How Capulet's New Plans Affect Juliet's Future

In Shakespeare's tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, Juliet's father, Capulet, forces Juliet into a marriage with Count Paris. Capulet initially promises Paris that Juliet will marry him in three days, but when Juliet returns from Friar Lawrence and pretends to have learned obedience, Capulet is so delighted that he moves the wedding up to the next day.

Juliet's father brings forward the wedding to Wednesday

Juliet's father, Capulet, brings forward the wedding to Wednesday, the day after tomorrow. This is a drastic change to the wedding plans, as the original date was set for Thursday, three days after Capulet's conversation with Paris.

Capulet is eager to marry his daughter off to Paris, and his haste is evident in his dialogue. When Paris expresses his concern about the speed of the wedding, Capulet reassures him that he will ""have it so". He also mentions that he is in no mood to slow things down, stating, "I am nothing slow to stall his haste".

Capulet's urgency is further emphasised when he says, "I would I knew not why it should be slowed". This indicates that he is aware that the rushed timeline may be unusual or undesirable, but he is determined to go ahead anyway.

After Juliet agrees to the marriage, Capulet's enthusiasm continues to build. He decides to advance the ceremony to Wednesday, ignoring his wife's protests. He instructs her to help Juliet prepare for the wedding while he finishes the arrangements and sends word to Paris about the new date.

Capulet's decision to bring forward the wedding has significant implications for the plot, as it adds to the sense of urgency and leaves less time for Juliet to come up with a plan to avoid the marriage.

He threatens to disown Juliet if she refuses to marry Paris

In Act 3, Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet, Juliet's father, Capulet, makes a change to the wedding plans by threatening to disown Juliet if she refuses to marry Paris. This is a significant moment in the play as it highlights the tension between Juliet and her father, as well as the power dynamics within the Capulet household.

Juliet's father, Capulet, is enraged when he learns of Juliet's determination to defy him and refuses to marry Paris. He becomes furious and threatens to disown Juliet, stating:

> "Get thee to church o' Thursday,

> Or never after look me in the face.

> Speak not; reply not; do not answer me.

> My fingers itch.—Wife, we scarce thought us

> Blessed

> That God had lent us but this only child,

> But now I see this one is one too much,

> And that we have a curse in having her."

Capulet's threat to disown Juliet is a serious one, as it would mean that she would be cut off from her family and their resources. It is also a way for Capulet to exert his power and control over Juliet, as he believes that he has the right to make decisions for her.

Juliet, on the other hand, is appalled at the idea of marrying Paris so soon after her cousin Tybalt's death. She rejects the match, saying:

> "I will not marry yet; and when I do, I swear

> It shall be Romeo—whom you know I hate—

> Rather than Paris."

Juliet's defiance of her father's wishes shows her strength and maturity. She recognizes that as a woman in a male-dominated society, she has limited power and options. Despite knowing the consequences, she chooses to stand up for herself and her love for Romeo.

After Capulet and Lady Capulet leave, Juliet seeks counsel from the Nurse, who advises her to go through with the marriage to Paris. Juliet is disgusted by the Nurse's disloyalty and decides to seek help from Friar Lawrence instead. She vows never to trust the Nurse's counsel again and contemplates taking her own life if the Friar cannot help her.

This scene highlights the complex family dynamics within the Capulet household and the limited agency that Juliet has as a young woman in a patriarchal society. Capulet's threat to disown Juliet underscores the power he believes he holds over her and the lengths to which he is willing to go to exert his authority.

He sends word to Paris of the changed date

Juliet's father, Lord Capulet, decides to advance Juliet's wedding to Paris from Thursday to Wednesday. Excited by Juliet's apparent change of heart, he ignores his wife's protests and sends word to Paris of the changed itinerary.

Lord Capulet is eager to marry his daughter, Juliet, off to Paris, especially after her apparent grief over her cousin Tybalt's death. He is so enthusiastic about the match that he decides to bring the wedding forward by a day, from Thursday to Wednesday. This is a significant change, as it gives Juliet even less time to come up with a plan to avoid the marriage.

Lord Capulet's eagerness to marry Juliet to Paris is evident in his dismissal of his wife's protests. He is so determined to see the marriage take place that he overrules her concerns and sends word to Paris of the new date. This shows that Lord Capulet is the dominant figure in the household and that he is not afraid to assert his authority.

The change in wedding plans also highlights the haste with which the marriage to Paris is being arranged. Lord Capulet's decision to move the wedding forward by a day suggests that he wants to ensure the marriage takes place as soon as possible, perhaps fearing that Juliet might change her mind again or that something else could happen to delay or prevent the wedding.

By sending word to Paris, Lord Capulet ensures that all the necessary arrangements can be made for the wedding to take place on the new date. This includes informing Paris' household, as well as making any necessary adjustments to the venue, catering, and other logistics. Lord Capulet's efficient handling of the changed plans demonstrates his commitment to seeing his daughter married to Paris.

Overall, Lord Capulet's decision to send word to Paris of the changed date underscores the urgency and importance he places on the marriage. It is a significant development in the plot, as it adds to the pressure on Juliet and sets the stage for the tragic events that follow.

He instructs his wife to help Juliet get ready

In Act 4, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet, Capulet, Juliet's father, energetically directs the preparations for her wedding to Paris. When Juliet returns from Friar Lawrence and pretends to have learned obedience, Capulet is so delighted that he moves the wedding up to the next day. He instructs his wife to help Juliet get ready:

> Go thou to Juliet, help to deck her up. I’ll not to bed tonight. Let me alone; I’ll play the housewife for this once.— [calls servants] What ho? They are all forth. Well, I will walk myself to County Paris, to prepare him against tomorrow. My heart is wondrous light since this same wayward girl is so reclaimed.

Capulet is so pleased with Juliet's apparent obedience that he decides to move the wedding forward by a day. He is so excited that he will not go to bed but instead will play the housewife and take care of the preparations himself. He instructs his wife to go to Juliet and help her get ready for the wedding.

Capulet's wife, Lady Capulet, does as she is told and goes to Juliet's chambers, along with the Nurse. She assumes Juliet is asleep and tells the Nurse to fetch more spices for the pastry. She then sends the Nurse to bed, saying she will stay up to watch. However, Capulet sends her to wake Juliet when Paris arrives with musicians the next morning.

When the Nurse finds Juliet, she believes she is asleep and calls for help. Soon, Juliet's parents and Paris join the Nurse in lamenting her apparent death.

He stays up all night to prepare for the wedding

In Act 4, Scene 4 of Romeo and Juliet, Juliet's father, Capulet, stays up all night to prepare for Juliet's wedding to Paris. He is in high spirits, excitedly organising the wedding preparations and sending word to Paris of the changed itinerary. He is so eager for the wedding that he moves it forward by a day, from Thursday to Wednesday.

Capulet is determined to ensure that everything is ready for the wedding, and personally oversees the preparations, including hiring cooks and sending servants on errands. He is so caught up in the wedding preparations that he declares he will not go to bed that night. He even sends his wife, Lady Capulet, to bed so that she can rest, saying that he will play the housewife for this once".

Capulet's eagerness for the wedding is in stark contrast to Juliet's own feelings, as she has no desire to marry Paris. Unbeknownst to Capulet, Juliet has secretly taken a potion given to her by Friar Lawrence, which will make her appear dead so that she can avoid the marriage. While Capulet stays up all night in joyful anticipation of the wedding, he does not know that his daughter is lying in her chamber, in a death-like trance.

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