Student Question

What symbols represent the Capulet family in Romeo and Juliet and why?

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The Capulet family in "Romeo and Juliet" is symbolized by arrogance and a fiery temper, traits exhibited by Lord Capulet. Colors like purple (pomp and arrogance), orange (energy and flamboyance), and red (fire and aggression) represent these traits. Symbols such as yellow carnations (arrogance) and historical figures like Napoleon and Julius Caesar also embody these characteristics.

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When thinking about symbols to represent the Capulet family, it may be best to look to the family's leader, Lord Capulet, since it is the leader that the rest of the family would emulate. Some things we know about Lord Capulet are that he is a bit arrogant and extremely hot-tempered . We see his arrogance and hot temper in the very first scene. He goes charging out to join the street fight his own servants have started, declaring that Montague is challenging him, as we see in his lines, "My sword, I say! Old Montague is come / And flourishes his blade in spite of me" (I.i.73-74). But the reality is that Lord Montague has not appeared on the scene yet and does not appear until he sees Capulet joining the fight. Capulet's willingness to lay blame on others shows both his arrogance and his hot temper....

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Hence, symbols that represent both arrogance and fiery tempers would work well to symbolize the Capulet family.
Colors are often useful for symbolism. Purple is a royal color and often associated with the pomp and arrogance that can go hand-in-hand with royalty. The color orange is associated with energy and flamboyance, meaning being bold and showy the way the arrogant often behave. Finally, red is often associated with "fire, blood, war, violence," and even "power," and "aggression," so it's the perfect color to symbolize a fiery temper ("Color Symbolism and Culture").
Flowers and even other people are often used symbolically. Yellow carnations often symbolize arrogance ("Arrogance"). Plus people like Napoleon and Julius Caesar are known for their arrogance, especially Caesar's famous claim after conquering Pharmaces II of Pontus, "Veni, vidi, vici," meaning, "I came, I saw, I conquered" ("Arrogance").

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