nurse

• how does shakespeare show that the nurse is of a lower class?

  - she acts as comic relief

  - she uses bawdy and sexual language
• how does shakespeare show that the nurse is a loyal character?

  - the nurse is loyal to juliet even though she knows it defies the wishes of the family
• what could be argued as being the function of the nurse in the play?

  - catalyst; she helps romeo and juliet get married which moves the action of the play forward
• who is the nurse a direct contrast to?

  - lady capulet
• how does shakespeare show that the nurse and lady capulet are direct contrasts of one another?

  - the nurse cares for juliet's wellbeing and is always by her side

  - juliet trusts the nurse more so than her own mother

  - the nurse's dialogue and language also directly contrast as the nurse is very physical and explicit when it comes to talking about relationships
• which other relationship in the play is similar to that of the nurse and juliet?

  - friar lawrence & romeo; the nurse & friar lawrence both provide similar support
• what could shakespeare be trying to show through the nurse & juliet's relationship?

  - the fact that both romeo & juliet find closer & more caring ties with characters outside their highlights the lack of trust within families during the elizabethan era

  - this ultimately leads to the death of romeo and juliet so shakespeare is reiterating the chaos and devastation that can befall parents who don't listen to or respect their children
• "come lammas eve at night shall she be fourteen. susan and she, god rest all christian souls were of an age"

  - the fact juliet is only thirteen highlights to the audience how young she really was

  - shows that the nurse cares for juliet like she would her own daughter (susan, who died young); juliet represents the surrogate daughter for the nurse

  - the nurse's link to the dead susan foreshadows the premature death of juliet

  - the nurse's grief foreshadows the grief that will be felt by lord & lady capulet later when juliet dies

  - the fact the nurse is counting down to a birthday that juliet will never reach emphasises that juliet's life is cut very short
• "thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit, wilt thou not jule?"


  - the nurse here is recounting a joke her husband once made about juliet

  - the use of the word "fall" associated with a sexual joke highlights how sex and harm are closely related which foreshadows how juliet's first sexual relationship will result in complications leading to her death

  - the fact that her husband made this joke when juliet was very young shows that the ultimate goal in elizabethan society as a woman was to get married and have children
• "no less? nay, bigger. women grow by men"

  - highlights how reliant women were on men

  - society at the time implied that handing all of the control a women has over her life to a man makes her more powerful

  - there was also the notion that the less power a woman has, the more respectable she is

  - pun which means women learn about life and become bigger in status while being married to men but also means that women physically grow bigger when they become pregnant

  - creates a humorous mood after the tension of lady capulet talking about marriage
• "faith, i can tell her age unto an hour"


  - shows that she's like a mother figure to Juliet; she has a strong bond with her as she has lost her own daughter

  - highlights how young and innocent juliet is

  - shows that the nurse knows juliet very well, more so than her own mother

  - the close time period of an "hour" also reflects the close relationship between juliet & the nurse
• "go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days"

  - the nurse here thinks paris is an ideal man for juliet

  - repetition of "happy" implies she wants juliet to find happiness and never-ending love

  - the nurse thinks that love is the key to happiness and that if she finds true love there will be many "happy days" in her future

  - nurse wants juliet to be brave and independent by seeking happiness

  - shows the nurse's sexual view of love; contrasts to juliet's romanticised view of love
• "but let me tell ye, if ye should lead her into a fool's paradise"

  - the nurse wants to discover romeo's true intentions and so begins with this threat

  - shows that the nurse cares for juliet and only wants the very best for her

  - this show's how the nurse is protective of juliet as she doesn't want romeo to "deal double with [juliet]"

  - questioning whether romeo can be trusted which reinforces the pervasive sentiment that romeo is a foolish youngster
• "thou wast the prettiest babe that e'er i nursed. an i might live to see thee married once, i have my wish"


  - shows the nurse's love for juliet

  - highlights the true connection that the nurse and juliet have

  - the fact the nurse's "wish" is to see juliet married highlights the motherly nature of the nurse

  - the nurse wanting to see her married is also an implication that she wants juliet to have children which could imply that the nurse wants juliet to experience the happiness she did when she had her child

  - superlative "prettiest" shows utmost affection and admiration the nurse feels for juliet

  - shows their close bond which can be seen as closer than juliet and lady capulet's bond
• "good heart, and i'faith, i will tell her as much. lord, lord, she will be a joyful woman"


  - the nurse is excited for juliet

  - the religious language emphasise her emotion

  - "woman" shows that the nurse sees her as a woman and not a girl; she appreciates juliet's maturity
• "doth not rosemary and romeo begin with a letter?"

