Moreover the clear highlight of Juliet's conversation with her mother is of her ambiguity, she speaks of Romeo as she loathes and wants to seek vengeance against him; however the audience is aware that she speaks lovingly about him. “With Romeo, till I behold him dead, is my poor heart for a kinsman vexed.” Here, to Lady Capulet it seems that Juliet's wants Romeo dead, although, she wants to “behold” him in a sexual manner, and saying that her heart is “dead” without him. This is one of the moments in the scene were Shakespeare uses dramatic irony, and succeeds in putting the audience on edge and dramatise emotions, between the characters.
Lady Capulet then puts forward the proposal of marriage, “Marry my child”. Predictably, Juliet's is enraged and infuriated, as the atmosphere takes yet another twist. “I will not marry yet” she insists however Juliet’s argument falls on deaf ears as the mood is furthered by the arrival of Lord Capulet.
Capulet enters calmly and like his wife, wrongly thinks that Juliet's is still mourning Tybalt’s death. He makes many references to water, describing Juliet's emotions and appearance very vividly. “A conduit, girl?” “Evermore showering”, “ebb and flow with tears”, “the bark thy body is sailing in this salt flood”. All these references are very intense and Capulet is quick to try and relieve his daughter, oblivious to what is coming.
Moreover, this is the first time that we see all the characters on stage, in the scene. Capulet then enquires to his wife, whether Juliet has received their proposition, “Have you delivered to her our decree?” and from then on in the mood turns extremely bitter, as the audience can sense what is coming next.
Capulet cannot comprehend why his daughter has had a sudden change of heart, he was expecting gratitude, from his only daughter “doth she not give thanks?” he asks. Gradually these feelings of dismay evolve in to rage and infuriation. Capulet explodes, and hurls abuse and threats towards Juliet. “Out, you green sickness carrion! Out you baggage!” He is reluctant to even listen to Juliet's reply, as her desperation grows, “Good father, I beseech you on my knees,” she pleads with him, but Capulet is unrelentless in his scathing attack. To further the drama, Capulet threatens to hit Juliet “My fingers itch” he says and at this point the nurse, bravely tries to intervene. But unsurprisingly, Capulets takes no heed, and then directs his dissatisfaction towards the nurse.” Peace you mumbling fool,” it is evident that he thinks that the nurse is below him, therefore is in no place to quarrel with her master. This attempt to calm the tension is unsuccessful, achieving only in accelerating Capulets argument.
At this moment all the characters are in a heightened stage of emotions, most notably Lord Capulet, and for the first time, we hear Lady Capulet trying to compose her husband, “You are too hot” she pleads, but this has no effect on Capulet. Throughout this time Juliet is listening fearfully at the father’s terrorization of her, “hang, beg, starve die in the streets”. Likewise the audience is also in trepidation, over how Juliet will overcome this, and her emotional state of mind. Capulet then exits, with his concluding words being, “I’ll not be forsworn” implying that he is unwilling to break the oath that he has made to Paris’s family, for anyone.
Even though, Capulet has left the atmosphere is continuous, as Juliet, has a premonition of her death. “make the bridal bed in that dim monument where Tybalt lies.” Juliet is pleading to her mother, that if she does not adjourn the wedding, she may as well lie down her dead body, next to Tybalt’s, “delay this marriage, for a month, a week;”. Lady Capulet is unyielding towards Juliet, and tells her not to speak to her, “Talk not to me”, and leaves the stage.
Now with only the nurse and Juliet, the atmosphere is somewhat relived, as the two parents exit. But it is clear that Juliet is still distressed and turns to her nurse for comfort. “O nurse how can this be prevented?” The nurse is the only person in Juliet's life, who she trusts and cares for, as she has had a distance relationship with her mother, and she was the one who instigated the marriage and encouraged Juliet. Consequently it comes as a great shock when the nurse tells Juliet that marring Paris is her best option. “I think it best you married with the County”. Suddenly, the audience’s perception of the nurse goes from someone who is trusting and loyal to Juliet, to a traitor who has turned her back on her when Juliet needs the nurse most.
