Capulet and Juliet vs Portia and Her Father

Conflict in the play is highlighted in many ways due to Shakespeare’s portrayal of life in the Elizabethan era. This is demonstrated within the relationships between the daughters and their fathers in both plays. The Patriarchal Society played a huge part in both plays as the fathers were the dominant characters that ordered their daughters around and laid down the laws in their families.
 
In Shakespeare’s play ‘Merchant of Venice’, Shakespeare demonstrates conflict within families and characters. The relationship between Portia and her father is proven to be good because even after her father dies, Portia respects her fathers wishes to choose a suitor for her. During this time era, fathers would typically choose who his daughter would marry because women were subservient to men and it was considered wrong for a woman to run away with a man whom was not chosen by their father. Therefore, by Portia agreeing to let her father choose whom she marries even after he has passed, it is seen as the right thing to do.

However, in Romeo and Juliet, Juliet and Capulet’s relationship starts well 0999Capulet wanting to disown Juliet from their family.   In Act 1 Scene 2, Capulet shows his care for Juliet as he tries to convince Paris that she is too young for marriage. ‘ My child is yet a stranger to the world’ implies that Capulet would rather Paris waited for Juliet as she is only young and has not yet explored/the world. The word ‘stranger’ gives the impression that Juliet does not know her place in the world and that it would be unfair to marry her off at this early stage of her life. Capulet later goes on to say, ‘But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart’ and this is evidence to say that Capulet is concerned for his daughter’s welfare and would only agree to this marriage if Juliet were also happy with the decision.

In Act 3 Scene 4, after Tybalt’s sudden death, Capulet decides that he will arrange the marriage between Juliet and Paris because he assumes it...