Society

• Capulet, as the family patriarch, makes decisions for Juliet- and at the time was normal for the contemporary audience as typically marriages were arranged to secure an advantageous match for their children to retain status. Therefore, wealth and status were the main factors in arranging marriages- with little consideration of happiness or compatibility --> typical for the Elizabethan times
• A person's social status was seen as very important during the Elizabethan era- as it dictated the way they lived their life, the clothes they wore and the friends they had
• Act 2, Scene 2:

  "And I'll believe thee" -Juliet

  "If my heart's dear love" -Romeo

  They fulfill the iambic pentameter by saying lines of 5 syllables each, demonstrating the equality between them.

  Despite the society around them, they have found an equal union in their love with each other, and together they become one, rather than two separate parts
• "O swear not by the moon, th' inconstant moon" --> Juliet is not ruled by Romeo, despire the patriarchal nature of their society
• "My fingers itch" --> demonstrates Capulet is having to physically restrain from hitting Juliet, in this patriarchal society it was common for men to hit their wives and daughters

  modern audiences: this makes us dislike Capulet
• Capulet objectifies Juliet, treating her like his property

  "If you be mine, I will give you to my friend" --> implies Juliet belongs to him by the possessive pronoun of "mine"
• Lady Capulet always seconds Capulet's opinion and shows her deference to him by remaining loyal to his wishes.

  When Juliet beseeches her mother to delay her marriage to Paris after Capulet has left, Lady Capulet says "Talk not to me" --> follows her husband's lead and demonstrates his authority over her
• "Give me my sword!" --> Capulet commands Lady Capulet to obey him, when she questions his authority he responds with "My sword, I say!" --> demonstrates that, unlike Romeo and Juliet's relationship, the Capulet's relationship is very unequal with Capulet taking the traditionally masculine role
• In Elizabethan culture, women were portrayed as unfaithful creatures. However when Juliet is asked to marry Paris, she says "My husband is on earth"