Paris: 'I were if Thursday were tomorrow!'
Yes, when Lord Capulet and Count Paris arranged the marriage to Juliet (whilst Romeo and Juliet were upstairs...confirming another marriage), they decided Wednesday was too soon...so Thursday it is! I wish this were comic relief...
The caption above pretty much sums up what you need to know about 3.4, save why Capulet did it. Why would he force his daughter into a marriage that didn't seem like a great idea at the beginning of the play? To cheer her up.
Because everyone enjoys forced marriages... (sic)
Clearly Juliet doesn't, but she also doesn't enjoy having to watch her marriage fade into the sunlight. The light/dark dichotomy seems to come back in 3.5, when Juliet declares, "Let day in, and let life out", as Romeo shimmies down the ladder one final time before heading to his exile in Mantua. Light seems to bring forth death, as daylight and heat seem to bring forth both major fights that have occurred in the play so far. Mercutio and Tybalt die in broad daylight, in Verona's town square. Light would expose Romeo's relationship to Juliet, as it exposed his tortured self when Rosaline turned him away for a life of celibacy. Darkness, however, is able to shield Romeo and Juliet from having their forbidden love broadcast all over Verona. Darkness gives Romeo possibilities for love, and allows Juliet to tell her truths, exposing her desire for her husband.
Well, since the audience knows how this play is going to end, let's talk about the concept of dramatic irony. We know that dramatic irony exists when the audience understands/knows more about the plot than the characters on stage. Well, Juliet is torn in her emotions surrounding the death of Tybalt, as well as Romeo's fresh exile. When she cries, the audience knows her allegiance is with Romeo, because he is her husband (remember...this is over 400 years ago; a wife's allegiance is to her husband, not to her father). However, Juliet doesn't exactly want to say farewell to the relationship with her parents, either. She tries to buy time, explaining to her mother why she is so sad, and why she won't marry Romeo. There are a couple of lines that actually beg the question, "How could her parents not get it?"
First, when Lady Capulet asks Juliet why she is still crying, Juliet eventually replies, "Feeling so the loss, I cannot choose but ever weep for the friend" (III.v.77-78). She feels the loss of Tybalt, but she forever weeps for Romeo until his return. Lady Capulet believes, however, that she weeps for the loss of Tybalt the man, and Tybalt the family member. No wonder Lady Capulet thinks she's silly; her mourning has no control - but remember, Juliet is feeling the most loss out of anyone in the play at this point. She has the right to mourn...but she can't tell anyone why she would be sad over the exile of a Montague. Lady Capulet just assumes she wants Romeo dead, as everyone else the Capulet house does.
Second, when Juliet finds out about her impending marriage to Count Paris, she replies in shock, "I pray you tell my lord and father, madam, I will not marry yet; and when I do, I swear it shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate, rather than Paris" (III.v.121-124). When Juliet says, 'whom you know I hate', Juliet is responding in kind to Lady Capulet's pointed remarks regarding Romeo. Lady Capulet is beside herself. If any of us were Lady Capulet, the reaction would be, "Why in the hell would she say that? Why would she dishonor her family in this way?" So, she washes her hands of her and hands her over to Lord Capulet, who, shaking with rage, threatens to disown her if she doesn't show up at St. Peter's on Thursday.
At the end of the scene, Juliet asks the Nurse for some advice...what should she d0? The Nurse doesn't give her much comfort (yeah, she says she does...but we learn that in Act 4 that she no longer can trust the Nurse) - the Nurse simply replies that she should marry Paris and forget Romeo. Juliet asks to go to confession to absolve the sin of dishonoring her parents...that puts her in Friar Laurence's cell in 4.1, ready to commit suicide if he doesn't come up with a solution that works...reasonable or not.
Now, for the part of the blog post you were searching for...
HERE is what you need to know/understand/review/pray about regarding the quiz...
Act II:
Act III:
Short answer questions:
What is significant about the Nurse's constant interruptions in Act 2?
What is different about the light/dark symbolism in Act 2, Scene 2 versus the light/dark symbolism in Act 3, Scene 5?
Because everyone enjoys forced marriages... (sic)
Clearly Juliet doesn't, but she also doesn't enjoy having to watch her marriage fade into the sunlight. The light/dark dichotomy seems to come back in 3.5, when Juliet declares, "Let day in, and let life out", as Romeo shimmies down the ladder one final time before heading to his exile in Mantua. Light seems to bring forth death, as daylight and heat seem to bring forth both major fights that have occurred in the play so far. Mercutio and Tybalt die in broad daylight, in Verona's town square. Light would expose Romeo's relationship to Juliet, as it exposed his tortured self when Rosaline turned him away for a life of celibacy. Darkness, however, is able to shield Romeo and Juliet from having their forbidden love broadcast all over Verona. Darkness gives Romeo possibilities for love, and allows Juliet to tell her truths, exposing her desire for her husband.
