Media coursework; analytical writing on the film Witness

        Later on in the play, Tybalt is killed. Juliet and Tybalt were quite close and when Juliet is upset in Act Three Scene Two everyone thinks that it is because Tybalt is dead. However, she is really upset because Romeo has been banished and she thinks that this is worse. At this time, nobody besides the nurse knows about Romeo and Juliet so them thinking that she is upset because of Tybalt’s death is understandable. Lord Capulet thinks that if he gets Juliet married to Paris it will take her mind of Tybalt and cheer her up. Lord Capulet genuinely believes that he is doing the best for Juliet and that it will make her happy. He thinks that Juliet will agree to whatever he has to say. “…I think she will be ruled in all respects by me.” Capulet is already calling Paris ‘My son’ which indicates that he already thinks of Paris as a son-in-law even before consulting Juliet in the matter. He thinks that Paris is a perfect partner for Juliet and that Juliet will be just as happy as he is.

        Lady Capulet agrees to the marriage. However, we do not know whether she genuinely is happy or whether she is just agreeing with her husband because of the society they live in. The wife was always meant to obey the husband and whatever he said would always be what happened. Therefore, in a way Lady Capulet did not really have a say in the matter because she knew she would have to agree with her husband. She was brought up in a patriarchal society and so has always been part of a society where males dominate. When she is telling Juliet about the news she says that she has good news for her. “…Now I’ll tell thee joyful tidings girl” This shows that she thinks it’s a good idea and that it’s good news for Juliet.  

        Lord Capulet tells Lady Capulet to tell Juliet about marrying Paris. He himself then walks into the room. He asks Lady Capulet if she’s told Juliet about the marriage and expects her to be very happy. At first, he is very confused at what Lady Capulet tells her. “Soft, take me with you, take me with you, wife.” He is telling Lady Capulet that he’s not with her and he doesn’t understand. Lord Capulet is not used to rejection and automatically expects obedience. As he goes on his language becomes much more violent and abusive. His anger builds up, as he was not prepared for this kind of reaction from his one and only daughter. Juliet pleads with her father. She shows fear and emotional breakdown. “Good father, I beseech you on my knees.” This shows she is fearful and is scared of her father. She is not emotionally close enough to confide in her parents. She has a lack of self-esteem. This is a clear reflection of how society treats women. It is as if they have no choice in any matter and they have to accept whatever the male wants. He then goes on to remind Juliet about the effort he’s made. “God’s bread, it makes me mad! Day, night, work, play, Alone, in company, still my care hath been to have her matched.” His love for her seems very conditional as he goes on. He calls her names and is prepared to disown her and this makes it seem as though he will only love her if she obeys him. However, Elizabethan society was patriarchal and fathers were always obeyed. Lord Capulet also does not know anything about Romeo so he can’t understand why she won’t get married to Paris. “Graze where you will, you shall not house with me…for by my soul, I’ll ne’er acknowledge thee, nor what is mine shall never do you good…I’ll not be forsworn.” He is saying that if she chooses not to marry Paris, then she can leave home and beg, starve and die in the streets. He says that he will not recognize her and cut her off from anything that’s his. He ends by saying that he will not change his mind. He is annoyed because all his hard work has gone down the drain. He realises that his daughter and himself have grown apart. Lady Capulet has no part in the match making and although she was the one to break the news to Juliet, she didn’t actually play a part in deciding that Juliet would marry Paris. She just supports her husband in his choice for their daughter but she does think that Paris is a good choice for her daughter.  

        After, when Juliet has agreed to marry Paris, Capulet becomes the loving dad figure again. I think that Juliet only agreed to get married to Paris because she was scared of her father and frightened of being disowned. He becomes involved in all the wedding preparations and this shows how much he actually wanted Juliet to marry Paris. The fact that once she agrees, he becomes loving again and he is happy with her shows what Elizabethan society was like. The women had to agree with the men and the men weren’t happy until they did so. He is only happy when he gets his own way and he realises that his one and only daughter will obey him after all. “Against tomorrow, my heart is wondrous light, since this same wayward girl is so reclaimed.” 

        When Lord Capulet believes that Juliet is dead he shows his true feelings about his daughter and he is very upset. He says a lot of things about how he felt about Juliet and that she was his pride and joy. “Flower as she was, deflowered by him…To murder, murder our solemnity…And with my child by joys are buried.” Juliet was his joy, his only child and when he believes that she is dead he realises how much he will miss him.

        To conclude, at the start of the play Lord Capulet is very reluctant to let go of his daughter when Paris approaches him to ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage. He told Paris to wait two years before he would let him marry Juliet. Romeo then killed Tybalt and Romeo was banished. At this stage in the play, Romeo and Juliet are already married so when Lord Capulet thinks that getting Juliet married to Paris will cheer her up, she has a reason to refuse but Lord Capulet does not know this reason so he doesn’t really know why Juliet is refusing. He only arranged the marriage because he genuinely thought that it would benefit Juliet and would make her happy. She felt terrible about refusing to marry Paris, but this may have been brought on by fear of disownment. Lord Capulet felt betrayed, hurt and like he was being disobeyed by his only daughter. He automatically expected her to agree, be happy and marry Paris. In a patriarchal society like it was, it was very rarely that a daughter disobeyed her father so it is understandable why he was so angry. You can tell that Juliet cares for her dad’s feelings as she does agree to marry Paris and that is how she tries to appease him. At one point during Act Three Scene Five it does seem as though Lord Capulet’s is very conditional and he will only love her if she agrees to what he wants but in the end you can see that although Lord Capulet goes to the extent of threatening to disown his daughter he does really love her as he is very upset and saddened when he believes that she is dead. So, even though Juliet and Lord Capulet had their ups and downs Lord Capulet really does love Juliet, as she is his only daughter and his pride and joy.