Blog Post #5 : Act IV :

           #4 At the end of Act IV, the parents of Romeo and Juliet had no idea of their secret marriage. Had they found out about this marriage, things would not have looked good for Romeo and Juliet. Not to mention, Nurse and Friar Lawrence, who had assisted the couple, would have been in for a heap of trouble had this secret been divulged. When Juliet had refused to marry Paris, Lord Capulet was angry enough. He beat her and repeated over and over again, "Out you green-sickness carrion! Out, you baggage! You tallow-face!" (Shakespeare 214). If Lord Capulet had been that angry with Juliet when she had just refused to do something he asked, imagine how angry he would be if he found out that she had gone behind his back and gotten married! The beating she had received then, would have seemed like a small pinch compared to the punishment she would get.

This represents the secrets kept from the
families of Romeo and Juliet throughout
 the book. 

            As for Romeo, I guess he wouldn't have been in as much trouble. He was already banished to Mantua and cut off from his family. To be hated by an entire family (except for Juliet of course) and then to have your family be embarrassed to be related to you is a horrible punishment of itself. 
            Nurse and Friar Lawrence would have had it bad as well. Both families had trusted at least one of these people if not both. Lady Capulet trusted Nurse to practically raise Juliet and to be a good influence for her. Nurse had even assisted Lady Capulet in persuading Juliet to marry Paris. She told Juliet of how he was perfect for her. She showered Paris in compliments calling him, "A man, young lady! Lady, such a man as all the world-why, he's a man of wax" (56). Imagine how silly Lady Capulet would feel thinking as though Nurse was playing some sort of game. She probably would think that Romeo and Juliet were already married at that time when Juliet first toyed with the idea of marrying Paris, and that Nurse had sat there and pretended to support her.Lady Capulet would feel stupid and no doubt be furious with Nurse. And as for Friar Lawrence, he had agreed to marry Paris and Juliet, knowing he wouldn't be able to do it. Why would he lie to them like that? Why would he even agree to marry them? 
           I can't imagine the anger both families would feel if they were told of this marriage. It is definitely something I would not want to witness.






Defining Vocabulary


arbitrating- the hearing and determining of a dispute or the settling of differences between parties by a person or persons chosen or agreed to by them


distraught- distracted; deeply agitated


immoderately- exceeding just or reasonable limits


inundation- to overwhelm


resolution- a solution, accommodation, or settling of the problem


spited- a malicious, usually petty, desire to harm, annoy, frustrate, or humiliate another person; bitter ill will; malice.


supple- pliant; flexible