The awakening of scene v in Act III of Romeo and Juliet
reveals that after Romeo has left the secret bridal bed with the song of the lark, Lady
Capulet comes at an unusual and early hour to announce to Juliet that her father has
arranged for her to be wed to the young nobleman Paris. Juliet responds by declining to
wed, ironically saying that she would marry Romeo--who has slain her beloved cousin
Tybalt--sooner than she would wed Paris (the audience knows the full import of Juliet's
statement while Lady Capulet is unaware). Lord Capulet himself comes to confirm the news
with Juliet--he expects thanks, gladness and rejoicing that he has made his daughter so
advantageous a wedding match.
When he hears from Lady
Capulet and Juliet herself that Juliet will not accept a wedding match, he loses his
temper--a fact that Nurse reprimands him for--and threatens Juliet with harm if she
doesn't comply. He says he will drag her to church to be wed if she will not go of her
own accord. He says that if she won't wed, he will cease to acknowledge her and will
forbid anyone from doing her good, such as giving her food or shelter. When he leaves
Juliet's chamber, Juliet turns to Lady Capulet, her mother, for understanding and help.
This is when the depth of the conflict becomes apparent, a conflict that goes far beyond
the notion of "tension." Lady Capulet replies to Juliet
saying,
Talk
not to me, for I'll not speak a word:
Do as thou wilt, for I have done with
thee.
This response--shocking
in light of Lord Capulet's pronouncements of complete abandonment of Juliet if she does
not wed Paris--isn't a complete surprise. Earlier, Shakespeare foreshadowed Lady
Capulet's attitude and response in her hyperbolic statement to Lord
Capulet:
I
would the fool [Juliet] were married to her
grave!
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