The Time of William Shakespeare’s’ Romeo and Juliet

The Time of William Shakespeare’s’ Romeo and Juliet

GSCE ENGLISH: ROMEO AND JULIET.
- TO WHAT EXTENT CAN LORD AND LADY CAPULET BE SEEN AS GOOD PARENTS TO JULIET?

In the time of William Shakespeare’s’ Romeo and Juliet, society was dominated by men and only they were considered for positions of power and a speaking voice. This is shown in the Capulet household as they were considered very patriarchal, as it would have been expected in those times. They were also extremely wealthy so their social status would be high as well. This is also proof as Juliet had her very own nurse who had looked after her from the day she was born. Lord Capulet made it known that his wife and daughter were the property of him. They were ruled by him.

Arranged marriages were also tradition and normal in patriarchal times. It was the fathers who chose the grooms for their daughters. It was crucial and seen almost as a social law that men asking for a woman’s hand in marriage had to have the fathers consent. Daughters had very little contribution and opinion to whom of which they got married to, as they were to obey their fathers. Young marriages were nothing out of the ordinary and by English Law; it was legal for girls to be wed at the age of twelve and boys at fourteen with parental consent. Juliet’s mother was already married and with child at her age, and that could also be perceived as the reason Lady Capulet was so eager for Juliet to get married, because she had already been through it and more so she didn’t see the reason for the matter being so relaxed just due to Juliet’s involvement.

In act three, scene five – this proves how much the voice of a mans orders were important as Juliet defies her fathers wishes and refuses marriage to Paris. Lord Capulet sets about in a mad rage. Ranting and raving about how disrespectful she is to go against what he has arranged. He seems to be almost insulted that she has turned down such an invested opportunity for herself and family. In Shakespeare’s times, everything revolved about...

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