Question Constellation Sign up for free OCR · GCSE · English Literature · Higher
Juliet and her father's relationship
Section B: Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet. Choose ONE question. You are advised to spend about 45 minutes on this section. This option is the extract-based Romeo and Juliet question.
Explore the different ways Shakespeare portrays the relationship between Juliet and her father. Refer to this extract from Act 1 Scene 2 and elsewhere in the play.
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Study the marking See what earns credit and compare it with a full-mark answer.
Marking points
- 1 Keeps the answer focused on the relationship between Juliet and her father.
- 2 Uses evidence from the printed extract and at least one other part of the play.
- 3 Analyses Shakespeare's language, form and structure rather than only retelling events.
- 4 Uses relevant contextual understanding of family, obedience, marriage, social status or authority.
- 5 Writes accurately and coherently for SPaG credit.
Full-mark answer
A strong answer would argue that Shakespeare first presents Capulet as protective and comparatively liberal, shown by his reluctance to let Juliet marry too young and his emphasis on her consent. It would then contrast this with later scenes in which grief, feud and social pressure make him authoritarian and threatening. It would analyse Capulet's language, the structural change in his role, and relevant Renaissance expectations about fathers, daughters, marriage and obedience.
Why this answer loses marks
Capulet is a strict father throughout the play.
This misses the extract evidence that complicates his role and does not track how the relationship changes across the play.