The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 20.0228 Wednesday, 13 May 2009
[1] From: Mari Bonomi <
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Date: Friday, 8 May 2009 15:40:19 -0400
Subj: Re: SHK 20.0221 Playing Capulet
[2] From: Frank Whigham <
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Date: Friday, 8 May 2009 15:43:05 -0500
Subj: Re: SHK 20.0221 Playing Capulet
[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: Mari Bonomi <
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Date: Friday, 8 May 2009 15:40:19 -0400
Subject: 20.0221 Playing Capulet
Comment: Re: SHK 20.0221 Playing Capulet
I think where I depart from those who see Capulet as a villain or as
violating his obligations to his daughter is based on the timing of when
he makes the decision.
Tybalt (his putative heir, given what he says in 1.5) is dead.
Worse, Tybalt killed the Prince's "near ally" and kinsman, Mercutio.
The Capulet family is in disarray. His only precious child, the "hopeful
lady of [his]earth," is in jeopardy: if Capulet is punished (as seems
likely) by the Prince for the death of Mercutio, what will become of Juliet?
The only answer he sees (and yes, he suffers from the identical flaw of
impetuousness that Romeo and Juliet and Friar Lawrence all suffer from!)
is offered him by Paris, who shows up at the grief-stricken and panicked
Capulet's doorstep purportedly to offer consolation but actually to push
his suit for Juliet once more.
How better to protect his darling than to marry her *into* the Prince's
family? Is not that his obligation? To protect Juliet as best he can?
He does not explain himself to Juliet (I suspect most fathers did not
"explain" to their daughters why they chose certain mates for them.) but
simply expects her acquiescence. Of course he's shocked and angered by
her refusal.
I do not think attempting to marry Juliet to Paris is a villainous thing
to do. I believe it is the action of a caring and devoted father.
Of course, from Juliet's perspective, it's horrible. She's already
married; she sees no way out but to refuse. But simply because one
empathizes with Juliet, one should not label Capulet a villain.
Capulet vs Edmund? vs Richard III? vs Iago? He is in no way deserving
of that company!
Mari Bonomi
[2]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: Frank Whigham <
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Date: Friday, 8 May 2009 15:43:05 -0500
Subject: 20.0221 Playing Capulet
Comment: Re: SHK 20.0221 Playing Capulet
Stone is tricky to use on this matter. A level-headed, intelligent, and
well-informed treatment of the negotiations between parents and children
about marriages among the English social elite (and below as well, to
some degree, though this is harder to document) can be found in Keith
Wrightson, English Society, 1580-1680.
The unusual and problematic youth of the kids in R&J is part of what any
original playgoer would have seen. Shakespeare certainly wanted us to
think about Juliet's age as under fourteen (1.3). Plenty of elite
teenagers were married young for kinship reasons but not allowed to
cohabit for fear of deleterious effects of premature sexual activity.
I'm not sure how many modern parents would countenance autonomous "real
love" as the authorizing experience of their own mid-teenagers.
~Frank Whigham
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