Nurse

Question 1

Sweet sweet nurse + lamb, ladybird

Answer 1

• Terms of address + affectionate epithets

- highlights her verbosity

Question 2

Overview

Answer 2

Maternal figure, comic relief, Juliet’s confidant.

Her role extends beyond a wet nurse, defiant character who’s loyalty lies with Juliet rather than Capulet

Question 3

Thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit

Answer 3

• crude reference to sexual activities
• subverts expectation of lower class woman
• Speaks in prose rather than verse, lack of formal rhythm represents low status as well as comic theme

Question 4

He’s a flower, in faith, a very flower

Answer 4

• Nurse attempts to convey his beauty through floral images, but implies femininity — stereotypically, flowers are an effeminate symbol which therefore emasculates Paris
• ephemerality of flowers signify the transience and mutability of youth and beauty — foreboding that this youth and beauty will fade, but also his death

Question 5

I think its best you married with the County … Romeo’s a dishclout to him

Answer 5

• dishclout” = dishrag , untactful use of language as deprecatory depictions of Romeo instantly causes Juliet to disagree with her — catalyses Juliet’s reaction
• sacrilegious - Juliet already married - Christianity is monogamous

Question 6

fie, you slug-a-bed! (About to realise juliet is dead)

Answer 6

• Dramatic irony creates a sense of dread — perhaps J is selfish and inconsiderate of the reactions of others
• tension
• Juliet a mirror image if her own daughter Susan -about to lose second daughter - selfish
• sympathy - Nurse filled the role of a surrogate mother for Juliet