The situation is that Juliet is married to Romeo but without the consent or knowledge of her or Romeo’s parents. The only other people who know of Juliet’s and Romeo’s betrolal are the nurse and the fair Lawance. Faria Lawance married the couple but some would argue that it was only in the interests of him. People would argue this because Faria Lawance was an unknown, non-famous enterty, so he was to bring to together the two biggest gangs in Veriona, he would go down in history. This is unknown to either Romeo or Juliet; the couple believe that Faria Lawance acted in the best interests for the couple not himself.
The language which is used between the two lovers is very different to how Romeo speaks to his friends the Montugues or his enemies the Capulets. Romeo speaks of love and dieing for love, as does Juliet when taking to Romeo. During this emotional scene Romeo speaks of dieing for Juliet, this is ironic because the audience know that eventual each dieing for each other. Shakespeare writes it in this way because it engrosses the audience within the scene. Juliet notes to Romeo about the nightingale still singing, this make Romeo stay because Romeo will only go at first light, so if a night bird such as the nightingale is still singing it must infer that it is still night.
If I was directing the scene between Romeo and Juliet I would place Juliet higher than Romeo. The reason for placing Juliet higher than Romeo is to show that, even though Juliet is younger she still has a great love for Romeo. To set the actors like this is to create an effect of a sea-saw on the audience. If Juliet was higher than Romeo and the same age as Romeo then it would give the impression that Juliet had more love for him. But as Juliet is younger the age gap metaphorically drags Juliet down to Romeo’s level, therefore evening out their love for each other. This would act of dragging Juliet down to Romeo’s level of love though her age intensifies the lack of reasoning the young couple have. Showing that Juliet is coming down to a level gives a feeling of depression or lack of knowledge. This act makes the audience believe that the young couple have rushed into their act of marriage when they don’t actually love each other at all. This blocking of the actors and scenery will then show later, when the two die for each other, how much they did love each other deeply, so by correct the audience of their view on the young lovers love.
After Juliet and Romeo depart from each other’s embraces Lady Capulet walks in on Juliet. At that moment in time Lady Capulet does not know of the couple’s marriage. Lady Capulet had come to talk to Juliet about arranging a marriage for Juliet to Paris. Juliet doesn’t know about the intentions of her mother until later in the duologue. At first the two speak of the death of Juliet’s cousin. Juliet makes out to be weeping his death and would like to kill whoever did it. Lady Capulet then tells Juliet that Romeo committed this sinful act, Juliet disusing her love for Romeo, speaks of death and destruction of him.
In Juliet’s dialogue to her mother she says such lines as “Indeed I will never be satisfied with Romeo until I have him in my arms -dead- is my poor heart for a kinsman vex’d.” To lady Capulet this sounds like Juliet wants Romeo dead, but if she had listened to what Juliet really meant is that she wants “Romeo in her arms”, “Dead is my poor heart”. Lady Capulet heard that Juliet wants “Romeo in her arms, dead.” Juliet uses intelligent word plays too explain her love for Romeo. This is all to no avail because later in the duologue Juliet releases her true feelings. This happens when Lady Capulet tells Juliet of Lady Capulet’s intention for Juliet to marry Paris. Juliet then finds herself telling her mother of her true feelings and intentions towards Romeo.
The language used between the mother and daughter changes throughout the duologue. At first Lady Capulet is sympathetic towards Juliet because she is under the impression that Juliet is morning her cousin’s death, but as duologue continues the mother’s speech turns from sympathetic to demanding. The turning point in the mother’s speech is the line “Find thou the means, and I’ll find such a man” this starts the mother’s demands for Juliet to marry Paris. During Juliet’s speech she uses double meanings and puns get across her feelings for Romeo. Juliet knows that if she keeps all her feeling locked up inside herself she just get depress from be blocked by society.
This is because as Juliet can’t tell anyone of her love for Romeo she will always be worried to if she said anything to anyone. Also Juliet finds it hard to keep secrets from a loved ones, this is shown by telling the nurse who Juliet uses as another mother about her intentions for Romeo, but Juliet knows that the nurse is no substitute for her real mother. So by telling her mother indirectly she is fulfilling the need of not keeping a secret from a loved one.
In this scene I would set Juliet and who mother in the centre of the room so not to give an effect of power over one another. As the mother and daughter start to talk about the death of the loved cousin I would moved Juliet back and set on the bed, the bed which is still in the middle of the room. I would then get Lady Capulet to set on the bed next to Juliet and comfort her through these troubled times. As their duologue moves onto Juliet using double meanings and puns Juliet should stand from the bed and walk around Lady Capulet to signify and authority or power over her power by telling her mother true feeling but Lady Capulet not understanding.
But as Lady Capulet starts to dictate to Juliet about her marriage to Paris lady Capulet should start walk Juliet backwards into a corner looking down at her. This shows machismo over another, Juliet should start to look more and more timid as Lady Capulet’s speech goes on. But when Juliet starts to released her true feelings bluntly then Juliet should become wider and more facially aggressive to her mother. To counter Juliet Lady Capulet should pull herself back from being the aggressor to become confused and dismayed at her daughter’s conduct. The actors should stay in these positions throughout Juliet’s comeback but change rolls as soon as Capulet comes in.
