Romeo And Juliet:Nurse Essay, Research Paper

Romeo and Juliet is a tragic story about two kids beloging to feuding families and cannot be together because of their circumstances. Romeo and Juliet was written by William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare was born in Stratford on Avon in England in 1564. Even though he had limited education he was able to comprise 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and several long poems. If it were not for the rivalry and hatred between the two houses then the violence between the friends and family of the two lovers would not have seperated them. This behavior killed many and badly let down Romeo and Juliet, leading to their tragic and fateful death. If only the two houses could have called a truce, then the lives of many would not have been destroyed. Shakespeare has a purpose for every character in the story including minor characters. The nurse in Romeo and Juliet is a minor chracter but is very important. Having been the nanny since Juliet was an infant. Nurse is Juliet’s most trusted friend. She is the go between Juliet and her Romeo. She therefore rates as Romeo’s most important ally. She adds many aspects to the story. She represents the common people, is a dramatic foil to Juliet, she brings humor, she intensifies the relationship of Romeo and Juliet, and she is important to the plot. One of the aspects of the nurse is that she represents the common people. The nurse’s common manner of speaking and her lewd jokes show that she has not been educated very well. This shows that she could be the common people not like the upperclass mainly the capulets and montagues. The nurse also represents the common people because she does not take a side when she goes as an inbetween for Romeo and Juliet. She does not try to stop them and encourages their relationship. Another aspect of the nurse is that she is a dramatic foil to Juliet. A dramatic foil is a character who brings out the personality traits of another character, which is exactly what the nurse does. When asked by Juliet to go and talk to Romeo, the nurse brings out a nervous and anxious side of Juliet. While waiting Juliet grows impatient and trys to tell of what news the nurse would bring. When the nurse arrives she also brings out another trait of Juliet. She does not answer Juliet’s question right away bringing out Juliet’s anger. The nurse trys to avoid to subject for a little while which brings out Juliet’s will and determination so that she will find out what she has found out.

The nurse’s constant avoidance of juleit’s question adds humor to the play. The nurse also adds humor to the play in other ways. She is always a jolly person and she adds humor with her dirty jokes and remarks. The humor brought by the nurse is usually brought forth after a dramatic scene. Such as when Juliet is told by her parents that she is to marry Paris the nurse adds the remark that Paris will make her fat by pregnancy. Another reason the nurse is important is that she intensifies the relationship of Romeo and Juliet. The nurse is sent by Juliet as a go between to talk to Romeo since she cannot leave the house and talk to Romeo herself. The nurse encourages Juliet but at the same time when Romeo is banished the nurse tries to get Juliet to marry Paris, this drives Juliet to talk to father lawrence so then they get the potion to make Juliet sleep and wake up again in two days. Also the nurse is very important to the plot. Without the nurse Juliet would never be able to talk to Romeo. The nurse helps hide Romeo when they are married and helps them be together. Also without the nurse there would be no comedy in the play. The nurse is also the one who discovers that Juliet is dead but does not realize that she is only sleeping. The nurse is also there when Juliet is talking to her mother and helps with decisions. The nurse even though a minor character is very important to many aspects of the play. Without the nurse Romeo and Juliet would just be another love story without the nurse to add humor and make the plot more interesting.

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