Understanding Romeo and Juliet - Research Paper Example

Nurse vs. Mother Juliet’s nursemaid has a closer relationship to Juliet than Juliet’s own mother. This is clear fromthe nurse’s devotion to Juliet which surpasses that of Juliet’s mother. She talks to Juliet in a tender loving way, and Juliet reciprocates her affection. The Nurse also knows Juliet’s secrets while the mother has not the slightest clue of Juliet’s feelings and desires. The nurse raised Juliet as if she were her own from a tender age. The Nurse had Juliet’s best interest at heart, gives her guidance and assistance. The nurse’s role in Juliet’s life makes her see things at their worst and their best, being there when Juliet was most vulnerable helps her make rational decisions on her behalf. For instance, while acknowledging that Juliet’s love for Romeo makes her blind, she describes him at his best and his worst, not biased in view of Juliet’s feelings. "...well you have made a simple choice; you know not how to choose a man, Romeo! No, not he; though his face is better than any man's, yet his leg excels all men's, and for a hand a foot and a body, - though, they be not the talked on yet they are past compare..." (Shakespeare 2. 5. 37-40). When Juliet’s mother wants to talk to Juliet about marriage, she invites the nurse to stay and participate in the conversation “although the nurse is initially dismissed, Lady Capulet immediately recalls her, since she is Juliet’s trusted advisor- and Lady Capulet’s intended dissension of Juliet’s marriage prospects, now that she is nearly 14 years of age, is far too important the nurse to be excluded” (Bloom 17, 18). Lady Capulet’s does this while acknowledging that the nurse knew Juliet well enough “…thou know’st my daughters’ of a pretty age” (1.3.10). Juliet's nursemaid has stronger maternal feelings towards Juliet than Juliet’s own mother (Juliet and Juliet’s nurse maid’s daughter were both born on the same day, but with the death of the nurse’s daughter, the nurse “adopted” Juliet as her own child). The nurse somehow replaced her dead daughter (perhaps succumbed to the earthquake she mentions) with Juliet. She says it seems Susan was too excellent for her. Her motherly feelings towards Juliet are stronger than those of Juliet’s mother. The Nurse plays the role of a mother to Juliet through her advice on how to make life decisions such as marriage. This is because she understands Juliet not only as a child, but she is also a friend. When Juliet is preparing to take the sleep elixir, her mother comes to bid her goodnight, her speech is full of meaning and emotion "…so please you let me be left alone..." even in the formal tone she tries to maintain (Shakespeare 4. 3. 9). Pearce argues that her mother does not recognize the emotions or meanings in Juliet’s speeches further emphasizing how distant mother and daughter are from each other (179-180). He states that “...Juliet has such power over language that she can speak the truth while telling her mother what she wants to hear (179). While referring to Juliet’s skill in language, he brings out the point of mother daughter misunderstanding. In analysing the dialogue between Juliet and her mother after the murder of Tybalt, he points out the misunderstanding. Pierce (180) states, “…Lady Capulet thinks that Juliet refers to hands extended in violence while Juliet refers to hands extended in love”. The Nurse is Juliet’s co-conspirator as Juliet entrusts her with her secret plans, and she helps her to carry them out. Juliet confesses her love for Romeo to her Nurse and informs her of her intentions to marry Romeo. Seeing as she is the daughter of the master of the house restricts her to carry out such arrangements on her own, she requests her nurse to arrange the wedding. The nurse conspires with Juliet to unite with Romeo in marriage. "...to Friar Laurence' cell, there stays a husband to make you a wife...." (Shakespeare 2. 5. 69). The Nurse informs Juliet thus after successfully arranging the wedding. Even after Romeo killed Juliet’s Cousin, Tybalt, the nurse realizes that Juliet loves Romeo above his shortcomings. Juliet, upset because the prince banished Romeo lest he sees death, asks her nurse for help. The Nurse sees her plight and offers to fetch Romeo that Juliet may see him before he left. “I will find Romeo to comfort you; I know well where he is. Hark ye, your Romeo will be here at night..." (Shakespeare 3. 2. 