In the Capulet household there are a range of different attitudes towards marriage – her mother Lady Capulet, her father Capulet and the nurse. Juliets father would like Juliet to marry Paris, but not yet as she is still only 14. He wants to wait until Juliet is 16 before she gets married. " But saying o’er what I have said before. My child is yet a stranger to the world; she hath not seen the change of fourteen years. Let two more summers wither in their pride ere we may think her ripe to be a bride" (Iii ll. 7-11) Here Capulet wants to protect Juliet and not pressure her into marriage. Later in the same conversation Capulet shows Paris how important he thinks love is in a marriage and wants Juliet to love and be loved before getting married. “…woo her gently Paris, get her heart, my will to her consent is but a part, and she agreed, within her scope of choice lies my consent and fair according voice.” (Iii ll. 16-19) By what Capulet is saying, he will respect Juliet’s choice of man, and his feelings take second place to Juliets. Capulet will only agree to the marriage when Juliet does. But although he is protecting his daughter from getting married too young, he himself wed Lady Capulet when she was at a young age. In Iii l.13 Capulet comments on how young brides are “married too soon” and he is referring to his wife. Later on in the play we realise that Capulet has been an unfaithful husband. There is a bitter exchange IViv ll. 10-13. “…I have watched ere now all night for lesser cause and ne’er been sick” What Capulet is saying is that he’s been up all night – with a woman, being unfaithful – and has never been sick. This makes Lady Capulet jealous “a jealous hood” (IViv l.14) is what Capulet calls her. Lady Capulet says “I will watch you from such watching now” (IViv l.13). The marriage between Capulet and Lady Capulet is bitter and Lady Capulet is scornful towards to her older husband.
In Act III there is a conversation between Lady Capulet, Juliet and the nurse. Lady Capulet has come to talk to Juliet about marriage. She asks Juliet what she thinks of marriage “How stands your dispositions to be married?” (Iiii l.66) Juliet replies “it is an honour that I dream not of” (Iiii l. 67) (but that is before she meets Romeo!) Lady Capulet wants Juliet to get married, and she knows Paris “seeks” Juliet for his love, even though she is still very young. Lady Capulet says “Younger than you here in Verona, ladies of esteem are already mothers. By my count I was your mother much upon these years.” (Iiii ll.72-74) Here she is saying that well-bred ladies younger than Juliet are mothers already and that she gave birth to Juliet when she was the age that Juliet is now. This is why she thinks she should be married, and have children at an early age too.
Early on in the play Capulet seems to pay Juliet a lot of respect when it comes to marriage, however, later on in the play he arranges for Juliet to marry Paris, without consulting Juliet, not even mentioning it to her. He knows that she doesn’t love him. So now we know that his conversation with Paris earlier didn’t really mean anything. Lady Capulet tells Juliet of the arrangement “Marry, my child, early next Thursday morn the gallant, young, and noble gentleman, The County Paris, at Saint Peter’s Church shall happily make thee there a joyful bride” (IIIv ll.112-115). At this point in the play Juliet has already secretly wed her secret lover Romeo. Juliet refuses to marry Paris “…he shall not make me there a joyful bride.” (IIIiv l.117) Juliet says that Paris will not make her happy. Capulet arrives and hears of her refusal. Capulet calls her a “disobedient wretch … a wretched pulling fool” (IIIv l.160 & 184) Capulet is very angry. He has exerted himself “Day, night, work, play” (IIIv ll.76-77) to find Juliet a good bridegroom, and have her married well.
Throughout the play the nurse has quite a lot to say when it comes to marriage. She knows that Juliet has married Romeo, and even passed messages for the two – to and from. She seems to agree with Capulets anger towards Juliet about refusing to marry Paris. When Juliet first met Romeo Nurse was the one who came and “interrupted” as Lady Capulet needed Juliet. She hinted to Romeo that Juliet was worth marrying for her money “…he that can lay hold of her shall have the chinks.”(Iv ll.114-115) All the nurses other references to marriage relate to sex and/of having babies! “…women grow by men” (Iiii l.97)
