Maternal relationships Flashcards
(19 cards)
Overview
Shakespeare presents a range of maternal relationships in Romeo and Juliet to explore the emotional closeness between parents and children. Through the distant, formal bond Juliet shares with Lady Capulet, contrasted with her affectionate pseudo maternal relationship with the Nurse, Shakespeare seems to place focus on the difference in Juliet’s behaviour with the two. Similarly, Lady Montague’s protective concern for Romeo, though shown briefly, suggests a quieter but sincere maternal love. Shakespeare may have done this with the purpose of advising mothers, especially those of the upper class, to remain close to their children in order to fulfil their relationship.
If qs on rs between juliet and lady capulet and nurse
Shakespeare uses ‘Romeo and Juliet’ as a vehicle to condemn the fractious maternal relationship which was present in the upper-class during the Renaissance era. Through the portrayal of Juliet’s relationship with Lady Capulet in contrast with the pseudo maternal relationship which the Nurse has with Juliet, Shakespeare seems to place focus on the difference in Juliet’s behaviour with the two. Shakespeare may have done this with the purpose of advising upper-class mothers to remain close to their children in order to fulfil their relationship.
Beginning quotes
“O, where is Romeo? Saw you him today? Right glad I am he was not at this fray.”
‘Nurse, come back again’
“you shall behold him’,
“Go girl, seek happy nights to happy days!”
Middle quotes
“Madam, I am not well.”
“shall you feel them gloss, but not the friend / Which you weep for.”
“the villain lives which slaughter’d him
“And then, I hope, thou wilt be satisfied.
Ending quotes
“Grief of my son’s exile hath stopped her breath.”
“sweetheart” - “daughter”
‘Never was seen so black a day as this’
“lamentable” - “woeful.”
“She’s dead, deceas’d, she’s dead, Alack the day”,
Beginning opening
At the beginning of the play, Shakespeare presents contrasting maternal relationships to highlight Juliet’s emotional detachment from Lady Capulet and her deeper, more affectionate bond with the Nurse. At the same time, he introduces Lady Montague as a quieter but genuinely caring figure, showing concern for Romeo’s well-being.
“O, where is Romeo? Saw you him today? Right glad I am he was not at this fray.”
- Shakespeare introduces Lady Montague’s maternal concern through her questioning of Romeo’s whereabouts.
- The use of the adjective “glad” conveys her relief, suggesting a gentle and protective side of motherhood and a close emotional connection as she cares for Romeo’s wellbeing
- Unlike Lady Capulet, she does not exert control or pressure on her child but instead responds with affection and calmness.
- However, her concern is delivered through Benvolio rather than directly to Romeo, which implies a physical distance and somewhat emotional
- This choice reflects how maternal figures in upper-class families may be caring but ultimately disconnected, bound by societal expectations and a lack of intimacy in parenting roles.
- Alternatively, this detachment may symbolise the broader theme of generational misunderstanding in the play, showing that even maternal care is filtered through others in a fractured family structure.
‘Nurse, come back again’
- Lady Capulet quickly calls the Nurse back using the imperative verb “come ”, which reveals her reliance on the Nurse to communicate with her daughter, implying she cannot speak to her daughter openly without help
- demonstrates how lady capulet recognises that the nurse, an outsider, is more suited to talk about something as pivotal as marriage, than herself.
- This shows how emotionally disconnected their relationship is—Lady Capulet defers to someone else to speak about an important life decision, underlining how the Nurse occupies the maternal role more convincingly than her.
- Shakespeare draws attention to this distance to suggest how aristocratic mothers may fail in building meaningful relationships with their daughters.
“you shall behold him’,
- During the marriage discussion, Lady Capulet attempts to persuade Juliet to marry Paris, declaring “you shall behold him.”
- The modal verb “shall” is forceful and prescriptive, showing that she expects Juliet to comply without discussion
- Shakespeare uses this imperative tone to reflect Lady Capulet’s controlling nature and lack of emotional sensitivity.
- Rather than considering Juliet’s feelings, she prioritises social status, demonstrates how maternal figures in the play follow the rules of a male-dominated society rather than caring for their daughters’ emotions
- Alternatively, her assertiveness could be interpreted as internalised oppression—she is acting within the limited power available to her as a woman in a patriarchal society, projecting control where she herself lacks agency.
“Go girl, seek happy nights to happy days!”
- In stark contrast, the Nurse joyfully encourages Juliet’s pursuit of love and happiness.
- The imperatives “go” and “seek” show her support and enthusiasm, while the repetition of “happy” reflects her genuine care for Juliet’s emotional fulfilment.
- The noun “girl” conveys familiarity and affection, suggesting she sees Juliet as more than just a social role—she sees her as a person.
- This contrast with Lady Capulet immediately shows the fractious nature of Lady Capulet’s relationship with Juliet, suggesting the Nurse has a more authentic maternal presence.
Middle opening
As the play progresses, Shakespeare places focus on the disconnect between Juliet and Lady Capulet.
“Madam, I am not well.”
- The use of the noun ‘Madam’ highlights the fact that this relationship seems to represent more of an obligation which both characters are bound to fulfil, as Juliet refers to her own mother as a term which which would be more suited to a stranger.
- This conveys the emotional distance between Juliet and her mother, suggesting that Juliet sees her mother more as an authority figure than a source of comfort.
