Nurse Flashcards
Words to describe her
Sentimental Adviser Caring Protective Crude Witty Vulgar
Write down a quote to display the Nurses care towards Juliet (2)
What, lamb! What ladybird!
The terms ‘‘Lamb’’, and ‘‘ladybird’’, tells us that she uses terms of endearment towards Juliet- informal, juxtaposed to the very formal conversations Lady Capulet and Juliet have. Also, the phrase ‘‘God forbid!’, tells the audience that even though Juliet isn’t there for about 2 minutes or somewhat- the Nurse worries about her constantly; like a mother who constantly worries about their child.
“O woeful, woeful, woeful day!…most woeful day”
Believing Juliet to be dead, the Capulet family display their grief, but none more painfully and uncontrollably than Juliet’s Nurse. The Nurse’s grief is emphasised by fractured sentence structure and repetition of “woeful” and “day” - this is not elegant or thoughtful poetry, but raw emotion encapsulated by “woe” and all it’s associations. The use of the suprised “O” sound highlights teh natural, unashamed sorrow the Nurse feels - it is instinctive and human, rather than reserved or rehearsed, much like it seems to be with Capulet and Paris. All her funny stories, humourous jokes or caring advice has disappeared. The heavy assonance of the “o” vowel in “O” and “woeful” creates a negative tone, mimicking the deep pain and anguish she feels.
Write down a quote to display the Nurses change in attitude
I think it best you married with the County. Oh, he’s a lovely gentleman. Romeo’s a dishclout to him
After her parents threaten to turn her out on the streets for refusing to marry Paris, Juliet turns to her Nurse for guidance. The Nurse’s advice to Juliet (who is already married to and in love with Romeo) is pretty callous—she recommends that Juliet forget about Romeo, who has been banished from Verona, and go ahead with a marriage to Paris. After all, the Nurse reasons, Romeo can’t exactly come back to Verona to challenge the wedding. But, Juliet, as we know, has no intension of getting hitched to Paris. Where Romeo is nothing more than a “dishclout”, Paris is like an eagle and, according to the nurse, Paris is “best” for Juliet. Since Romeo is banished she will have (“no use of him”) of anyway. Up until this point, the nurse has been Juliet’s confidant. This changes after this scene however. Juliet tells the nurse that tomorrow she will go Friar Laurence’s cell to confess and seek absolution. This further isolates Juliet in her own house. She is now alone. Only Friar Laurence will know of her situation.
Write down quotes to display the Nurses crudeness (2)
“Go girl, seek happy nights to happy days”
The Nurse has a bawdy sense of humour, which brings out the naturalness of sex and childbearing. “happy nights” displays a realistic attitude to the sexual and lustful side to love. Such bawdy realism is, like the ribaldry of Mercutio and company, a contrast with the tender, romantic and passionate feelings of Romeo and Juliet. The Nurse is a practical but rather stupid woman at times, yet she loves Juliet like her own child. “go girl” is very brave and blunt, yet in a comforting, motherly type of way that encourages Juliet to enjoy her first true love, and the Nurse, at this point, is favourable to the idea that Juliet will spend her “nights” and “days” being “happy” with Romeo, despite her previous concern about his Montague background.
“Lovers can see to do their amourous rights”
This also refers to the Nurse’s bawdy humour relating to sex, and could fit in to the above analysis.
