Discuss Juliet's relationship with Capulet.

Lord Capulet talks in Act I, scene ii with Paris about his love
for his daughter.  He wishes to shelter her yet from marriage, even though many girls her age are
already married with children.  He also seems to respect her opinion in choosing a marriage
partner, a rare perspective for a father in the day that Shakespeare lived and worked.  Wealthy
and prestigious families saw marriage as a contract, an alliance between families meant to add
prestige or financial strength, and not as a contract based upon love.  He
says:

She is the
hopeful lady of my earth.

But woo her, gentle Paris, get her
heart,

My will to her consent is but a
part,

And she agreed, within the scope of
choice

Lies my consent and fair according
voice.

So, Capulet seems to dote on
his only daughter and gives her an unconventional voice in her own
matchmaking.

And yet the two have no actual interaction until Act
III, scene v.  This scene comes after Tybalt's death and Capulet's determination that he can
cheer his daughter up (She is thought to be grieving over her cousin's death.) by offering her a
marriage to Paris.  Capulet, through the course of the play, has shown himself to be a somewhat
volatile and inconsistent man, so when Juliet refuses his "gift," he explodes in a rage that, in
some productions of the play, has him actually physically violent with Juliet.  In any event, he
tells her to get herself to church and marry Paris or:

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Beg!  Starve!  Die in the
streets!

For by my soul I'll ne'er acknowledge
thee,

Nor what is mine shall never do thee
good.

This is a far cry from the
gushing father of Act I, and it is the opposite of the father, once he believes that his daughter
is dead in Act IV, who says over her cold body:

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Death lies on her like an untimely
frost

Upon the sweetest flower of all the
field.

So, Juliet's relationship with
Capulet is governed and decided by his opinions and actions.  She only speaks at two moments to
him in the entire play -- the first in Act III when she refuses Paris, and the second in Act IV
when she apologizes for this and repents (an action that the audience knows is false).  Juliet is
not given enough interaction with Capulet to note any sort of "change" in their relationship
through the course of the play.

It is Capulet who could be noted to
change towards his daughter.  And yet, he changes so frequently that it is hard to assign a
reason to his change, expect to say that it is because she has displeased him.  When Juliet does
what he wants, he is a loving, doting father.  When she does not, he is cruel and harsh.  This
may or may not be a result of the events of the play.  His actions with others and throughout the
play seem to suggest that it is simply his nature to flip-flop, to be swayed by his quick temper
and his mood swings.  If this is the case, then he doesn't actually change at
all.

Please follow the links below for more on Capulet and Juliet's
relationship.