William Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet. The play is set in Verona; it is a play about two young lovers, the children of two feuding families. Because of this feud their love couldn’t be declared and wasn’t allowed by the two families, the play ends tragically.
Lord Capulet is the father of Juliet and is head of one of the most powerful, wealth and influential families in Verona (the Capulets). Lord Capulet is married to Lady Capulet, the mother of Juliet. Lord Capulets relationship with Lady Capulet is that Lord Capulet expects total obedience and support from Lady Capulet, he likes to ‘control’ Lady Capulet by telling her what to do and he likes to do things his own way.
Lord Capulet likes to appear to people as a very confident, gracious man and he likes to say a couple of jokes which highlights his confidence amongst crowds. His graciousness and confidence is shown when at his party he graciously welcomes the guest and cracks a joke with them as well. He appears very sociable as he has a party and invites large number of guests to it, which shows he knows lots of people.
Lord Capulet feels Juliet should have totally obedience to him as he is the head of the house, he expects her to do what he asks without question, i.e. marrying Paris. But he also cares about Juliet as this is shown when Paris firsts asks to marry Juliet Lord Capulet tells Paris Juliet is too young and that Paris should wait and try to woo her.
When the Nurse tries to protect Juliet but Lord Capulet tells her not to get involved with the argument about Juliet marrying Paris. He says it is not their place to comment on what’s happening. He thinks that they should just mind their own business.
Lord Capulet seems to try and stir up trouble when he sees ant Montagues, as he is the head of his house he thinks he has too help continue carrying on the ancient grudge with the Montagues. This is shown in Act 1 Scene 1 as when Capulet sees the servants fighting rather than stop it he encourages it and tries to stir it up even more by trying to get involved by calling for a sword. This helps contribute to Romeo and Juliet’s death, as it shows why Juliet cannot turn to her father for help.
My response to act 1 scene ii with Paris was that Lord Capulet seems to actually try and do what’s best for Juliet by saying to Paris to wait two years as Lord Capulet thinks Juliet is still too young. Capulet also suggests that Paris should try and woo his daughter and if she is willing then they shall talk again. This shows he cares for her and is not trying to rush Juliet into marriage. Lord Capulet has an unpredictable and erratic behavior this means that you don’t know what is he going to do next. This adds excitement to the play and it make sit more interesting as you do not know what he might do when he gets angry.
Lord Capulet seems to feel he is getting on a bit in the years as he decides not to dance at his party and instead he sits with an old relative discussing when they each last danced.
Lord Capulet seems concerned when he is informed that Romeo is at his Party, as he knows this could lead to trouble and then he will get the blame, as it is his party. He tells Tybalt to leave Romeo alone and not start any trouble with Romeo, he tells Tybalt this very firmly. Lord Capulet compared to Tybalt is wiser as he knows not to start trouble but it also seems Capulet has lost some of his passion in upholding the grudge with the Montagues as Capulet decides to leave the insult unpunished. Tybalt in contrast is like a young lion eager to punish Romeo’s insult of attending his Uncles party and Tybalt is passionate to start a fight with Romeo at the party. He argues with Capulet to let him punish Romeo showing how angry he is about having Romeo here.
Lord Capulet has several inconsistencies in his character such as it seems how Capulet feels about the grudge, as in Act 1 scene 1 Capulet was eager to get into a fight with the Montagues but when Tybalt wants to fight Romeo at the party Lord Capulet does seem to want to start a fight.
Lord Capulet’s decision to marry Juliet to Paris on the Thursday helps add suspense to the drama by change the pace of the play by bringing the wedding foreword and also adds the pressure of time on Romeo and Juliet as it limits the amount of time they have to think things through. He decides to have the wedding so soon because he thinks Juliet will do as she is told. Capulet tells Paris that there will not be a great party after wards because of the death of his kinsman Tybalt and so Capulet tells Paris there will only be a few close friends and family. This scene also creates a dramatic irony to the play as Romeo and Juliet are already married and helps add suspense and it limits the choices for Juliet and Romeo.
In Act 3 scene v Juliet is in a difficult situation as she is torn between her love for Romeo and her duty to her father. She has to make a choice between Romeo whom she is married to and loves or disobey her father and be disowned from her family. Lord Capulet is amazed to her Juliet say that she will not marry Paris then he loses his temper and starts to threaten what will happen to her if Juliet does not marry Paris. Lord Capulet uses a very harsh and rude and threatening language to his daughter, Juliet. Lord Capulet uses words like ‘Mistress minion’ and ‘green-sickness carrion’, and then threatens Juliet by saying he will drag her there herself is she still refuses. It is a very shocking language Lord Capulet uses as he is speaking to his daughter, especially when Capulet says his ‘fingers itch’ and he calls Juliet a worthless child and a hussy.
Lord Capulet reaction to Lady Capulet’s answer is one of disbelieve, as it seems he doesn’t understand why Juliet will not obey him. He then goes on to work himself up into a temper by using rhetorical questions and Capulet tries to make Juliet guilty like by saying ‘ Doth she not give us thanks? Is she not proud?’ I think Lord Capulet feels very angry at Juliet’s refusal to marry Paris and this is shown in his use of words that he describes Juliet with. I think Lord Capulet is also shocked as he didn’t think Juliet would refuse. I also think as the head of the house he is trying to put Juliet in her place by telling her that she has to marry Paris or that she will be disowned.
Lord Capulet is being very threatening, rude and dominating to all three women (Juliet, Nurse and Lady Capulet). He isn’t treating them with respect and he demands that they do what he says and he gives no one the chance to defend Juliet as he just shouts down the nurse when she tries to help Juliet. His behavior would be typical in that period of time as women then didn’t have much respect as men thought themselves to be superior to women back then in those societies.
Lord Capulet shows a willingness to disown Juliet and I think this is a bluff to get Juliet to do as she is told. However Lord Capulet shows signs of some violent behavior by using such shocking language on his attack on his daughter and I think that this due to his shock at Juliet’s refusal and due to Tybalt’s death and it might just be part of his erratic behavior. This scene helps the audience feel sympathy for Juliet as it shows a father brutally being rude to his daughter which most people would sympathise with the daughter and it all shows Juliet in a bleak position as she is separated from her love (Romeo), being married to someone she doesn’t want and being rejected by her parents.
At the end of the play I feel rather sorry for Lord Capulet, as he has lost his only child Juliet, he knows he is partly responsible as he was trying to do something she didn’t want to do (marry Paris. I also feel angry at Lord Capulet as he just wanted to do what was best for him and not for Juliet and I think he is a fool for trying to get Juliet to do something that she didn’t want to do. I think that the public apology could just be an act and that the feud will return as I think both families Capulet and Montagues will go on to blame each other for their child’s death.