  - she is teasing romeo here

  - the nurse highlights romeo's effeminacy by associating him with a traditionally female imagery of flowers

  - rosemary is traditionally a symbol associated with love but also with lust; rosemary like romeo represents a combination of both selfless love and selfish lust

  - rosemary is also a flower for mourning which foreshadows romeo's death but also implies that if juliet became covered with rosemary (i.e romeo) then she too would be a victim of death
• "i am the drudge, and toil in your delight, but you shall bear the burden soon at night"


  - "bear the burden soon at night" implies that juliet will bear the pain of losing her virginity and the burden of married life

  - shows the homely, authentic character of nurse who is of lower status

  - her lust for life contrasts with lady capulet's formality
• "jesu, what haste! can you not stay awhile? do you not see that i am out of breath?"

  - nurse acts as messenger between the lovers

  - juliet's impatience here highlights the intensity of the situation and urgency of the livers' desires

  - the nurse's breathlessness reflects the excitement surrounding the young couple's forbidden romance

  - nurse's willingness to support juliet's desires even when they conflict with societal norms and expectations emphasises her role as a nurturing and supportive figure in juliet's life
• "you know not how to choose a man. romeo!"

  - this contrasts the impracticality of marrying romeo and juliet's concern for marrying with love

  - could be seen as nurse betraying juliet as she has now decided that juliet should marry paris
• "though his face be better than any man's, yet his leg excels all men's, and for a hand and a foot and a body"


  - refers back to the nurse's physical view of love despite her saying romeo is a foolish choice
• "i think it best you married with the county. o, he's a lovely gentleman!"

  - the nurse's loyalty to juliet is put to the test

  - the nurse suggests marrying paris is a better idea to try and protect her from further harm and ensure her future security

  - the nurse's pragmatic approach here reflects her desire to shield juliet from the dangers and uncertainties of their tumultuous world

  - however, this is a stark contrast to her earlier support for juliet's relationship with romeo; this highlights the complexities of her character and shows the conflicting loyalties she experiences

  - this quote is a turning point in the play as juliet is forced to seek the friar's help and ultimately sets the stage for the tragic conclusion of the story
• what is the significance of the nurse's name being angelica?

  - angelica was a greek messenger; just as the nurse acts in the play between the two lovers
• "there's no trust, no faith, no honesty in men."


  - nurse is implying that men are wicked

  - asyndetic listing creates an overwhelming concept as though men's faults are endless

  - alternatively, the nurse could be implying that his faults are not his own but just the consequence of his own biology
• "blubbering and weeping, weeping and blubbering. stand up, stand up. stand, an you be a man. for juliet's sake, rise and stand."


  - polysyndetic listing emphasises juliet's emotions

  - conjunction "and" implies juliet's sadness is never-ending

  - "rise and stand" connote going above and beyond for juliet which is ironic as when the nurse arrives, romeo is "on the ground" paralysed due to the pain

  - the idea that romeo often describes juliet as being like the sun shows that the nurse wants romeo to be closer to juliet

  - the nurse tells romeo to "be a man" which links to traditional idea of masculinity
• "here, sir, a ring she bid me give you, sir"


  - the nurse gives romeo juliet's ring

  - acts as a symbol of their love for each other

  - the circle represents how it is endless and will last forever
• "mistress! what, mistress! juliet! why, lamb!"

  - the nurse's fragmented and continuous dialogue shows her gradual realisation that something isn't quite right

  - her choice of words summarises juliet's different identities: she is a "mistress" forcibly tied to the men around her; a "lamb" and "lady" which implies her supposed innocence
• "she's dead, deceas'd, she's dead; alack the day!"

  - repetition shows the utter shock showed by both nurse and lady capulet despite them being opposites at the start; they share their mother-like relationship with juliet

  - dental alliteration of d sound which drums into audience's ears highlights their shock