Lord and Lady Capulet
People should not force their personal problems on others
Romeo and Juliet Character Analysis: Lord and Lady Capulet
Throughout the course of "Romeo and Juliet", we see the problems that the feud between the House of Capulet and House of Montague causes; the main being the deaths of both Romeo and Juliet. However, most of the problems could've been avoided if Lord and Lady Capulet didn't force their personal problems with the Montagues on Juliet and the rest of their household.
Act I, Scene V
Juliet meets Romeo and instantly falls in love. However, she doesn't know his name or really even who he is at that moment. She sends Nurse to go find out. When Nurse brings back the bad news that he is Romeo Montague, Juliet says, "My only love, sprung from my only hate!", indicating that it has been instilled in her to hate the Montagues; even though they have never done anything to her personally (Shakespeare, 1018).
Act II, Scene II
Preceding the famous balcony scene, Juliet is talking to herself, telling Romeo (whom she doesn't know is listening), that it "...Tis but thy name that is my enemy..." (1023).
Lord and Lady Capulet have been telling their daughter that her enemy is the name Montague. Their warnings did her no good, though, and Juliet and Romeo's story doesn't end well, due to the feud between their families.
Act III, Scene I
After Tybalt kills Mercutio and Romeo kills Tybalt to avenge Mercutio, the Prince is called out to see what has happened. Both families have their dead and try to convince Prince Escalus that it was the other family who was in the wrong. When Benvolio is trying to explain what happened to the Prince, Lady Capulet interrupts, "He is kinsman to the Montague, affection makes him false, he speaks not true!" (1050). She has let her hate for the Montagues become so strong that she has influenced the Prince. However, she wants Romeo killed; but the Prince sees that Romeo wasn't entirely in the wrong since he was avenging Mercutio, but nonetheless has him banished. Lady Capulet, triumphant though she is, feels that she cannot rest until Romeo is dead, even though Tybalt (her own nephew), is the one who started the fight!
And, of course, Romeo's banishment leads to the tragic end for star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet.
RESULTS: Act V, Scene III
After Romeo and Juliet have both died, the two families, Montague and Capulet, are hearing what the Prince (disappointed), has to say. Afterwards, Lord Capulet is speaking to Lord Montague, "Poor sacrifices of our enmity" (1102). Capulet realized that his hatred for Montague has caused the death of both his daughter, Juliet, and that of his enemy's son, Romeo. However, his realization comes too late. Due to his wife's and his dislike of the Montagues, they had Romeo banished. Romeo's banishment leads to Juliet inducing a death-like coma on her. Through a series of miscommunications, Romeo believes Juliet has really died, and poisons himself. Juliet, after awakening from her coma, and discovering her dead lover, kills herself with his dagger. All this could've been avoided if the Capulets did not force their personal problems on Romeo, Juliet, and the entire cast of this tragedy.