Romeo and Juliet, Act 3, Scene 5 – Scene Summary

Romeo and Juliet

Act 3, Scene 5

Scene Summary

Characters: Juliet, Lady Capulet, Nurse, Capulet, Romeo.

Time: Very early Tuesday morning

Location: Juliet’s bedroom, Capulet’s house

Scene Events: Romeo has taken Friar Lawrence’s advice and has climbed up through Juliet’s window and consummated the marriage of himself and Juliet. Juliet and Romeo do not want to accept that it is morning. They hear a bird song that comes from a lark, the first bird to sing in the morning, that indicates that morning has arrived. Romeo must save his life by taking refuge in the city of Mantua. Romeo and Juliet say farewell to each other just as the Nurse interrupts, warning Juliet that her mother is looking for her. Romeo climbs out of Juliet’s window after a kiss goodbye, Juliet imagines Romeo as “one dead in the bottom of a tomb”. Lady Capulet enters Juliet’s bedroom and immediately assumes that Juliet’s grief and tears are for her cousin, Tybalt. Juliet’s mother, Lady Capulet has no sympathy for Juliet. Juliet speaks about wanting to be close to the murderer of her cousin, as Lady Capulet does not know of Juliet’s marriage to Romeo she interprets this in a different way thinking that her daughter wants Romeo to suffer the consequences of his actions. Lady Capulet comes with some “good news” for Juliet and she speaks politely to her mother referring to her as “madam” and is thankful for “this day of joy” until she learns the shocking truth of her mother’s news. Lady Capulet tells her daughter that she will be married to County Paris that Thursday in Saint Peters church. Juliet’s father, Capulet enters her bedroom, his distress of the death of Juliet’s cousin turns to sympathy for her when he arranges her marriage to Count Paris, assuming that that will cheer her up. His sympathy for his daughter turns to rage and anger against her after she refuses to marry Paris, he threatens his daughter and curses at the Nurse, Lady Capulet and Capulet leave Juliet’s bedroom after telling her that is she refuses to marry Paris, she will no longer be welcome under their roof. Juliets asks for comfort from her Nurse (the motherly figure in her life). The Nurse tells Juliet that she should marry Count Paris, that it will be better than her first marriage and Romeo will most likely not be returning to Verona and will not be able to claim her as his wife if she is banished. Juliet leaves for Friar Lawrence’s cell seeking help for her problems, if he is of no help to her then she will have no other option but to end her life.

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