One of the most successful and well known play by William Shakespeare

One of the most successful and well known plays William Shakespeare wrote was Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy play; two young people fall in the love but their families have a bitter grudge with one another, “and the continuance of their parents’ rage which, but their children’s end, naught could remove,” (prologue lines 10-11). This quote explains to us how the grudge between the two families could only be removed by the death of these two ‘star crossed lovers’.

The theme of the play is love and hate; there are many examples of love and hate occurring especially with the party scene.

In William Shakespeare’s time status was a very important thing when it comes to everyday lifestyle. Status was also determined by gender, men were able to do more things that woman, such as, work and have more of a social life. When there were plays in the theatre people would stand or sit depending on status. If you were standing you would be of the lower class, if you were higher up in the stands the wealthier you were, for example the Queen would sit at the top. The theatre was very important in that time because it was the main source of entertainment.

The relationships between the parents and the teenagers are found in the scenes of Juliet getting an arranged marriage, the scene illustrates how rich parents would communicate and feel about their children and visa versa for the children.

Relationships between Juliet and Capulet

Capulet has deep feelings for Juliet, he still see Juliet as his little girl and does not want to let her go into marriage. ‘And too soon marred are those so early made’, Capulet talking to Paris about his daughter being too young. This quote gives an understanding of how Capulet feels with Juliet getting married.

Even though Juliet is the lady of my earth to Capulet, he says to Paris win her heart, if she is happy then you may marry her, “she is the hopeful lady of my earth. , get her heart, my will to her consent is but part”. Capulet is explaining to Paris that if you win her heart then I will be happy to give you my daughter.

After the death of Tybalt, Capulet decides to marry Juliet with Paris to get rid of all the grief. Because of the death of Tybalt Capulet has not had time to persuade Juliet to marry Paris but he says to Paris she will obey his wishes.

When Capulet enters Juliet’s room in the morning, he sees her crying “How now, a conduit, girl? What, still in tears”, Capulet thinks that these tears are for Tybalt but in reality they are for Romeo being banished.

When Capulet finds out that Juliet refuses to marry Paris he loses his temper. “Hang thee young baggage, disobedient wretch! I tell thee what, get thee to church a Thursday, or never after look me in the face.” Capulet makes it clear and simple on what he expects Juliet to do and what the consequences are if she doesn’t; from being Capulet’s lady on his earth she has become the last lady he wants to see.

Relationship between Juliet and Lady Capulet

Lady Capulet and Juliet have a formal relationship. Juliet talks to her mother as is she is a teacher “Madam, I am here, what is you will?” this quote shows us how Juliet confronts her mother; it also shows us that she is respectful of her mothers status; shown by the formal ‘Madam’.

Lady Capulet views marriage as a business arrangement and she is keen to get Juliet married well to a wealthy man like Paris. A good marriage would make the Capulet’s a more commanding and highly regarded family.

When Lady Capulet enters the room she sees Juliet crying. She sympathizes with Juliet’s grief at the death of Tybalt. Lady Capulet lets Juliet know how she feels about Romeo and how she plans on him being dead. “We will have vengeance for it, fear thou not. Then weep no more. Ill send to one Mantua, where that same banished runagate doth live, shall give him such an unaccustomed dram, that shall soon keep Tybalt company.” Lady Capulet does not know about Juliet’s feelings about Romeo and Juliet wasn’t planning on letting her know, “indeed I never shall be satisfied with Romeo, till I behold him dead is my poor heart so for a kinsman vexed”. What Juliet actually means in that text is that ‘I never shall be satisfied with Romeo till I behold him. My poor heart is so vexed for a kinsman (Romeo) that is dead’. What Juliet’s mother takes her to mean is the complete opposite. Juliet appears to agree with her mother when she is talking about how Romeo is a villain, but she twists her words so that they mean she also loves Romeo.

Relationship between Juliet and the Nurse

Juliet and the nurse have a more comfortable relationship when it comes to communicating. The Nurse is like a mother figure to Juliet after bringing her up from childhood. “Go girl, seek happy nights’ this quote gives an example of how the relationship is very comfortable between the two. It shows that the nurse is encouraging Juliet to enjoy herself and seek out a husband to spend ‘happy nights’ with. Shakespeare’s audience would see in this scene that the Nurse cares for Juliet and wants her to be happy instead of status and money like Lady Capulet thinks.

In Act 3 scene 5 when Juliet refuses to marry Paris the Nurse tries to defend Juliet but she only gets spoken over by Capulet, “may one not speak” she is trying to defend for Juliet but Capulet reply’s back ” peace you mumbling fool”.

When Capulet and Lady Capulet leave the Nurse advises Juliet to forget about Romeo. “Romeo is banished, and all the world to nothing”. Juliet asks the nurse if that is what she really means and the Nurse says that is. The Nurse then goes off and goes to tell Capulet and Lady Capulet that Juliet is sorry for upsetting her father. Juliet does not believe the deceitfulness of the Nurse.

Stage Craft and Language

A very important stagecraft action that takes place in Romeo and Juliet is soliloquies, a soliloquy is an actor playing a character revealing to the audience about their own private thoughts (the character has the stage to them self).

Juliet uses a soliloquy at the end of Act 3 scene 5 when the Nurse leaves the room. “Ancient damnation! O most wicked fiend! It is more sin to wish me thus forsworn, Or to dispraise my lord with that same tongue so many thousand times? Go counselor; thou and my bosom henceforth shall be twain. I’ll to the friar to know his remedy. If all else fail, myself have power to die”. Juliet expresses her feelings to the audience. Soliloquies are still used in this time and day in the theatre.

An example of an implicit direction would be in Act 1 scene 3, “this is the matter nurse, give leave awhile, we must talk in secret. Nurse, come back again!” the audience can see that Lady Capulet does not trust the Nurse, but she does depend on the Nurse to speak about Juliet about early marriage. The implicit direction is used like a command, when Lady Capulet tell the Nurse to come back.

Lady Capulet also uses imperatives, “Nurse, where’s my daughter? Call her forth to me” the word call in this quote is the imperative, an imperative is an order, and Shakespeare used imperatives in his text because it helped the actors to remember their lines.