Romeo and Juliet Lord Capulet Quotes

Lord Capulet

Quote 22

CAPULET
God's bread! it makes me mad.
Day, night, hour, tide, time, work, play,
Alone, in company, still my care hath been
To have her matched. And having now provided
A gentleman of noble parentage,
Of fair demesnes, youthful, and nobly ligned,
Stuffed, as they say, with honorable parts,
Proportioned as one's thought would wish a man—
And then to have a wretched puling fool,
A whining mammet, in her fortune's tender,
To answer 'I'll not wed. I cannot love.
I am too young. I pray you, pardon me.'
But, as you will not wed, I'll pardon you!
Graze where you will you shall not house with me.
Look to 't; think on 't. I do not use to jest.
Thursday is near. Lay hand on heart, advise.
An you be mine, I'll give you to my friend.
And you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets,
For, by my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee,
Nor what is mine shall never do thee good.
Trust to 't; bethink you. I'll not be forsworn.
(3.5.187-207)

According to Lord Capulet, obedience to the head of the household is a prerequisite for even remaining part of the family.

Lord Capulet > Juliet

Quote 23

CAPULET
How now, my headstrong, where have you been
   gadding?

JULIET
Where I have learned me to repent the sin
Of disobedient opposition
To you and your behests, and am enjoined
By holy Laurence to fall prostrate here              Kneeling.
And beg your pardon. Pardon, I beseech you.
Henceforward I am ever ruled by you.
(4.2.16-23)

Juliet tells her father what he wants to hear: that she will be obedient and do what he wants her to do. She even lies that she's been off at Friar Laurence's cell, confessing her sins (being a disobedient daughter). The thing is, Juliet now has a new master: her husband. She's obeying her husband by disobeying her father, which is exactly what she should be doing.

Lord Capulet

Quote 24

CAPULET
But, an you will not wed, I'll pardon you!
Graze where you will you shall not house with me.
Look to 't; think on 't. I do not use to jest.
Thursday is near. Lay hand on heart; advise.
An you be mine, I'll give you to my friend.
An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets,
For, by my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee,
Nor what is mine shall never do thee good.
Trust to 't; bethink you. I'll not be forsworn.
(3.5.199-207)

According to Lord Capulet, obedience to the head of the household is a prerequisite for even remaining part of the family. In fact, obeying Lord Capulet is pretty much the definition of being a Capulet—think about the Capulet servants, who are part of the family as long as they swear loyalty to him. This is more Family than family.