Romeo And Juliet Act 2questions Essay Example
Romeo And Juliet Act 2questions Essay Example

Romeo And Juliet Act 2questions Essay Example

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William Shakespeare, born April 1564 and passing on April 23, 1616, created some of the most influential plays in history. Initially writing for small productions, his career grew to include royal appointments. What made Shakespeare popular was his unique perspective, depicting strong female figures who defied the authority of men. This was especially relevant during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, a respected and outgoing female monarch.

It's possible that Shakespeare's inclusion of strong female characters in his plays improved his reputation with both the queen and women more generally. In Act 3, Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet, Romeo and Juliet are alone in Juliet's bedroom in a romantic moment that conveys their deep love for one another. Juliet realizes that Romeo is about to leave and begs him to stay, stating that it's not yet morning

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but rather the nightingale singing outside. She explains that she wants him to stay by her side, emphasizing her desire not to be separated from her husband.

The scene manifests Romeo's unwavering desire to stay with Juliet, evident in his response, "let me be tane, let me be put to death, I am content, so thou wilt have it so," to Juliet's request for his departure. This ardent devotion reflects their deep-seated love and emotional attachment, as resonant couplets are employed to underscore their profound connection. For instance, Juliet implores "O now be gone, more and light it grows," and Romeo responds with "More light and light, more dark and dark our woes!" Similarly, when Romeo bids farewell, Juliet utters a rhyming couplet lamenting: "Art thou gone so, love, lord, ay husband, friend." This rhyming couplet brings out the temporary

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separation between the couple and the bond they share.Juliet and Romeo must have felt great sorrow when the nurse informed them of Lady Capulet's visit to Juliet's chamber. This sadness is evident in Juliet's later behavior in the scene. Romeo also expresses his deep feelings by saying "Dry sorrow drinks our blood," using pathos to convey the intensity of their anguish. Romeo draws out his farewell, repeating "Adieu, adieu!" and using an exclamation mark to emphasize its importance. This emphasizes that he does not know when he will see his wife again and wants to make the goodbye meaningful.

The scene undergoes a shift in mood from a romantic and joyful atmosphere to one filled with sorrow, as Romeo departs from Juliet who is greatly affected by this turn of events. Soon after, Lady Capulet makes an entrance, observing that her daughter is in a state of despair. It is an instance of dramatic irony that Lady Capulet assumes that Juliet is lamenting the death of her cousin Tybalt while the audience knows that she is, in fact, grieving over Romeo's departure. Lady Capulet criticizes Romeo as a villain who has killed Tybalt, which further intensifies the sadness prevalent in the scene. She even tells Juliet "well, girl thou weep'st not so much for his death as that the villain lives who slaughtered him".

According to Lady Capulet, Juliet is sadder about Romeo still being alive than Tybalt's death, but due to dramatic irony, the audience knows that this is not true. Juliet forgives Romeo for killing Tybalt and does not consider him a villain, as demonstrated by her response to Lady Capulet's accusation and her

aside where she asks God to pardon Romeo. This shows the depth of Juliet's love for him. While Lady Capulet wants revenge against Romeo, Juliet is willing to do anything to keep him as her husband and alive. Their differing views are apparent in their conversations.

In the excerpt, Lady Capulet secretly plans for a runagate to deliver a drink to Tybalt's companion in Mantua. She hopes this will satisfy her daughter, who is upset about Tybalt's death. However, Lady Capulet then shifts the conversation to inform Juliet about an arranged marriage with County Paris. Juliet expresses her disapproval, as she is already married to Romeo. Lady Capulet advises Juliet to tell her father herself and witness his reaction. This interaction showcases Lady Capulet's distance from her daughter and her fear of her husband's authority.

This passage showcases the time period during which the play was written, where women were expected to abide by their husbands' wishes. The scene's mood has shifted once again due to Shakespeare's use of dramatic irony and linguistic devices. While Juliet's mother is angry about her daughter's reluctance, Juliet seems concerned about her father and still mourning the breakup with Romeo that was introduced earlier in the play. At this point, the audience is left with mixed emotions as they are unsure of what will happen to Juliet. Soon after, Capulet enters the scene and says "when the sun sets, the earth doth drizzle dew, but for the sunset of my brother's son it rains down right".

Shakespeare may have utilized a dramatic technique to depict Juliet's tears as Capulet compares her to a ship lost at sea. "In one little body thou

counterfeits a bark, a sea, a wind: For still thy eyes, which I may call the sea, do ebb and flow with tears; the bark thy body is sailing in this salt flood and thy with them, without a sudden calm, will overset thy tempest-tossed body." This metaphor highlights Juliet's turmoil as her parents force her to marry Paris despite her already being married to Romeo. Capulet's statement towards Lady Capulet regarding whether Juliet has been informed of the engagement further establishes his violent and angry nature. "Is she not proud? Doth she count her blest, unworthy as she is, that we have brought so worthy a gentleman to be her bride?"Shakespeare portrays Capulet as highly annoyed by his daughter's response to the planned marriage. The repetition of "How how, how how chopt-logic" highlights Capulet's anger and disappointment, revealing his impatient nature and determination to get what he wants, regardless of the impact on his daughter. Shakespeare further employs foreshadowing by mentioning "Thursday next," suggesting a bleak future for Juliet, as Capulet persists in pushing the marriage with Paris. This shift in mood from sad to conflicting and angry reflects Capulet's feelings.

In an effort to demonstrate Juliet's strong aversion to marriage, Shakespeare employs both stage directions and dialogue. Juliet literally falls to her knees and implores her father to be patient: "Good father, I beseech you on my knees, hear me with patience but to speak a word." Despite her pleading, Capulet responds harshly, referring to Juliet as a "disobedient wretch" and a "young baggage," the latter term indicating that he regards her as little more than luggage. When the nurse intervenes on Juliet's behalf,

Capulet quiets her quickly, a move that is in keeping with the play's adherence to traditional values. The nurse's initial outburst—"God in heaven bless her! You are to blame, my lord, to rate her so"—may have been intended to heighten the play's dramatic effect and appeal specifically to female audiences (including Queen Elizabeth).

Capulet disregards the nurse's advice and instead demeans his daughter with insults like "wretched fool" and "whining mammet". The audience's opinion of Capulet is adversely affected by his behavior towards Juliet. Juliet, realizing her pleas with her mother have failed, tries to win her over with flattery by saying "O sweet my mother", which is unusual for their relationship. Lady Capulet, however, is too afraid of her husband to go against his wishes and tells Juliet "Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee."This HTML-formatted text illustrates that Lady Capulet is ready to abandon her daughter, just like Capulet, rather than confront him. This aligns with the time period when women feared men who held a superior social status. It is possible that Lady Capulet feared physical abuse or being disowned. Since Juliet receives no support from her mother, she seeks guidance from her nurse as they share a closer bond. Juliet asks, "O nurse, how shall this be prevented?" Eventually, the nurse begins to side with the Capulets, perhaps to avoid losing her job, as she advises Juliet to marry County Paris by saying, "I think it's best you marry with County."

Juliet's nurse has been swayed by Capulet, indicating the power of men during that time. However, Juliet adamantly refuses to marry Paris and asserts her loyalty to her husband.

She curses the nurse and declares that it would be a grave sin to speak ill of her beloved lord. Juliet even expresses that she would rather die than marry Paris, foreshadowing upcoming events in the play.

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