Loyalty In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

“Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses.” - Ann Landers. This relates to the book, Romeo & Juliet, by the Nurse and Juliet's relationship throughout the story. The book was written by William Shakespeare and is placed in Verona, Italy around the 16th century. The story is based around the loyalty each character has with one another. Nurse tries to stay loyal to Juliet, who she was required to raise, by letting her marry someone from the enemy family, the Montagues. She tries to protect her when Capulet, Juliet’s father, rages on her and when Juliet refuses

When Juliet wanted to marry Romeo, Nurse chooses to help her throughout the process. When Romeo came to visit Juliet at night, they had advanced the idea of getting married. They decided that the next day, Juliet would send a message to Romeo on when the marriage will take place. “Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed. - throughout the world.” “Sleep dwell upon thine eyes - his help to crave and my dear hap to tell” (2.2, 145 & 190). Juliet has Nurse deliver the message to Romeo the next day. Being the adult in this situation, Nurse could have told Juliet that she should wait awhile before she commits to this marriage. But Nurse wants Juliet to be happy, so she tries to help Juliet in any way she can for this marriage. When Nurse goes to inform Romeo about when the

Capulet comes into her room and tells her that she will be marrying Paris the upcoming Thursday. Juliet refuses to go through with it and he gets barbarous towards her. “Hang thee, young baggage! - Out on her, hilding!” (3.5, 160-165). Nurse gets an unsettling feeling from the anger Capulet is giving to Juliet. Juliet wants to defend herself, but can’t over his loudness. Nurse doesn’t want Juliet to get hurt by her fathers words or be banned from the family because of the choice in marriage partner she has made. Nurse feels like she should say something, so she does. “God in heaven bless her! You are to blame, my lord, to rate her so” (3.5, 165-170). Nurse doesn’t like how Capulet is acting towards Juliet. She chooses to say something about it to him because she wants Juliet to know she has her back. Even though Nurse works for Capulet rather than Juliet, she chooses to stick with Juliet because of their bond they share. But Capulet doesn’t let Nurse do this, so he quiets her. “Peace, you mumbling fool! - for here we need it not” (3.5, 175). Capulet fought back at Nurse and she chose to leave it at that. She doesn’t want Capulet to get rid of her, but she wants to stay loyal to Juliet. But Capulet was too much for her to deal with so she let that situation be as it was. After it all, Nurse really would of gone as far as that to help out