In Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare features a father and daughter relationship set in the Elizabethan

ere which had a patriarchal society ruled by men and women were inferior and expected to obey
orders and respect the men in their society.
Over the course of the play Lord Capulet showed a change of attitude towards the marriage he had
arranged for his daughter. In Elizabethan times, it was traditional that the father figures of the
daughter would arrange a marriage for her that would be a benefit to the family, increasing their
wealth and status in society. The daughters had to respect their fathers decision and be pure,
innocent and dutiful .Fathers where seen as the head of the family, the dominant powerful heads.
Also in these times they raised their children and expected them to obey orders without question
and respect their parents decisions. These ideas created tension in the family.
Lord Capulets relationship with Juliet changes when he decides to make the marriage happen at an
earlier time than anticipated. Juliet rebels which is not common in Elizabethan society as they were
all expected to obey, if not it was seen as a crime in their religion.
In Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare explores the relationships between fathers and daughters in
these times. Juliet and lord Capulet play an important role in this which leads to a chain of tragic.
The main protagonists where at the peak of their happiness and an element of fate lead may have
also inevitably lead to Juliets death. The play was set in a disorderly society where disobedience was
seen as a crime against their religion and this was the backdrop of their death. Lord Capulet and
Juliet played a role in this chain of events .For example Juliet had kept the marriage with Romeo a
secret from her father and knew the consequences .She disobeyed when she heard the news that
she was to marry Paris on Thursday and also begins to act childish and immature about the situation.
Yet it may be lord Capulets fault because he had at first given Juliet a choice in whether she wished
to marry Paris or not which was seen as uncommon for fathers to do in these times. But later on in
the play his attitude to this had changed and he began acting as most Elizabethan fathers would at
these times and force her to marry him or otherwise face punishment. In this seen lord Capulet acts
too dominant and violent towards her decisions.

In act 1, scene 2 lord Capulet has a conversation with Paris, in which he says Let two more summers
wither in their pride, ere we may think her ripe to be a bride. In which he tells Paris to wait two
more years until Juliet is ready. In this he describes Juliet as a warm, delicate, luscious joy when he
compares her to summer which makes it seem like he is complimenting her. But lord Capulet also
compares her to a fruit when mentions her to be ripe, so he is objectifying her as a fruit suggesting
for Paris to wait until Juliet is sexually mature and ready, he may be including this because his past
experience with his own wife lady Capulet. He does this to increase Pariss desirability for Juliet and
increases her value.
Before act 3, scene 4 Tybalt was killed by Romeo and therefore Romeo was banished which is tragic
irony due to Romeo and Juliet having married secretly previously and also lord Capulet had given
Juliet a choice in whether she wanted to marry Paris. In act 3 scene 4 Lord Capulet was shown as
obsequious and urgent which was different to his pervious self. This makes him seem like a typical
Elizabethan father. In act 3, scene 4 Lord Capulet became desperate for Paris because he began to

fear that Paris had lost interest. [Paris offers to go in, and Capulet calls him again] Sir Paris, I will
make a desperate tender of my childs love: I think she will be ruled in all respects by me
By calling him Sir Paris he is showing respect but also he is being obsequious and complimenting
Paris to convince him to marry his daughter. He claims that she will be ruled by him which is more
typical as he behaves dominant and superior. He uses Tybalts death as an excuse to make the
marriage happen at an earlier date than anticipated and he believes this will cheer Juliet up but also
to stop Paris from giving up on Juliet. Tender is shown as a formal and legal offer which is legal
language, not love which makes Juliet seem objectified and offering Juliet to Paris and that she must
be obedient. Also when he mentions will this makes him seem certain about his decision making
it is inevitable.

