How would the behavior of Lord and Lady Capulet be viewed by both a modern and a contemporary audience?

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How would the behavior of Lord and Lady Capulet be viewed by both a modern and a contemporary audience?

In this essay I am focusing on how the behavior of Lord and Lady Capulet are viewed by both a modern and contemporary audience. This play "Romeo and Juliet" was written by Shakespeare who was a magnificent writer. "Romeo and Juliet" was written in 1594 and its focus was on love and marriage which were arranged at the contemporary times.  Modern audiences are people who are viewing something at the time after "Romeo and Juliet" was written. On the other hand contemporary audiences are people who are viewing the play back then when the play was actually written. This means that their opinions are divergent to the point of view of the modern audience. This is because over 400 years people's social life have diverted from reverence towards parents and the decisions they make for you to making independent decisions about your life. Therefore in this essay I will describe how both audiences feel about Romeo and Juliet’s love and the decisions their parents made for their future.

In act 1scene 2 the conversation between Lord Capulet and Paris is very confidential. this is when Paris asks "what say you to my suit?" this is showing that Paris is interested in Juliet and suit is a term used for a proposal to her, we can sense that Paris is very eager to know the feeling of Juliet, it shows his impatient and has compelling feelings towards her. But this is not his first as he has asked before therefore it shows how desperate he is for her to like him. This would be seen as a very natural thing for both audiences as both people want to know how the other feels, and in contemporary times the man would find out through the girl’s parents. However modern audiences would be confused as he should be asking her not them.

On the other hand Capulet's reply is much of a shock to Paris as he replies with "my will to her consent is but a part. And she agreed, within her scope of choice lies my consent and fair according voice." here the contemporary would be staggered, this is because in those times parents would be rapturous to get their daughters married as soon as possible as it was a pleasure you find such a wealthy and noble young man. As 'arranged marriage' was very common in those days. The modern audience's attitude to love varies to what people from the Elizabethan times think.  Courtly love was very common in those times too which was when you loved in the times of Shakespeare arranged marriage was a fact of life, much like courtly love. Children respected their parents so much as to trust them to choose a suitable partner. Arranged marriages were not for love, but to write unite families, strengthen political bonds, and increase power and wealth. The average age for girls to get married was 14 or 15 years old as it was legal. In the play the Capulet wanted Juliet to get married at the age of 13. Shakespeare’s audience would have accepted these ideas as it practices the Italian culture. Paris's love towards Juliet was an example of courtly love as it was love from a distant and he did not know Juliet at all he just judged her on her looks. Courtly love however rarely led to marriage and this leads us to the ending of the story as Paris and Juliet did not get married either this is an example of dramatic irony which adds effect as it creates sympathy for both Paris and the later events. On the other hand they were very close, it shows that courtly love can be one-sided too as it was Paris with love for Juliet but Juliet felt nothing towards him.

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At the end of Act 1 scene 2 Lord Capulet shows his real colors he finishes the scene with "among fresh female buds shall you this night herit at my house." this shows how inside lord Capulet is still exactly like other parents in the Elizabethan times. As here he is implying that on the night of the party Paris will be guaranteed Juliet. The modern audience would see what a wicked man he is underneath. As a result the audience can already see inside lord Capulet slyly has agreed to the marriage but what will Juliet’s response be? ...

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