Well, since the audience knows how this play is going to end, let's talk about the concept of dramatic irony. We know that dramatic irony exists when the audience understands/knows more about the plot than the characters on stage. Well, Juliet is torn in her emotions surrounding the death of Tybalt, as well as Romeo's fresh exile. When she cries, the audience knows her allegiance is with Romeo, because he is her husband (remember...this is over 400 years ago; a wife's allegiance is to her husband, not to her father). However, Juliet doesn't exactly want to say farewell to the relationship with her parents, either. She tries to buy time, explaining to her mother why she is so sad, and why she won't marry Romeo. There are a couple of lines that actually beg the question, "How could her parents not get it?"
First, when Lady Capulet asks Juliet why she is still crying, Juliet eventually replies, "Feeling so the loss, I cannot choose but ever weep for the friend" (III.v.77-78). She feels the loss of Tybalt, but she forever weeps for Romeo until his return. Lady Capulet believes, however, that she weeps for the loss of Tybalt the man, and Tybalt the family member. No wonder Lady Capulet thinks she's silly; her mourning has no control - but remember, Juliet is feeling the most loss out of anyone in the play at this point. She has the right to mourn...but she can't tell anyone why she would be sad over the exile of a Montague. Lady Capulet just assumes she wants Romeo dead, as everyone else the Capulet house does.
Second, when Juliet finds out about her impending marriage to Count Paris, she replies in shock, "I pray you tell my lord and father, madam, I will not marry yet; and when I do, I swear it shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate, rather than Paris" (III.v.121-124). When Juliet says, 'whom you know I hate', Juliet is responding in kind to Lady Capulet's pointed remarks regarding Romeo. Lady Capulet is beside herself. If any of us were Lady Capulet, the reaction would be, "Why in the hell would she say that? Why would she dishonor her family in this way?" So, she washes her hands of her and hands her over to Lord Capulet, who, shaking with rage, threatens to disown her if she doesn't show up at St. Peter's on Thursday.
At the end of the scene, Juliet asks the Nurse for some advice...what should she d0? The Nurse doesn't give her much comfort (yeah, she says she does...but we learn that in Act 4 that she no longer can trust the Nurse) - the Nurse simply replies that she should marry Paris and forget Romeo. Juliet asks to go to confession to absolve the sin of dishonoring her parents...that puts her in Friar Laurence's cell in 4.1, ready to commit suicide if he doesn't come up with a solution that works...reasonable or not.
Now, for the part of the blog post you were searching for...
HERE is what you need to know/understand/review/pray about regarding the quiz...
Act II:
- Locate and review the heavy use of metaphor in Romeo's soliloquy in 2.2 (the 'balcony scene')
- Review the concept of duality in Juliet's 'soliloquy', when she discusses the problem of Romeo's name.
- Review and understand why Juliet keeps asking about why Romeo climbed up the wall and keeps warning him about his possible death, dodging his questions in 2.2
- Understand Friar Laurence's role as a foil in 2.3, especially when he chastises Romeo
- Understand the revolution of Romeo's tragic flaw in 2.3
- Understand what Mercutio has to say regarding Romeo and Tybalt at the beginning of 2.4
- Go over the puns in 2.4.
- Understand the Nurse's change in attitude in 2.4 when speaking to Romeo
- Understand the revolution of Juliet's tragic flaw in 2.5
- Understand the foreshadowing given by Friar Laurence's advice in 2.6, before they marry.
Act III:
- Understand why Tybalt approaches Mercutio, and why Mercutio challenges Tybalt at the beginning of 3.1
- Understand Mercutio's 'curse' in 3.1 - why can he curse both families?
- Explain and understand Romeo's reaction to Tybalt's murder immediately after it is committed in 3.1
- Explain why the Prince exiles Romeo as his sentence for killing Tybalt in 3.1
- Understand why Juliet is confused when the Nurse brings her news in 3.2
- Understand and explain why Friar Laurence chastises Romeo in 3.3
- Explain and understand Romeo's moodswings in 3.3
- Refer to the above for Scenes 4 and 5
Short answer questions:
What is significant about the Nurse's constant interruptions in Act 2?
What is different about the light/dark symbolism in Act 2, Scene 2 versus the light/dark symbolism in Act 3, Scene 5?
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