Juliet’s mother announces that she wishes to talk about marriage to Juliet. When Lady Capulet asks Juliet how she feels about the idea, Juliet responds with the following: “It is an honor that I dream not of” (68). Juliet responds respectfully, yet her answer also clearly reveals that she is not in love with anyone. Juliet may be subtly suggesting that she is not yet ready for marriage.
The mother continues, though, without any deep regard for Juliet’s thoughts. She explains to her daughter that many ladies who are even younger than Juliet (who is just about to turn fourteen) are already mothers. Lady Capulet adds that she herself became Juliet’s mother when she was around fourteen years old. Marriage is more about social obligation and duty than it is about love and emotion. Very likely Lady Capulet herself entered marriage without any feelings of love for her husband.
When Lady Capulet informs her daughter that Paris is seeking her for his bride, the Nurse beams excitedly and happily and adds that Paris is “a man of wax” (78). The Nurse intends this as a compliment. She is suggesting that Paris is like a statue in his appearance, that he is flawless and perfect. Even in olden times, people were evaluated by how they appeared on the outside. People were evaluated by superficial methods. Shakespeare frequently uses words to express a double meaning, and the playwright is most likely suggesting here that Paris is not the right choice for Juliet. She does not need a statue for a husband: she needs a real man. The reader should also keep in mind that Paris does not really know anything about Juliet. He is selecting her because of her beauty and social position. Paris and Juliet actually know nothing about each other.
Lady Capulet then asks Juliet, “Can you love the gentleman?” (81). The question may seem absurd to many modern audiences. Juliet cannot give a definite answer to her mother because she does not even know the man. But to Juliet’s mother, the question is perfectly sensible. The mother is not asking whether Juliet has any deep feelings for Paris. Rather, she is asking if Juliet finds Paris to be a suitable match. But for Lady Capulet the question may also be rhetorical: she does not expect Juliet to answer. Juliet’s mother is accustomed to judging by appearances. Today there is a common adage (or expression) that one should not judge a book by its cover. One should not judge a person by his looks. However, Lady Capulet does precisely that. Using the metaphor of the book, she tells Juliet …
And what obscured in this fair volume lies
Find written in the margin of his eyes. (87-88)
Essentially, she is telling Juliet to judge the inner qualities of Paris by what she sees on the outside.
For many people during the Renaissance and earlier times, appearances are everything.
Lady Capulet once again asks Juliet if she can love Paris, and Juliet responds quite carefully and thoughtfully:
I’ll look to like, if looking liking move;
But no more will I endart mine eye
Than your consent gives strength to make it fly.
(99-101)
Juliet is asserting that she will look and think about Paris and will then be able to respond whether her looking at him has moved her (or caused her) to like him. The word move suggests an emotional response: Juliet as yet has no emotional feelings for Paris. More importantly, the attentive reader will note that Juliet has substituted the word like for love. Juliet does not immediately expect to have any deep feeling for Paris. More to the point, Juliet is subtly suggesting that her own mother confuses the word love for like. Those who have never had any deep experience with true love – as was often the case with young girls forced into early marriages – do not really know the difference between liking and loving.
The second part of the quote also has a subtle double meaning. On the one hand, Juliet is telling her mother that she will be obedient and do as her mother bids. Yet, on the other hand, Juliet also implies that there is a limit to the extent of her obedience. If, upon gazing at Paris, Juliet does not have any feeling for him – if she does not like him – then she will look upon him no farther. Juliet is hinting that she could possibly reject Paris. However, the mother is oblivious to this meaning and is happy with Juliet’s answer. Lady Capulet does not dream that her daughter could ever possibly refuse the man of wax.