In the beginning of the play, each character played their own part as their own character. Juliet starts of in the play as the daughter who always follows whatever her parents say. Her parents have always loved her at the beginning and cared for her, but never knew what she wanted herself. Nurse however is like a mother figure to Juliet and knows what she wants, but also wants what’s best for her.
In Lord Capulet’s first appearance in the play, he says, “my child is yet a stranger in the world,” which is saying that his own daughter may be too young or too early to be bride for any man, which indicates he cares for Juliet’s safety, but also thinks she is still a child to him, not knowing for if Juliet loves someone or not. But he does show that he loves his daughter saying, “The earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she,” which shows she is his only hope and the one to show love for her.
In Lady Capulet’s first appearance in the play, says to her, “How stands your dispositions to be married,” asking Juliet how she feels about getting married. Unlike Lord Capulet, Lady Capulet wants to know how Juliet feels about marriage instead of just thinking how she would feel like Lord Capulet has done, Lord Capulet only thinks that marriage would make her happy, without even asking her. Although Lady Capulet is asking her, she is also trying to persuade her in marriage by saying how honourable and happy it will make her and Paris together. When Juliet is asked if she shall like of Paris’ love, Juliet says, “I’ll look to like, if looking liking move,” which shows that she does not want to immediately accept this marriage to a man she has not seen before, but cannot say no to her mother, even if she has not seen Paris yet.
During the play, each character starts to change their place of character and emotion, like when Juliet falls in love with Romeo, she is concerned of what her parents would think if they ever find out, which shows why she does not want to tell them, the only one she does tell is Nurse, which shows she is the only one she can trust as she is the closest to a mother figure other than her real mother. We also see the first ruthless and powerful side of Lord Capulet when he is fair and open-minded enough to let Romeo attend the party. He is enjoying himself until Tybalt rushes to him to tell him about Romeo. Lord Capulet did not want anything to spoil his happiness, not even Tybalt, which got him angry with Tybalt by ordering him not to ruin anything at the party.
When Tybalt dies in the story, the whole Capulet family changed their mood and were shocked and saddened to when they heard the news of Tybalt and Mercutio’s death. Lord and Lady Capulet felt even more angry and hatred on the Montague family and Juliet was not only upset for the death of her cousin, but upset when the Prince announced Romeo was banished. Lord Capulet knew how upset her daughter would have been about Tybalt’s death, so he decides that he wants to make Juliet happy by having her married to Paris. If his only hope and joy were happy, then maybe he himself would be happy.
All of the characters then change their place of character when Juliet took a surprise step into saying no to her mother for the first time. This shocked Lady Capulet as she was expecting her to follow and go along with the wedding. Not only was Lord Capulet shocked by this, but was furious that her daughter was not obeying what he set out himself just to make her happy, or what he thought would make her happy. After caring for her and giving all he could, he is upset in the way Juliet has said no and now wishes she was never born. Nurse was frightful of what would happen if Juliet did not go along with the wedding after seeing how much power Lord Capulet has over her, she did not want her hurt at all, which is why she wants what’s best or her.
I think Lord and Lady Capulet could make better parents to Juliet. Although they love her, they need to know and understand what she wants instead of making what they think is good for her, Lady Capulet should come into Juliet’s life more than Nurse as she is her real mother. And Lord Capulet should ask what Juliet wants instead of making her do what he thinks is best in his power.
