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Madison Staat

Miss Woelke

Pre-AP english 9

10 December 2018

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet​ Essay

In the novel, ​The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, ​by William Shakespeare, the author goes

into detail about the complicated yet undeniable love between the two adolescents, Romeo and

Juliet. Shakespeare describes the many interconnected relationships that help this forbidden

infatuation thrive such as the Nurse and Juliet. The characters are faced with many dilemmas

during the course of this story such as the recurring problem that Romeo and Juliet are in a feud

between families which brings up the next issue that they cannot court each other let alone be

acquaintances. This creates conflict and a series of deaths brought to the outside masses.

Shakespeare explicates the change in Juliet and the Nurse’s frame of mind throughout the story

and how it affects their own lives, others, and future events.

The Nurse and Juliet’s intercommunication for the duration of the novel has affected their

own lives and character due to the incidents that are to occur. When discussing the conjuncture

of Tybalt’s death by Romeo, the nurse assuaged Juliet in her time of struggle by voicing her

compassion, “Hie to your chamber. I’ll find Romeo To comfort you.”. (Shakespeare

3.3.151-154) This exemplifies how the Nurse acts almost as a friend to Juliet rather than parental

figure which essentially expresses the close bond they have. This allows Juliet to declare her

opinions and secrets of the hidden love between her and Romeo to her nurse which once again

strengthens their relationship. The impatient Juliet attempts to get information out of her nurse
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about Romeo and the nurse continues by teasing yet approving towards Romeo when she says,

“You know not how to choose a man. Romeo? No, not he. Though his face better than any

man’s, yet his leg excels all men’s and for a hand and a foot and a body, though they not be

talked on, yet they are past compare.” as well as, “He is not the flower of courtesy, but I’ll

warrant him as gentle as a lamb.”. (Shakespeare 2.5.40-46) She says these things in a sarcastic

manner to provoke a humorous tone in this somewhat serious situation. At the same time, she

gives her approval to Juliet about Romeo and her ‘permission’ of their marriage. This insinuates

that their friendship is very good to the point of making jokes in order to make each feel better.

Therefore, the interactions between Juliet and her nurse affect the lives of their own characters

by creating a powerful and trust-worthy bond.

The connection among Juliet and her nurse not only affected their own essence but others

around them as well. When Romeo proposes his idea of getting married to Juliet later that day he

tells the nurse, ​“​Bid her devise Some means to come to shrift this afternoon, And there she shall

at Friar Lawrence’ cell Be shrived and married. Here is for thy pains. ”, as he states this he offers

the nurse money for her troubles; in return she pleads with him saying, “No, truly, sir, not a

penny.”.(Shakespeare 2.4.183-188) In saying this, it implys that Romeo feels he owns something

to the nurse when she risks her career to pass messages between the two companions. By doing

this, the nurse and Juliet are together affecting Romeo by preserving the love connection

between them and in the end causing destruction as a whole. In a time of distress the nurse

confesses, “Tybalt is gone and Romeo banished. Romeo that killed him--he is banished.” to

Juliet as she is exasperated due to the anguish that the death has put on her. Juliet then replies by

saying, “O God, did Romeo’s hand shed Tybalt’s blood?” concerned by the circumstances of this
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unruly event and her nurse then answers with, “It did, it did, alas the day, it did.”. (Shakespeare

3.2.75-78) This demonstrates how without the connection of the nurse towards Juliet she would

not find out this dreadful information that drove her to commiting suicide. This affects the

surrounding characters because Juliet’s death was a traumatic experience that gave perspective to

the whole family feud in general. All in all, Juliet and her nurse’s relationship have an affect on

other people whether it be good or bad to their future outcome.

The friendship of Juliet and her nurse and their communications together correlate to the

forthcoming affairs. Juliet is beginning to feel overwhelmed and counts on her nurse to receive

some satisfaction on the subject of Paris when she says, “Some comfort, Nurse.”, and at this

point the Nurse wants to be utterly honest with her as she asserts, “Romeo is banished, and all

the world to nothing….I think it is best you married with the County. O, he’s a lovely

gentleman!”.(Shakespeare 3.5.224-231) This interaction gives perspective on why Juliet was

very upset and acts hastily in the scenes to come. Juliet was in love with Romeo and the thought

of marrying Paris was upsetting to her and now that not even her nurse was on her side made her

feel agitated and that’s why she acted the way she did in future events. The nurse, calmly waking

up Juliet as she was told to, begins to declare, “What, dressed, and in your clothes, and down

again? I must needs wake you. Lady, lady, lady!--”, that is until she realized something is out of

sorts with Juliet and she screams in dismay, “Alas, alas! Help, help! My lady’s dead.--”.

(Shakespeare 4.5.14-17) If it weren't for the nurse’s findings through the one-sided conversation

then no one would have found out the ‘death’ of Juliet. The absence of this occurrence would

change the outcome of the many dramatic partakes that take place in the course of time.

Ultimately, the nurse and Juliet’s association creates a blank slate for disaster to arrive like so.
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As shown, ​The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet​, is a amourous love story about two

teenagers fighting to keep their love thriving and continuous. Sadly, this is put to a stop by the

many happenings throughout this tear-jerking novel. Problems such as the killing of Juliet’s

cousin, Tybalt, done by her own lover, Romeo, have made this sticky situation a lot worse.

Shakespeare portrays the relationship of Juliet and the nurse in a way that allows the whole story

to revolve around their interactions. In conclusion, the connections involving Juliet and her nurse

help set up the change in the lives of their own characters, other characters and forthcoming

events.