Before act 3, scene 5 Lord Capulet enters expecting that lady Capulet has delivered their decree in
which Paris will marry Juliet on Thursday, so therefore he comes in confident and expects that Juliet
will be honoured and obedient ,pleased to marry Paris. This is a typical marriage which Capulet
believes is a good match due to Paris being much wealthier and has more power he claims this is to
cheer Juliet up due to Tybalts death which is an excuse to marry Paris earlier than anticipated. Juliet
refuses to marry Paris which is dramatic irony, this is because she previously married Romeo which
she had kept secret from here family which gradually builds tension to a climax and in Elizabethan
times marrying two people was seen as a crime against the current religion in which you would be
sent to hell. When Lord Capulet enters he is acting sympathetic to Juliet. But for the sunset of my
brothers son It rains downrightWhat, still in tears? Evermore show ring? He uses extended
metaphors and natural imagery to describe Juliets grief. He uses the sunset to describe the ending,
gradual and peaceful, which is seen as Tybalts death. Also Juliets tears seen as miserable and
inevitable of death. He is using hyperbole which makes it seem as if he is being insincere and
manipulative. He also uses rhetorical questions being repeated at the end of it, which makes it seem
as if Lord Capulet is shocked she is unhappy. He uses a contrasting tone when he directs the
conversation to Lady Capulet how now wife which consists of single syllable words which are
punchy and direct and also shows how his tone comes from caring/sincere to commanding.
Once Lord Capulet found out Juliet refuses the marriage arrangement he becomes violent and
aggressive toward Juliet, insulting her telling her to be hanged, which is seen as humiliating,
shameful and in public in these times. This is dramatic irony as she later dies at the end of the play.
Lord Capulet describes her as baggage which is a heavy burden and seen as worthless object. He
several times repeats Out which is dismissive and impatient, also commenting on her also is being
a tallow face which meant she was grotesque and disgusting. Showing that Lord Capulets tone
from caring and sensitive towards Juliet he has become enraged and dismissive.
Juliet reacts in a submissive and obedient way which was different to her actions previously when
she was being rebellious and was against the marriage arranged with Paris. She kneels to him
showing that she has realised her actions, she also says I beseech you on my knees which implies
that she is begging for him to calm down and listen to her, and she describes him as good father
which is also obsequious and manipulative which is the same technique in which Lord Capulet used
toward Paris earlier in the play.

In an inspector calls it shows a father and daughter relationship which is set in the Edwardian
period 1912 featuring Mr Birling and Sheila. It was still a patriarchal society ruled by men and
women were inferior and expected to obey and respect the men in their society. This was because
women in this time did not have the right to vote and thus had less power and this is why the
suffragettes fought for equal rights. In 1943 once the war had begun, relationships between men
and women had changed, when the men died in the war women gained the right to vote and have a
job. In the Edwardian period factory workers received a low pay and went on strike and this caused
tension between the workers of the factory and the bosses. Mr Birling was a capitalist and there for
had old fashioned ideas which were different to Sheilas, she has socialist ideas and she became
increasingly rebellious which is similar to Juliet from Romeo and Juliet where Juliet was rebelling
against her father .Also both are in a patriarchal society where the fathers are dominant but the
daughters rebel, both also reject their fathers chosen husband. Also both plays end with tragic irony
where a chain of events leads to someones death in a short period of time in the same place.
Although they are both different as well because Sheila becomes more rebellious because the role of
women in this time changes and her parents are not as strict as Juliets mother and father.

The play an inspector calls structure begins with a happy situation in which case in this play is an
engagement along with some underlying tension between the family. Than their happy situation is
disturbed and breaks apart which is when the inspector tells them a girl named Eva has died and
begins asking them questions. Finally all the characters face a form of downfall and has an element
of fait then they start to question their original happiness. This is unities of time and play which in
the play is one evening, in one room make events seem sudden and unstoppable leading to a
tragedy.

In the inspector calls the family in the play are acting celebratory and loving towards one another
because they are celebrating an engagement but Mr Birling acts seemingly caring but is showing a
business-like and money driven attitude. This is similar to lord Capulet in act1, scene 2 where he is
acting two faced, he is acting caring about also showing a business like sub-text when speaking to
Paris. Im going to tell you frankly, without any pretences, that your engagement to Sheila means a
tremendous lot to me. Shell make you happy, and Im sure youll make her happy. Youre just the
kind of son-in-law I always wanted. He puts Geralds happiness before Sheila therefore prioritising
him and making him seem obsequious towards him. Also Mr Birling is using hyperbole and
exaggerating this feelings towards Gerald when he mentions that it means a tremendous lot to him
which also shows him being obsequious. The subtext of this is that he is faking acting emotional and
caring about the marriage but is actually using this opportunity to be business-like and materialistic
and therefore showing a capitalist attitude. Sheila is also showing a capitalist attitude because she is
being materialistic and only feels genuinely engaged once she has an expensive ring. SHEILA (who
has put the ring on, admiringly) I think its perfect. Now I really feel engaged. When she mentions
now it shows she didnt assume she was engaged until she had a ring showing she is similar to her
father but at the same time also using hyperbole when she mentions it is perfect. This therefore
shows she is different to Juliet because Juliet did not act materialistic and only felt engaged due to a
ring.