Throughout the scene, the characters opinions of each other have been challenged. Firstly, Capulet thinks that he knows his daughter well, and for this reason his reaction, to her displeasure, is amplified. Likewise, Juliet feels that the nurse will support her unconditionally, and is similarly puzzled when the nurse advises her to abandon Romeo, “Romeo is a dishclout to him” and also goes on to say that because Romeo is banished, he may as well be dead. “You're first is dead, ‘twere as good he were,”. Juliet responds by showing sarcasm, “thou hast comforted me marvellous much”, this is a shield to cover up her anger and disgruntlement, which she feels inside. At this point the audience is concerned about Juliet the most, the tone of the scene has shifted vastly, and Juliet then delivers a powerful soliloquy, where she contemplates her suicide. “If all else fail, myself have power to die”. In her mind, if she finds no way to stop the marriage, Juliet knows that she can always take her own life. This is the only time in the scene where Juliet is alone, and it coincides with her being at her most solitary point in the play.
Shakespeare uses great symmetry in this scene, regarding the number of characters on stage. From the beginning of the scene, with Romeo and Juliet, to when all characters are on stage, Shakespeare is gradually building up tension and atmosphere, as the number on stage increases, it is at this point when the dram has reached it peak level. From that point onwards, the drama dampens as Capulet, Lady Capulet and the nurse exit. Leaving Juliet alone pondering her future.
In addition, there is a varied amount of physical action, ranging from Romeo being ushered out in the morning, and then the nurse bursting in warning Juliet that lady Capulet is on her way. This type of action retains a feeling of excitement and anticipation, from the audience’s point of view. This type of action then evolves in to a more disturbing and violent form, as Juliet is on the receiving end of emotional and physical abuse from her father. Capulet tosses and throws Juliet around, as if she was a ragdoll, “my fingers itch” he threatens, only inches away from hitting his daughter.
Undoubtedly, the highlight of the scene is the dramatic conflict between Juliet and her father. This moment is full of heartiness and zeal, as Capulet launches scornful and disdainful attacks on Juliet, as she refuses to give in to her parent’s demands.
Capulet enters the scene with the death of Tybalt, evidently on his mind, ignorant to what will be coming next “for the sunset of my brothers son, it rains downright.” This poetic reference to water is continued as Capulet looks to comfort Juliet, referring to her as “a conduit girl?” meaning waterway or channel. In addition he describes her eyes as “Do ebb and flow with tears”. He goes up to her, as she lies on her bed, soothing her pain with his words.
Moreover, to a modern day audience, some of Capulets descriptions may sound quite perverted and untoward, intensely and vividly depicting Juliet’s body saying; “thou counterfeits a bark, a sea, a wind”. These words and actions have a great impact and the audience instantaneously feels that Capulet is much closer to Juliet, in comparison to her mother.
He then goes on to learn that Juliet has rejected the marriage proposal. Capulet feels he has done his best as a father, to provide Juliet with a suitable partner, “we have wrought so worthy a gentlemen to be her bride” and accuses Juliet as being spoilt and ungrateful “Mistress minion you”. He goes on to accuse her of talking nonsense, “chop-logic!” and doesn’t want to hear her excuses, but demands her to accept, “thank me no thankings, nor proud me no prouds”.
He shows no sign of letting up in his argument and as time goes on, Capulet’s rage and fury is only exacerbated. His intimidation become more violent, “I will drag you on a hurdle thither” his reference to hurdles is important, as they in Shakespeare time as frames, to drag prisoners to their execution. He doesn’t stop there and starts to insult Juliet's physical appearance, referring to her as “tallow face” meaning pale and waxy, and “baggage”.
At this moment, Juliet goes on her knees begging Capulet to hear her argument. “Good father,” she says, obviously trying to appeal to him, making him stop. This has no influence on Capulet, and for the first time threatens to hit her, “my fingers itch” and goes on to threatens to disown her, “or never look me in the face”.
