The significance of Act 3 scene 5 lies in the strong connection it forms with the audience in Romeo and Juliet. The emotions of Juliet have a profound impact on the audience, who are aware of the secret marriage between her and Romeo, in contrast to their parents: Lord and Lady Capulet, and Lord and Lady Montague. Throughout this scene, Juliet experiences a drastic shift in her emotions, transitioning from sheer happiness to deep sadness. Initially, she feels both sadness and happiness simultaneously – sad about Romeo’s departure yet joyous to be with him and married. However, this mixture of emotions causes confusion for Juliet.
The audience can sense Juliet’s worried state as Romeo will soon be leaving. She attempts to persuade him to stay, expressing disappointment that their time together has passed too quickly. The audience empathizes with her, feeling connected to the couple as they are aware of their secret marriage. Throughout this scene, Romeo and Juliet’s dialogue rhymes, symbolizing their close bond. Juliet begins the scene by posing the question, “wilt thou be gone?,” which serves to highlight her distress and frustration. Shakespeare employs this questioning technique to emphasize Juliet’s emotions. Additionally, he crafts an extended metaphor comparing Juliet to a “lark,” showcasing her desperation.
The lark, historically known for its melodic morning song, is used by Shakespeare as an unsettling alarm to Romeo and Juliet. The bird’s presence symbolizes the division between the lovers. As the scene progresses and Romeo has to depart, Shakespeare continues to reference the lark, but with a negative connotation. Juliet expresses her despair by remarking how the bird’s song is now “out of tune.” She feels disheartened, perceiving nature as working against their love and deliberately trying to separate them. Shakespeare employs the symbolism of nature, specifically daylight, to emphasize the irony of the situation.
Lady Capulet enters Juliet’s chamber while Romeo leaves, making it feel as if darkness is brought upon them in the daylight. Juliet is seen crying over Romeo’s departure, but Lady Capulet mistakenly assumes that she is weeping for her cousin Tybalt’s death. This leads to a conversation in which Lady Capulet discusses Tybalt, unaware that Juliet’s responses actually refer to Romeo. Juliet cleverly uses irony to express her true feelings, a disguise skillfully crafted by Shakespeare. Lady Capulet questions, ‘Are you always crying for your cousin’s death?’
Lady Capulet asks, “What wilt thou wash him from his grave with tears?” However, these questions are merely rhetorical as she proceeds to share her opinions. She states that even if Juliet’s tears could cleanse Tybalt’s grave, they would not be able to bring him back to life. Hence, Lady Capulet advises Juliet to refrain from crying. However, Juliet, consumed by thoughts of Romeo who recently departed, counters, “Yet let me weep for such a feeling loss.” Juliet’s tears are a result of the loss she feels for Romeo. Nonetheless, Lady Capulet reiterates that weeping will only intensify Juliet’s feeling of loss and not bring back the friend she mourns.
Both Tybalt and Romeo share the same sentiment, and Juliet acknowledges that she cannot control her own emotions. Lady Capulet, on the other hand, is filled with thoughts of revenge rather than sorrow, mistakenly assuming that her daughter feels the same way. However, Juliet privately reflects that Romeo is a villain and is far away from her. This particular moment in the scene creates confusion among the audience, yet they sympathize with Juliet’s outpouring of anger towards Romeo’s departure. Juliet’s clever discussion about Romeo sparks anxiety in the audience, as they anticipate the potential consequences if her true feelings are discovered.
Lady Capulet informs Juliet of joyful news – her father has arranged for her to marry Paris. Lady Capulet is convinced that this news will bring happiness to Juliet. However, when Juliet is told about the surprise, she is shocked. She inquires about the occasion that brings joy. Lady Capulet reveals that on Thursday, Paris will marry her at St. Peter’s Church. Juliet strongly objects, declaring, ‘Now, I swear by Saint Peter’s Church and Saint Peter himself, he will not make me a joyful bride there.’
In Shakespeare’s time, saying “and peter too” was considered blasphemous, which dishonored Juliet’s faith. This demonstrates the depth of her feelings towards the concept of marriage. The audience empathizes with Juliet because they understand how she must be feeling, especially since they are aware that she is already married. Lord Capulet enters Juliet’s room with a cheerful demeanor, but quickly realizes that she is crying heavily. He refers to her as a “conduit” because he sees her as a vessel through which tears flow. This illustrates to the reader just how devastated and opposed Juliet is to marrying Paris. Lord Capulet assumes that Juliet is still mourning her cousin’s death, but soon discovers that this is not the case. He asks Lady Capulet if she has given Juliet their decision, to which Lady Capulet responds aggressively, saying “I would the fool were married to her grave!” Lady Capulet is so enraged by Juliet’s response to their offer that she even wishes for Juliet’s death.
In Shakespearean era, the audience is aware that Juliet has declined the marriage proposal from the audience because she is covertly wedded to the most despised enemy of their family. In that period, being wedded to more than one person was deemed unpardonable and the consequence for such an act was to be condemned to eternal damnation. As Juliet tries to communicate with her father, she appears timid and fearful, yet simultaneously bold and courageous. This illustrates that during Shakespeare’s time, fathers exerted control over their daughters and had the authority to decide their marriage partner, as a means to enhance their own social standing. They argue incessantly, while Juliet remains suppressed and unable to express her own viewpoint.
Despite Capulet repeatedly insulting and berating Juliet with cruel names such as ‘green-sickness carrion’, ‘baggage’, and ‘tallow-face’, she remains steadfast in her refusal to marry Paris. Even as Juliet pleads with her father on her knees, begging him to listen to her, he is consumed with anger and mistreats the nurse, who is attempting to speak on Juliet’s behalf. Capulet’s fury is so intense that he dismisses the nurse, saying “Peace, you mumbling fool! Utter your gravity o’er a gossip’s bowl; for here we need it not.” After his lengthy outpouring of rage, Capulet storms out of the room.
Juliet’s mother tells her not to speak to her, saying “Talk not to me, for I’ll not speak a word.” She then leaves, leaving Juliet with the Nurse, her last hope. Juliet asks the nurse for her opinion, hoping for a solution to her problem, saying “what say’st thou? Hast thou not word of joy? Some comfort, nurse.” But the nurse has no comfort to offer. The nurse tries convincing Juliet to marry Paris, saying “I think it best you married the county.” She describes Paris as “a lovely gentleman” and says that “Romeo’s a dishclout” compared to him. Juliet is both angered and hurt by the nurse’s opinion of Romeo.
However, Juliet questions the nurse about the authenticity of her words, asking if she truly means what she says. In response, the nurse assures Juliet that her words come from the heart and soul. However, instead of accepting the nurse’s explanation, Juliet becomes angry and hurt by her comments. She feels betrayed and let down because she believed the nurse was the only person who truly understood her. The audience may sympathize with the nurse at this point, as she is only trying to help. However, Juliet cannot comprehend this in her current state of anger. Employing irony, Juliet sarcastically tells the nurse that she has provided great comfort, stating, “Well, thou hast comforted me marvellous much.” After their exchange, the nurse exits, leaving Juliet alone.
Juliet’s feelings of isolation are evident in this situation, leaving her to feel betrayed by those around her, particularly the nurse, whom she had trusted to understand her the most. While alone in her chambers, she reaches a critical decision: she can either seek assistance from Friar Lawrence, who has a plan, or contemplate suicide. In act three scene 5, Juliet experiences a range of emotions, shifting from happiness to despair, anger, and disappointment. This act elicits sympathy from the audience because they share a connection through the secret marriage between Juliet and Romeo. Overall, she undergoes an intense emotional upheaval.