139-142). When the priest was giving an account of all that transpired and led to the death of Romeo and Juliet, he says “...all this I know, and to the marriage her nurse is privy...” (Shakespeare 5. 3. 264-265). He may have done this to list an alibi to his story, but in this way, he sheds light on the secretive relationship Juliet had with her Nurse. She knew that the reason Juliet did not want to get married was not because of disobedience. She also knew that Juliet’s visits to the priest were not to seek forgiveness for these disobediences. Juliet and her mother speak to each other in a formal tone. Juliet’s mother always tells her what to do as she is never personally close to Juliet. In contrast, Juliet and her nursemaid speak candidly and friendly to each other. When addressing her mother, Juliet reserves emotion in her short words "…madam I am here what is your will?" (Shakespeare 1. 3. 7). This can be a sign of formality but in light of this book, it is a sign of reserved emotion. She is not too excited or too sad in front of her mother perhaps because she feels her mother will not understand her. Her mother’s response is equally casual and even detached. Traditional societies have little difference to modern societies when it comes to mother daughter relationships. Juliet’s mother should be beside herself with rage on her daughter’s refusal to wed such a worthy match. However, she should be rational and consider her daughter’s age for instance, and other factors such as nervousness for her daughter’s denial of the count rather than pure disobedience. Also, when her daughter pleads with her to postpone the wedding even for a week on account of her “grief”, her response is remorseless,"...talk not to me for I will not speak a word; do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee..." (Shakespeare 3. 5. 202-203). Marsh and Rupert (56) state that the nurse “...sees love in strictly practical terms.” This is in effect a reflection of the nurse’s approach to most if not all issues in life. The nurse gives practical candid advice in regard to Juliet’s needs and not for the personal interests. In regard to the dilemma of marriage to the count of Paris, the nurse tries to make Juliet see the futility in her love for Romeo. "...Romeo is banished…I think it is best you married with the county..." (Shakespeare 3. 5. 213-217). She further tells Juliet that the only way Romeo will exist in her life is in secret. This made Juliet sad, but the nurse was particularly reasonable in her advice. Unlike Juliet’s mother, the nurse does not make Juliet feel like she is on her own in the face of distress; she offers her advice as lovingly as possible, considering Juliet’s feelings and her wellbeing. In their encounters, Juliet refers to the nurse with fond names and addresses her with such earnestness, unlike her mother. “…oh honey nurse, what news? ...Now good, sweet nurse, - O Lord! …” (Shakespeare 2. 5. 18-21). The nurse reciprocates this affection to Juliet. She gives her pet names and addresses her with love and affection “…why, lamb! Why, lady! - Fye, you slung-a-bed! - Why, love, I say - madam! Sweetheart…” (Shakespeare 4. 5. 2). Hager (77) describes the nurse as passionate about Juliet “…I clapped on her buttock soft and kiss where I did clap.” The nurse then goes on to say that she preferred kissing Juliet’s buttocks than the lips of a man. Even when she talks of Juliet in her absence, she does so with love. Juliet and her nurse are exceedingly fond of each other despite their differences such as social status and age. This is because their love takes many forms. The Nurse loves Juliet as a daughter and Juliet loves her nurse as a mother. The Nurse also plays the role of a friend and a confidant to Juliet, something she dearly needs at her tender age. Finally, the nurse provides counsel for Juliet. Throughout the play, Juliet is subject to decision making in regard to marriage, love, loyalty and trust. She seeks her Nurse’s assistance to make these decisions. Works Cited Bloom, Harold. Romeo and Juliet. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2008. Print. Hager, Alan. Understanding Romeo and Juliet. New York: Greenwood Publishing, 2000. Print. Marsh, Derick, and Rupert Clement. Passion Lends Them Power: A Study of Shakespeare's Love Tragedies. Manchester : Manchester University Press, 2005. Print. Pearce, Joseph. Romeo And Juliet. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2011. Print. Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Digitized 28 Sep 2011: Campe, 1840. Print. Read More