Capulet comes into the bedroom with the nurse; Capulet is still under the impression that Juliet is morning her cousin’s death. Lady Capulet then goes on to explain to Capulet how Juliet will not marry Paris. Lady Capulet further explains to Capulet that Juliet’s love lies not with Paris but Romeo. Capulet then starts to lash out at Juliet, Juliet then becomes rejected from her father for want he believes is a disgrace to their family by loving a Montague.
The Language used by Capulet in this scene is extremely course and offensive against Juliet. Capulet uses such lines as “Out, you green-sickness carrion! Out, you baggage! You tallow-face!” Capulet compared his own daughter to the plague and a whore with a disgusting face. Capulet also exclaims that Juliet is a “minion”; Capulet says his daughter is low ranking person. This is the daughter of one of the biggest gangs in Verona. A daughter in which in trusted, loved but now banishes and loathes. Juliet’s language back to her father is not aggressive but pleading and dismayed. Juliet begs for mercy from her father, but her father thinks that she is begging for forgiveness. Juliet’s love for Romeo is also shown here by, if Juliet didn’t love him she would hate him just so her father would be happy, but she doesn’t, she still loves him and not even her father will change that. That begging for love to her father is an immature thing to do, but still loving the one you are with even when you have lost everything is a very mature thing to do. So again the situation is like a sea-saw leaning one way but then another.
During this scene I would set Juliet standing at first looking up to her father. As lady Capulet tells Capulet of Juliet’s love for Romeo, Lady Capulet’s finger should raise and point at the young child. As Lady Capulet’s finger lifts, Juliet should crouch down to the floor to show fear an authority over Juliet from Lady Capulet and Capulet. As Capulet’s speech begins Juliet should look at him from behind the posts of her bed. This would give the allusion of banishment from Juliet’s father on Juliet. As Capulet starts to speak about throwing Juliet out, Juliet should start to cling to her father’s leg while lying on the floor.
This would show to the audience that even though Juliet loves a sworn rival she still loves her father, but her father is unable to see that, so Capulet should kick her away from him to show disgust in her. As Capulet starts turn and walk away from Juliet, Juliet should jump from the floor and grab his arm. Capulet should then turn and slap Juliet. Juliet will then fall to the floor holding the red mark which her father has just inflicted on her; the nurse then should go over and mother the child from this beating. Lady Capulet and Capulet should strut out to show how they believe that Juliet is second rate to them and not worthy in their family.
As the nurse mothers the beaten child, the nurse contradicts the words which she had spoken previously. The nurse says how she thinks that Juliet after marring Romeo should go and marry Paris for her father’s sake. The Nurse says lines like “I think it best you married with the country”, this is the complete opposite of what the nurse had said to Juliet earlier in the performance. The nurse states the good side of Paris stating that “he’s a lovely gentleman”, hoping this will appeal to her and draw her away from Romeo’s violence. Juliet in response finds it hard to see how the nurse, once so proud and overjoyed for the love between Romeo and Juliet, now says that is best not to marry for love, but for honour and her family.
The nurse’s language within this scene is confuting but forceful. The nurse tells Juliet that what she said about marrying Romeo, a rival to her father, family and to Juliet, is idiocy. This is when the nurse had said that marring Romeo was right and good earlier in the performance. It is arguable that the nurse was only acting in the best interests of herself. The nurse may have only be telling Juliet this because if Capulet and Lady Capulet were to find out who assisted Juliet get married, the parents would only act in the most aggressive ways. So by persuading Juliet to marry Paris she would not only be covering her tracks of helping Juliet get married to Romeo, but would assist Lady Capulet and Capulet getting Juliet to marry Paris, there by keeping her job as the nurse and being on the good side of the parents. Juliet’s agrees with the nurse’s idea of marring Paris but knows that she will never go through with it. Juliet’s language and the words which she says are much different to what is meant by them.
During this scene I would have Juliet and the nurse sitting on the floor together with Juliet crying into the nurse’s blouse. As the scene progresses the nurse should left Juliet up onto the bed but Juliet should still be crying into the nurse. The nurse should be stroking Juliet’s head and speaking very softly to her, just as a mother would to a child. This would signify the real connection between the nurse and the child. As the nurse’s speech continues and she speaks of leaving Romeo for Paris, Juliet should pull her head away from the blouse and her facial expression should change to confusion. The nurse should always be under the impression that Juliet is understanding and agreeing with everything that she is saying.
So to conclude the language within each duologue changes as the characters become more and more aware of their situations. Most of the duologues start with a depression about Juliet’s cousin’s death and moves onto Juliet being blamed for the loved of a rival. Son the movement of the scene is split up into 4 duologues. Each duologue is about the same person, Romeo, but the way in which each duologue are spoken changes from character to character.
The themes and ideas expressed within the scene can be related in today’s’ society. The themes such as loving another which displeases the parents can be related to very common events which happen in households across the world. For example; the marriage between to ethnic groups may displease some people saying how it is wrong, you should never marry out of your race. So in that sense Romeo and Juliet is a story way ahead of its time, it’s a story which is applicable to years ago and years to come.
