Romeo and Juliet (Character Analysis: The Capulets)

Romeo and Juliet (Character Analysis: The Capulets)

1. Old Capulet

   • Concerned about Juliet
     • "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"
           • "And too soon marred are those so early made"
             • "She is the hopeful lady of my earth"
               • "My will to her consent is but a part"
                 • Old Capulet is concerned about a young marriage even though it might benefit (Paris being a relative of Escalus = more inclined to the Capulets, Paris's social status)
                   • OC is also concerned about Juliet's take about Paris, unsure whether she likes him or not, has J's death at the back of his mind
   • Impulsive and harsh
     • "Out you green sickness carrion, out you baggage, you tallow face!"
       • "Hang thee young baggage, disobedient wretch!"
         • "I tell thee what, get thee to a church a Thursday or never after look me in the face"
           • "My fingers itch"
             • "We have a curse in having her"
               • "Graze where you will, you shall not house with me"
   • Death of Juliet
     • "Accursed time, unfortunate old man"
       • "Ties up my tongue, will not let me speak"
         • "O child! O child! My soul and not my child"
           • "Ha! Let me see her!"
             • "Upon the sweetest flower of all frost"

2. Lady Capulet

   • Distant relationship with Juliet
     • "We must talk in secret. Nurse, come back again"
       • "Thou knowest my daughter's of a pretty age"
         • "How stands your disposition to be married"
           • "Younger than you here in Verona, ladies of esteem are made already mothers
             • "Thus then in brief"
               • "Speak briefly, can you like of Paris's love?"
                 • Does not even know the exact age of her daughter when the Nurse who is only the servant can tell Juliet's age "unto an hour"
                   • Asks the Nurse to come back again, feels awkward etc
                     • Wants to marry J off quickly, the tone in which LC talks is very business-like, not caring, nothing like that of a mother
                       • The word "brief" mentioned twice, suggesting LC's disinterested nature
   • Act Three Scene Five
     • "Fie, fie! what, are you mad?"
       • "You're too hot"
         • "Talk not to me for I'll not speak a word"
           • "Here comes your father, tell him so yourself"
             • We see Lady Capulet over here trying to calm Old Capulet down when he was being extremely harsh with his words
               • This implies that she cared for Juliet in a subtle manner as when she talked to Juliet after that, we see a change in tone, where she becomes her cold and hostile self again
                 • Can be linked to the possibility that she did not want to be too attached to Juliet lest she dies and cause her too much grief like how had experienced it with her other children
   • Night before Juliet's marriage with Paris + J's death
     • "What are you busy, ho? Need you my help?"
       • "O me, o me, my child, my only life"
         • LC: "Alack the day, she's dead, she's deceased, she's dead"
           • Nurse: "She's dead, deceased, she's dead, alack the day!"
             • Nurse: "O lamentable day!"
               • LC: "O woeful time!"
                 • LC does care about Juliet, comparing the similarities in how she and the Nurse laments
                   • No doubt that Nurse loves Juliet, therefore LC also loves J
                     • the simplicity in language does bring out the sincerity in their grief, their true feelings