Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Why is Lord Capulet so angry with Juliet?

Lord Capulet is incredibly angry with Juliet because Juliet becomes disobedient to him.  After the death of Tybalt, Capulet determines that Juliet will marry the Count Paris right away (presumably in order to stem the tide of the emotion he interprets as her grief over Tybalt, though it is actually her grieving for Romeo in his exile).  However, when Lady Capulet acquaints Juliet with her betrothal to Paris, Juliet refuses to marry him.  Lord Capulet proceeds to describe her as an ungrateful disappointment, even a "curse," and seems most upset by her lack of obedience to him; he refers to her as a "disobedient wretch" (3.5.166).  Further, he insists that if she is his daughter, then she is his to do with what he wishes: "An you be mine, I'll give you to my friend. / An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets, / For, by my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee [...]" (3.5.203-205).  If she is his daughter, he can do with her whatever he wants, including giving her away to whomever he chooses; if she is not his, then she is on her own and should never expect assistance of any sort from him ever again.  Juliet's unwillingness to marry Paris and -- bigger picture -- to do as Lord Capulet tells her ultimately cause his terrible anger.

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