How Juliet’s Attitude Toward the Nurse Changed

Hello, Reader nawafnet. Welcome to this article discussing the changes in Juliet’s attitude toward the Nurse in William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” The Nurse is one of the most important characters in the play, serving as Juliet’s confidante and surrogate mother figure. Throughout the play, Juliet’s relationship with the Nurse undergoes several changes, ultimately reflecting Juliet’s growing maturity and independence. Let’s explore how and why Juliet’s attitude toward the Nurse changes over the course of the play.

Introduction

At the beginning of “Romeo and Juliet,” the Nurse is portrayed as a somewhat comical character – chatty, bawdy, and not particularly skilled at remembering important information. She serves as a foil to Juliet’s serious, thoughtful nature, and seems to genuinely care for the young woman. However, Juliet’s initial respect for the Nurse begins to wane as she encounters obstacles in her love affair with Romeo.

As the play progresses, Juliet finds herself caught between the competing loyalties of her family, her husband, and the Nurse. She becomes increasingly frustrated with the Nurse’s inability to help her navigate these tensions, and her trust in the older woman begins to erode. By the end of the play, Juliet has outgrown the Nurse both emotionally and intellectually, and she is forced to make difficult decisions on her own.

Strengths and Weaknesses

The Nurse’s biggest strength is her love for Juliet. She is deeply invested in the young woman’s happiness and well-being, and sees Juliet as her own daughter. Over the course of the play, it becomes clear that the Nurse would do almost anything to protect Juliet, including lying to her family and smuggling Romeo into her bedroom. However, the Nurse’s love for Juliet is also her greatest weakness. She is often overly indulgent with the young woman, failing to push her to think for herself and make decisions independently.

Additionally, the Nurse can be unreliable. She is prone to forgetfulness and confusion, and is not always able to convey important information accurately. This is particularly problematic during the disastrous scene in which Romeo kills Tybalt and is banished from Verona. When the Nurse fails to communicate Romeo’s plans to Juliet effectively, the young woman is alarmed and hurt.

Juliet’s mistrust of the Nurse is ultimately rooted in the older woman’s inability to provide the guidance and support she needs during the most difficult moments of her life. As Juliet grapples with her burgeoning love for Romeo, her conflicted relationship with her parents, and the threat of violence and death hanging over her head, she must rely on her own instincts and intelligence to survive – with the Nurse playing a relatively minor role in her decision-making.

How Juliet’s Attitude Toward the Nurse Changes

Act/Scene	Description
Act 1, Scene 3	Juliet initially trusts and confides in the Nurse, happy to share her feelings and thoughts with her surrogate mother figure.
Act 2, Scene 4	Juliet begins to view the Nurse in a slightly more critical light, frustrated with her forgetfulness and lack of urgency in delivering messages.
Act 2, Scene 5	Juliet becomes even more irritated with the Nurse as she fails to bring Romeo’s message to her in a timely manner, putting their love affair in danger.
Act 3, Scene 2	Juliet briefly lashes out at the Nurse, angry that she seems unable or unwilling to understand the depth of Romeo and Juliet’s love.
Act 3, Scene 5	Juliet’s relationship with the Nurse reaches a breaking point when the older woman advises her to marry Paris instead of Romeo. Juliet feels betrayed and hurt, recognizing that the Nurse no longer understands her desires or priorities.
Act 4, Scene 5	Juliet barely speaks to the Nurse during this scene, indicating her growing independence and ability to make decisions without the older woman’s input.
Act 5, Scene 3	The Nurse is absent from this scene, which is perhaps the most dramatic and intense of the entire play. Juliet is forced to take matters into her own hands, ultimately choosing to join Romeo in death rather than live without him.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why does Juliet start to mistrust the Nurse?

Juliet begins to view the Nurse in a more critical light as she realizes that the older woman is not always reliable or helpful in delivering important messages.

2. Does Juliet still love the Nurse?

It’s unclear whether Juliet loves the Nurse in the same way she did at the beginning of the play, but she certainly feels affection and gratitude for the older woman’s role in her life.

3. How does the Nurse feel about Juliet?

The Nurse loves Juliet deeply and sees her as a surrogate daughter. Despite their occasional conflicts and misunderstandings, the Nurse wants nothing but the best for Juliet.

4. Is the Nurse a good character?

The Nurse is a complex character with both positive and negative qualities. While her love for Juliet is unquestionable, her forgetfulness and lack of discernment can be problematic at times.

5. Why does Juliet decide to stop trusting the Nurse?

Juliet’s mistrust of the Nurse begins to grow as the older woman proves herself unable or unwilling to provide the guidance and support Juliet needs in the most difficult moments of her life.

6. Does the Nurse regret her actions?

The Nurse is portrayed as somewhat remorseful in the scene where she advises Juliet to marry Paris instead of Romeo. However, it’s unclear whether she fully understands the gravity of her mistake.

7. What does Juliet ultimately learn from her relationship with the Nurse?

Juliet’s experience with the Nurse teaches her the importance of thinking for herself and making her own choices, rather than relying on others to guide her.

8. Does the Nurse support Romeo and Juliet’s love?

The Nurse is initially supportive of Romeo and Juliet’s love, although she becomes somewhat less enthusiastic as she realizes the ramifications of their relationship for Juliet’s safety and security.

9. How does the Nurse feel about the Capulet/Montague feud?

While the Nurse is not a member of either family, she seems to have some sympathy for the Capulets and their desire to protect Juliet from harm.

10. How does the Nurse feel about Paris?

The Nurse is relatively neutral in her feelings about Paris, seeing him primarily as a means for Juliet to secure a safe and stable future.

11. Does Juliet ever forgive the Nurse?

It’s unclear whether Juliet ever fully forgives the Nurse, although she does seem to recognize the older woman’s role in her upbringing and development.

12. How does the Nurse feel about Romeo?

The Nurse seems to care about Romeo insofar as he makes Juliet happy. However, she is not particularly interested in his character or personality beyond this.

13. Why does the Nurse support Juliet’s marriage to Paris?

While the Nurse’s reasoning is not entirely clear, it seems that she believes Juliet would be better off marrying someone with more social status and stability than Romeo.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Shakespeare’s portrayal of Juliet’s changing attitude toward the Nurse highlights the complex relationships between parents and children, as well as the importance of independence and self-determination. While the Nurse genuinely loves Juliet and sees herself as a mother figure to the young woman, her limitations and flaws ultimately prove to be a hindrance to their relationship. By the end of the play, Juliet has outgrown the Nurse and must rely on her own instincts and intelligence to navigate the dangerous world around her. As readers or viewers of the play, we are left to contemplate the ways in which our own relationships with parental figures have evolved over time – and how we, like Juliet, may need to break free from their influence in order to forge our own paths.

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