Explain how far you think Shakespeare presents Lord Capulet as a good father. Write about how he is presented in this extract (5-15 Act 1 Scene 2) and in the rest of the play.

In 'Romeo and Juliet' Lord Capulet, Juliet's father, is presented as a good father in many ways throughout the play and particularly in this extract. He tells Paris he can only marry Juliet if she says yes as well. "My will to her consent is but a part; / And she agreed, within her scope of choice / Lies my consent and fair according voice." (12-4 Act 1 Scene 2). This quotation shows that Capulet cares about his daughter's feelings and opinions. He directly links his consent with hers here and the rhyming couplets used exaggerate this point to the audience. This rhyming couplet also puts emphasis on the words "choice" and voice". The "voice" he is referring to is his own, rather than Juliet's, suggesting that Juliet only has a voice through him as her father. This shows that although Lord Capulet is a good father because he cares about her feelings, he does not want Juliet to have her own voice or opinions outside his. This reflects the attitudes to women's places in marriage and families at the time.

Later on in the play in Act 3 Scene 4 he talks with Paris and decides Juliet will marry Paris without her consent. He believes that she will be easily persuaded by her father "I think she will be ruled / In all respects by me. Nay, more, I doubt it not." (13-4 Act 3 Scene 4). Although Capulet seems to care for his daughter he does not respect her feelings throughout the play. The use of the word "ruled" shows that Lord Capulet has the final say in the matter, unlike in Act 1 Scene 2 when it seems like her choice is also important. Lord Capulet believes he is being a good father when he says yes to Paris but the audience sympathises with Juliet who he threatens to kick onto the street if she does not marry Paris. "hang, beg, starve, die in the streets, / For, by my soul, I’ll ne'er acknowledge thee," (193-4 Act 3 Scene 5). It is only at the end of the play when Lord Capulet makes peace with the Montagues and agrees to bury the lovers together that he seems to follow Juliet's wishes. Shakespeare begins the play by presenting him as a good father but complicates this impression through the rest of the play, at the end we are left with the impression is a complex father character who is both good and bad.