In act 2 Mr Birling and Sheilas attitudes towards each over begins to change due to
the way Sheilas opinion is changing, challenging Mr Birling and his point of view BIRLING: Now,
Sheila, Im not defending him. But you must understand that a lot of young menSHEILA: Dont
interfere, please, Father. Gerald knows what I mean, and you apparently dont. (p.40)At this point
Sheila has become more adult and takes on the inspectors role toward Gerald. Before this scene she
finds out that Gerald had been dishonest towards her and was actually with Eva. On the other hand
Mr Birling is being obsequious and defensive towards Gerald. This is because Mr Birling worries
about his reputation and his relationship with Gerald, therefore he has not changed throughout the
scenes and he only defends him because he wants to join businesses with Geralds family therefore
earning more money rather than Sheilas feelings .When she says you apparently dont It shows
Sheila doesnt show respect towards him anymore as an adult, and that he has not learned a lesson.
This shows that the father and daughter of the play are drifting apart and fall out as shown when
Sheila is calling him Father rather than before the inspector coming in she called him daddy. As
Sheila takes up a socialist attitude and takes on responsibility and is rebelling speaking her opinion
which is similar to the subtext where the suffragettes who fought for their options and rights at the
time.

Sheila is at this point in the play behaving different to how women in this time would behave at this
time SHEILA: (with sudden alarm) Mother stop stop! BIRLING: Be quiet, Sheila! SHEILA: But
dont you See (p. 48) Here Mr birling is trying to be dominant, using an empty command for her
to be quiet but trying to defend Mrs Birling. This may be because he and Sheila, as well as the
audience know it is Eric which Mrs Birling does not know, which dramatic irony is. She is interrupting
him and ignoring him which was uncommon to this time .This means that Mr Birling and Sheilas
relationship with each over is changing and they are drifting apart. sudden alarm showing
realisation which I unexpected and dramatic because she realises what Mrs Birling does not know,
and attempts to stop her. Although Sheila ignores this and carries on speaking until she is cut off
again when she says dont you see.

Furthermore in act 3 , the characters start showing clear disagreement SHEILA: (flaring up) Im not
being [childish] If you want know ,its you two who are being childish trying not to face the facts.
BIRLING: I wont have that sort of talk. Any more of that and you leave this room. Showing Sheila
and Eric working together, taking responsibility for their actions towards Eva .Where as her parents
are in denial and doubt the inspector was real, although Sheila did bring that theory up but she also
claimed she had learned a lesson. Mr Birling still remains as a capitalist, seeming unaffected by this
girls death and trying to manipulate his way out of trouble, and only worrying about a public scandal
and his reputation, he also in this scene is trying to be dominant over Sheila ,patronising her when
he says Any more of that and you leave this room, using an empty futile command although this
does not affect Sheila because she has lost all respect for him, as seen when she says its you two
who are being childish showing she cannot bring herself to name them and she is being dismissive ,
she once called them mommy and daddy at the beginning of the play in act 1, in act 2 she uses more
formal names for them such as father and mother and in act 3 she has lost all respect for them and
does not name them. (Flaring up) shows she is feeling strong anger, showing an outburst and rising
up, which is different from how she was in act 1 where she was not being as rebellious as she is
being in act 3.

In conclusion father and daughter relationships are similar , this is because both families parents
where stern and thought of their daughters as inferior and expected them to be obedient and obey
commands without question. In both plays the daughters ignore this and rebel, showing their
opinion on the subject, although Sheila was more rebellious because times were changing and
women began to speak their mind. The relationship of Juliets family was more realistic because the
families during this time commonly had fathers who were stern and daughters had to be submissive,
and when Juliet and Romeo perished, both families felt guilty and realised their actions. The
relationship of Sheila and Eric where more successful because they both knew they did wrong and
both stud up to what they believed was right and toke responsibility. Both the story of Romeo and
Juliet and the inspector calls where similar because both had stern parents who try to be dominant
other their daughter, and both these stories have a structure of three acts, act 1 where everyone is
happy, act 2 where something happens and stirs the mood, act 3 is where the characters meet a
downfall which have a chain of events which reach to a climax. Also both fathers obsequious to their
daughters partners .Although both stories are different because Sheila was more dominant and
rebellious compared to Juliet towards her father .Also at the end of Romeo and Juliet both the
families feel guilt where as in the inspector calls the family tries to hide their guilt, manipulating the
events which happened such as the inspector being real.Both of these plays had a similar classic
tragic structure with three acts created by a philosopher called Aristotle ,all leading to a chain of
events which leads to the characters downfall ,although both these plays showed it in a different
way , Romeo and Juliet featuring two deaths at the end and An inspector calls featuring the family
all contributing to a characters death. In both these times it was a patriarchal society where the
fathers were to be dominant and the daughters expected to obey.