How does Shakespeare make the audience feel about Juliet and her parent in Act 3 Scene 5 Essay Example For Students

How does Shakespeare make the audience feel about Juliet and her parent in Act 3 Scene 5 Essay Ð ¨t is not absolutely certain when Shakespeare wrote his play, Romeo and Juliet, but it is believed to be between 1591 and 1596. This may well be one of Shakespeares most famous romantic tragedies. It is renowned all over the world for the pair of star crossed lovers that unfortunately met an unfortunate and tragic death. Shakespeare got his inspiration for this play from two earlier writings that followed the same theme. These were The tragical history of Romeus and Juliet which was written around 1562 in the form of a long poem, by the writer Arthur Brooke. This long poem lasted a staggering 3 hours and was read to the audience, not performed. The second writer he could have got his inspiration from is William Painter who wrote the goodly history of Rhomeo and Julietta in 1567 in the form of a short story. It must be noted that Shakespeare didnt merle copy these two writers and pass the piece on as his own work. Shakespeare had to put a lot of work into Romeo and Juliet, as these works were no masterpiece even though they did inspire Shakespeare to write this marvellous play. We know from previous scenes that Juliet is a 14 year old girl (at the normal age to be wed in Elizabethan times) and we get the impression she has a better choice to whom she is going to be married to, than other women of that time. She has been offered a hand in marriage to the noble man Paris but Juliets father (Old Capulet) does not make it certain at least at first that Juliet will marry Paris even though he is very suitable (he gives us the impression that he is leaving Juliet to make her own decision). First he says to Paris My child is yet a stranger in the world, she hath not seen the change of fourteen years; let two more summers wither in their pride ere may think her ripe to be a bride. He also says that it is not only his decision it is also Juliets and he must woo her to get her consent! woo her, gentle 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 Juliet is not interested in Paris though, and at the party, that Old Capulet holds that night she has her eyes on someone else, the fair Romeo! She acts most unlike a lady at the party, flirting and fraternising on her own and unsupervised. She also kisses him and not only once, but twice. The second time she herself asks for the kiss by saying give me the sin again. Old Capulet is Juliets father, Juliet unfortunately is now his only child, he had more children but they died earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she. Because she is his only child he is reluctant to lose her to marriage, but if she finds Paris suitable he will consent to marriage, so it is also Juliets choice, which is strange at that time. He is a kind man giving thought to the princess talks of peace with the Montague family. In act 1 scene 5 Old Capulet stops Tylbalt in engaging in a fight with Romeo at the banquet. This is most likely because he didnt want fighting to spoil his banquet, but it could be argued that he was doing out of wisdom and that he took the princes words to heart that morning and wanted to stop the fighting between the two families. Lady Capulet however uses very extravagant language showing her upper class status in society, yet she does not really have a very good relationship with Juliet and needs the nurse at many important stages throughout the play. This is shown when she is talking to her about marriage to Paris in act1 scene 3. She first asks the nurse to leave them alone Nurse give us leave awhile. We must talk in secret and then realises she needs the nurse there because she doesnt know how to speak to her daughter. She immediately re-calls the nurse for help Nurse, come back again, I have remembered me, thous hear our counsel. Theme Of Violence In Romeo And Juliet EssayLady Capulet does not say much during this scene, but when she talks of getting revenge and killing Romeo, I think the audience will not agree with her feelings because her nephew killed first and Romeo was only acting in revenge. When Lady Capulet talks about marriage to Paris though the audience will have mixed feelings and will be asking themselves questions like; how could Juliet re-marry? Will she keep quiet about Romeo? Will she comply with her mothers wishes? And they will have feelings of happiness for a suitor. Although the nurse had looked after Juliet for so many years, and the relationship they shared after years of being together, drama is created in the play when the nurse has a change of heart towards Juliet, and with her plain black and whiteà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ look on life. Through this scene, the nurse rapidly changes her mind of Juliets marriage with Romeo, and urges her to marry count Paris, as this would please her parents and stop any trouble from brewing. This is shown when the nurse says, I think it best you married with the county. O, hes a lovely gentleman! Romeos a dishclout to him. An eagle, madam, Hath not so green, so quick, so fair an eye as Paris hath. Dramatic irony is also used in this scene when Old Capulet tells Juliet she has to comply to marry Paris and go willingly or else she will be dragged on a hurdle to the church. But fettle your fine joints gainst Thursday next, To go with Paris to saint Peters Church or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither. This is ironic because the audience knows that Juliet is already married and the marriage had been consummated not long ago that morning. So there is no possible way that Juliet could marry the count Paris because she is already married, and divorces arent permitted in those days. A director may intensify the Audiences feelings in this scene by having a soft orchestra playing in the back round with single not symphonies and suspending notes. If it was being done in a modern film version you could have close up views of Old Capulets face and the anger in it, you could also do the same with Juliet showing the fear in her face. There could also be heavy rainfall outside while they are shouting, but that is not likely to happen in Italy at that time of year. There could also be point of view shots, through the eyes of the characters, such as the nurse, Juliet or even Old Capulet while grabbing Juliet and cursing her to try and persuade her to marry Paris. An Elizabethan audience would have shocked at Juliet defying her father and talking back to him, those things wouldnt happen in those days. They may well fell scared at what she is going to do if she if chucked out of the house, and they might feel anger towards her for defying her father. A modern audience on the other hand would take a totally different view to the situation. They would feel anger towards Old Capulet for cursing Juliet and not being with the person she loved, they would also think very dimly of an arranged marriage that involves no love in it. The audience might feel that Juliets father has betrayed her by going back on his word that she also has consent to whom she is going to marry it is not just up to him. My conclusion is that this scene is full of mixed feelings and emotions and an audience of the Elizabethan time would be left feeling shocked at Juliets behaviour and feeling her parent did right to threaten her into marrying Paris. While a modern day audience would feel that Juliet did hardly anything wrong and that her parents are to blame for over reacting and treating her apaulingly.