Lord Capulet is a father who demands to exercise his right to marry off his daughter to whomever he pleases. By law, Lord Capulet owns his family and may dispose of anyone in any manner he sees fit. At the end of Act III, Juliet is told that she must marry Paris on Thursday--just a couple of days away. She panics and asks for more time, but this only infuriates her father who threatens to...
Lord Capulet is a father who demands to exercise his right to marry off his daughter to whomever he pleases. By law, Lord Capulet owns his family and may dispose of anyone in any manner he sees fit. At the end of Act III, Juliet is told that she must marry Paris on Thursday--just a couple of days away. She panics and asks for more time, but this only infuriates her father who threatens to kick her to the streets if she doesn't marry Paris. Since Juliet is already married to Romeo who is banished, she seeks help from Friar Laurence. The Friar devises a plan to get Juliet out of marrying Paris, but she must pretend that she is now willing to marry him. Hence, Juliet goes back to her father and says that she repents of her disobedience and will be ruled by him now. Capulet's first response is to send for Paris and move the wedding date up, as shown in the following passage:
"Send for the County; go tell him of this.
I'll have this knot knit up tomorrow morning" (IV.ii.22-23).
Lord Capulet must not want to give Juliet time to change her mind about marrying Paris, so moving the wedding to the next morning becomes his solution. Lord Capulet is happy that he seems to be getting what he wants and he even appreciates the Friar for (seemingly) setting his daughter straight. Lord Capulet tells his wife that he will not sleep this night because he will take care of everything for the wedding celebration. Capulet is so happy he also says, "My heart is wondrous light,/Since this same wayward girl is so reclaim'd" (IV.ii.46-47).
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