- This moment encapsulates the coldness of aristocratic motherhood, where hierarchy and status often outweigh personal connection
- While the upper-class members of the Renaissance audience may have seen this as a normal occurrence, the contemporary audience may be shocked by the level of formality which exists between the pair.
“shall you feel them gloss, but not the friend / Which you weep for.”
- Lady Capulet seems to accuse of Juliet of being selfish as she mourns, which suggests that Lady Capulet does not seem to have much appreciation for Juliet’s emotions.
- She refers to him as a “friend” rather than a cousin.
- The downplaying of his familial role through the noun “friend” indicates her emotional detachment from both Tybalt’s death and Juliet’s pain
- This misreading of Juliet’s emotions reflects Lady Capulet’s inability to truly understand her daughter.
- Additionally, the audience know Juliet’s grief is not rooted in Tybalt’s death but in Romeo’s banishment.
- This reinforces how little she knows her own child
“the villain lives which slaughter’d him”
- Lady Capulet describes Romeo as “the villain” who “slaughter’d” Tybalt, unaware of Juliet’s secret marriage to him.
- Shakespeare employs dramatic irony in order to highlight the level of disconnect and mistrust between the two.
- The use of the noun ‘villain’ is significant not only because it was considered a very strong insult at the time, but also because this insult is aimed at Romeo.
- As the audience knows, Romeo is married to Juliet.
- This lack of knowledge about her relationship with Romeo highlights to the audience how much of a distance there is between the pair.
“And then, I hope, thou wilt be satisfied.
- The use of the verb ‘hope’ connotes to ideas of chance and uncertainty - she is unable to declare with any sort of conviction whether her actions will help her child.
- This would make the upper-class members of a Renaissance audience feel sympathetic for Lady Capulet, as many mothers may have undergone a less dramatic version of these events.
- They would think that Lady Capulet is simply trying to help her daughter. A contemporary audience, on the other hand, may feel sympathy towards Juliet, as her mother is unable to help her - leaving her alone in her family.
- The fluctuating line lengths between them suggest a conversational imbalance, reinforcing how fractured and unstable their communication is and also presenting the relationship as a power struggle
- It seems like both characters are trying to dominate the situation, suggesting that their relationship is not as accommodating as maternal relationships should be, but rather is more of a formality.
Ending opening
As the play comes to a close, both Lady Capulet and the Nurse express grief at Juliet’s death, but their reactions differ in depth and sincerity, reinforcing the Nurse’s emotional closeness to Juliet and exposing the tragic consequences of the fractured bond with her biological mother. Similarly, Lady Montague’s silent death from grief over Romeo’s exile shows how quiet, overlooked mothers also suffer deeply
“Grief of my son’s exile hath stopped her breath.”
- This line, spoken by Montague, reveals that Lady Montague has died from grief caused by Romeo’s banishment.
- The noun “grief” suggests intense emotional suffering, and the phrase “stopped her breath” employs a gentle euphemism for death, underscoring the quiet, passive tragedy of her end.
- Shakespeare uses this off-stage death to highlight Lady Montague’s deep, if understated, love for her son.
*Despite her limited presence in the play, this line gives her emotional depth and positions her as a truly maternal figure, one whose love was so powerful it proved fatal.
- Shakespeare thus presents Lady Montague as a quiet but genuine maternal figure, in contrast to Lady Capulet’s more distanced expressions of care.
- Alternatively, her death could symbolise the consequences of hiding emotions in a family full of conflict
- She says little when alive and nothing in death, perhaps showing how women and mothers are often ignored or pushed aside in the world of the play.
“sweetheart” - “daughter”
- The Nurse’s use of the word “sweetheart” contrasts with Lady Capulet’s colder term “daughter.”
- While “daughter” is biologically correct, it lacks emotional depth.
- “Sweetheart,” by contrast, is a term of affection and intimacy, highlighting the warmth and emotional closeness between the Nurse and Juliet.
- Shakespeare uses this lexical contrast to highlight the pseudo-maternal relationship between the Nurse and Juliet, which is rooted in love and shared experience, unlike Lady Capulet’s formal and emotionally distant role
‘Never was seen so black a day as this’
- Shakespeare uses hyperbolic language and colour imagery to communicate the Nurse’s profound sorrow.
- The metaphor “black a day” associates Juliet’s death with the extinguishing of light and joy from the Nurse’s life, suggesting Juliet brought hope that has now vanished.
- This evokes empathy amongst the audience , particularly given her earlier memories of Susan, and positions Juliet as her second lost child.
- The Nurse’s devastation is a testament to her enduring love, and her grief reflects the far-reaching emotional toll of the play’s central conflict
- Shakespeare uses the Nurse’s reaction to demonstrate the depth of their maternal bond—one forged not through birth, but through years of nurturing and emotional support.
“lamentable” - “woeful.”
- Both women describe the day as tragic, but the Nurse calls it “lamentable” while Lady Capulet uses the term “woeful.”
- While both words denote sadness, “lamentable” implies a deeper, heart-wrenching sorrow, whereas “woeful” feels more restrained and socially appropriate.
- Shakespeare uses this lexical contrast to emphasise the sincerity of the Nurse’s grief and the emotional limitations of Lady Capulet.
- The two maternal figures are brought together here, because both did share a maternal relationship with Juliet.
