Juliet's First "Death"

By Act IV, Romeo and Juliet have been married secretly, Tybalt is dead, and Capulet thinks it is best that Juliet marry Paris immediately. Friar Laurence and Juliet devise a plan so that Juliet will not marry Paris in two days time. Juliet takes the potion, as planned, and on the morning of her wedding her nurse and family find her seemingly dead in her bed.
This scene was particularly of interest to me because of the metaphors Shakespeare uses about Death and marriage. The entire act is focused on Juliet's impending marriage to Paris and her marriage to Romeo. All the characters are revolving around these occasions. When Capulet finds Juliet dead, he proclaims, "Death is my heir; my daughter he hath wedded" (IV.v.38-39). This language personifies death as a man, giving it human characteristics. Capulet also says, "Hath death lain with thy wife" (IV.v.36)and "death is my son-in-law...I will die and leave him all" (IV.v.38-40) to continue the metaphor. This personification of death is appropriate at this time because it demonstrates how it seems that Death has stolen Paris' bride from him, and therefore, married her.
Also of note in this scene is the repetition used by all the characters. The nurse cries, "She's dead, deceased, she's dead" (IV.v.23) and Capulet's wife echoes "she's dead, she's dead, she's dead!" (IV.v.24). This repetition conveys the message of the despair and surprise the group is feeling upon this scene. The repetition continues and the nurse exclaims, "O woe! O woeful, woeful, woeful day!...O day, O day, O day! O hateful day!" (IV.v.49-52). Capulet, his wife, the nurse, and Paris all exclaim various lamentations and display their grief quite animatedly through repetition and many exclamations. Capulet contrasts what the day has become with what it was supposed to be--how now he is taking his daughter to the church to be buried instead of married. These lines show how the wedding preparations can ironically be used for a funeral. He states "Our bridal flowers serve for a buried corpse" (IV.v.89).at
The friar tries to settle everyone and begins to direct them, saying "Dry up your tears and stick your rosemary on this fair corpse, as the custom is, in all her best array bear her to church" (IV.v.79-81). He is the only one in the room who knows what is really happening, and is doing his best to keep the plan going smoothly. He seems emotionless and stoic, contrasting with the others, but no one seems wary of this as it is also his job position to remain business-like.