Romeo and Juliet

Colin Dowda

Capulet has had a dramatic change in character over the course of the book. At first, he would not dare see his young daughter get married yet. But he changed and decided that if she did not marry, she would be disowned. It is very confusing how this happens, because it is such a dramatic change in such a short period of time. At first, Capulet thinks that Juliet isn’t ready for marriage. For he believes that she is too young, innocent and immature.

But saying o'er what I have said before. My child is yet a stranger in the world. She hath not seen the change of fourteen years. Let two more summers wither in their pride Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.

In this passage from Act I, Scene 2, Capulet tells Paris that his daughter is only thirteen years old, and not yet ready to be a bride. He tells him to wait two more summers until she’s fully ready to be wed. This shows the caring, fatherly side of Capulet. It shows through, because he is protecting his only child from escaping her childhood too early, and growing up too fast. He truly loves Juliet. Later in the story, in Act III, Scene 5, his point of view on this topic completely changes. He then concludes that if Juliet does not wed, she will be punished.

“I’ll not wed,” “I cannot love,” “I am too young,” “I pray you, pardon me.”— But, an you will not wed, I’ll pardon you. Graze where you will, you shall not house with me. Look to ’t, think on ’t, I do not use to jest. Thursday is near. Lay hand on heart, advise. An you be mine, I’ll give you to my friend. An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets,

Capulet mocked Juliet saying things that he agreed with in the past, and then threatened to throw her out on the streets if she did not marry. He went from a caring, protective father, to a father who didn’t care if his own daughter were to die. His mood change was drastic, and out of the blue. I don’t know exactly why his mood changed so suddenly, but I do know it happened, and it went downhill, not uphill. Capulet’s mood change was a big turning point in the book, because it triggered Friar’s new plan, which led to the death of the star-crossed lovers. He went from being loving, and sensitive, to brutal and irrational. He was not consistent and crossed his own words. Lord Capulet had a dramatic character change throughout the story regarding Juliet’s marriage, and it was not a good one.