Lord Capulet and Juliet's relationship is marked by patriarchal domination; particularly because of the family's societal influence, Lord Capulet is determined that his daughter represent the family well by marrying the respectable Paris.

Although Lord Capulet initially attempts to deflect Paris's requests to marry Juliet, he quickly recognizes the personal importance of this specific union. Thus, Juliet's desires are all but lost in her father's plans to secure an advantageous match for her. Only days after he reminds Paris that Juliet is not yet fourteen, Lord Capulet determines that Juliet must marry Paris and that she will certainly bend to her father's will:

I think she will be ruled
In all respects by me. Nay, more, I doubt it not. (III.iv.13-14)

Of course, Juliet has already committed to Romeo, but since he is the sworn enemy of her family, she finds it impossible to share the truth with her father.

This conflict reaches a climax in act 3, scene 5. When Juliet finally finds the courage to tell her parents that she does not wish to marry Paris, she meets the full wrath of her father. He accuses her of being ungrateful for his efforts and threatens to drag her to the church himself if she fails to show up as expected. Juliet begs for her father to listen to her, but he refuses, saying that choosing to father Juliet was a mistake and that she is simply a "disobedient wretch." He tells Juliet that if she fails to show up for the wedding as planned, she can "hang, beg, starve, die in the streets" (III.v.203) because she will "not house with [him]" (III.v.199).

Juliet is distraught, caught in an impossible situation. She cannot please her father and cannot meet his demands; after all, she is already married to Romeo, having been so without his knowledge because she knew what her disobedience would cost her. Lord Capulet holds all the power, reflecting the societal norms of this era, and Juliet finds herself powerless to influence her own fate.

This dynamic is a contributing factor to Juliet's tragic ending; Lord Capulet values Juliet's compliance much more than her happiness, which leaves her with no real support network when she faces her own personal catastrophe.