While all this is taking place Lady Capulet, remains in the background, smirking, as she is jealous of her daughter, because she also married early and was pregnant with Juliet at the age of 14. Lady Capulet would have loved to marry someone with Paris’s status, and this is one of the reasons she has a very loose relationship with Juliet.
Capulet even mocks the nurse, as she as the audacity to argue with him. The nurse walks in front of Capulet, trying to distract his attention and calm him down. “God-i-goden” he says, telling her to clear off and showing utter disregard for her feelings.
In Capulets mind, he as her father, has all right over his daughter, and can dictate her life, this is evident as he says “You be mine, I’ll give you to my friend”. Leaving Juliet powerless and unable to sway him on the matter. Capulet storms out, leaving Juliet sobbing on her knees., and the nurse and Lady Capulet standing dazed and in Lady Capulets case, leering at the spectacle which they have just witnessed before them.
The scene also consists of superbly varied language. This scene opens with Romeo and Juliet, the speech at this moment, is highly poetic and can easily be mistaken for poetry. Their love for each other is very apparent, as Juliet is reluctant to let Romeo leave. “Wilt thou be gone?” she asks, referring to the day as the “lark” and night as “the nightingale.” Romeo also speaks dramatically and his language is full of imagination and imagery. “Nights candles are burnt out, and jocund day stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops”, trying to say to Juliet that night has gone and he must leave. Another example of this type of poetry is when Juliet describes the reflection of the edge of the moon as, “the pale reflex of Cynthia’s brow” Cynthia being the moon goddess. There is also desperation in her language, as both of them are unwilling to leave each other, and irony is that it is the last time they will be together, therefore this language has a lasting effect on the audience.
In contrast, when Capulet enters he is also very poetic and figurative in his references to water, he describes Juliet's body as “Sailing in this salt flood”, meaning that her body is a small boat, on the waves of her tears. But his language then turns to foul, abhorrent and demanding threats and insults directed towards Juliet. These include, a “disobedient wretch” and “Green sickness carrion” to threats to disown her, including “never after look me in the face” and “you shall never house with me”. Capulet makes it clear that he will not put his families name in disgrace, and exits on the words, “I’ll not be forsworn.”
The nurse also, astonishingly, is very direct and tries to impose her views on Juliet. “You are happy in this second match as it excels your first”. Even though, the nurse may feel she is being helpful and only has Juliet's best interests at heart. Juliet is ignorant to what she has to say, and this is reflected in the dismay in her tone, “speakst thou from thy heart? she asks. The nurse delivers her lines very flatly and is quite emotionless, aggravating Juliet’s emotions even more.
Juliet then goes on to deliver a passionate soliloquy where she directs insults towards the nurse. She calls her a wicked old witch, “Ancient Damnation” and goes on to compare her to the devil, “O most wicked fiend”. The nurse’s words obviously had a great influence on her and she feels bitterly betrayed. In addition, Capulet also had an effect on her, and Juliet is left thinking whether she should abandon Romeo or contravene her father’s wishes. “Is it more sin to wish me thus forsworn, or to dispraise my lord with that same tongue.”
This scene, although written over 400 years ago, addresses many issues that are still relevant in modern society.
Personally, the issue of arranged marriage is not an unfamiliar concept, although, to many others it may be seen as an alien idea, I have grown up with it being one of the practises adopted by my culture.
In the time of Shakespeare’s play, it was common practice for aristocratic families such as the Capulets to marry their members off to others from similar families. I disagree with marriages to be enforced upon people, such as in Juliet's case, however I am not opposed to circumstances where both parties agree to the arrangement.
The gulf between now and then is also evident in Juliet's reaction to the news of her marriage.
Today, many teenagers would rebel and are infamous for reacting outrageously and against their parent’s wishes. But when Juliet's is unhappy, it seems as if she has committed a grave sin, as daughters of that time were not supposedly to defy their parents. To audiences at the time, Shakespeare’s notion would have been perceived as revolutionary and radical.
