeyed. Lady Capulet is hoarty, never shows weakness, she just stands there and listens to what her husband saying, she never talks to Juliet. The nurse is worried about Juliet, as she knows how Lord and Capulet are. Juliet says her lines differently at different times. Like when she is frightend, she pauses a lot, her voice gets lower. She also cries a lot and is always lower than everyone else, indicating power in the household.
I think Zefferilli has been most sucessful in conveying this scene because it was a continous argument with a lot of action, with tempers running high, the expressions are those you would expect to be used. The setting was as you would expect in Elizabethan times, they way everything was put together. If I were the director I would include more close-ups and more eye contact between Lord Capulet and Juliet. Also I would have Lady Capulet standing next to Lord Capulet, to seem as she was backing him up, a united front.
