Having studied 'Romeo and Juliet', I have found that the role of the nurse is far more important than first expected. Although traditionally a servant would play a very minor part, after analysing this play, it is apparent that the nurse is somewhat more of an important character. As her title suggests, she is a nurse for the Capulet family. The nurse's job is to care for Juliet and to act like a surrogate mother. She is a wet nurse, meaning she breast-fed Juliet when she was young. She is a servant for the Capulet family, who are a very rich and powerful family in the city of Fair Verona. She has a relationship of a mother and a sister to Juliet. She is a confidante to Juliet, which means Juliet confides in her and tells her personal secrets.
             Juliet's relationship towards the nurse, as a mother, is stronger than her relationship with her biological mother, Lady Capulet. This may be because the nurse spends more time with Juliet than Lady Capulet, and she has built a greater bond with the nurse.
             Throughout the play, she provides entertainment by making jokes and through her bawdy comments. From the first time the nurse appears, she is bawdy and very loud. An example of her bawdiness is shown when she says, "Now my maidenhead at twelve years old," illustrating Juliet as a virgin. This would have been quite rude, especially when said in a house high status and when with sophisticated people.
             The nurse frequently tells stories and is reminiscent about her past. E.g. she often talks about her own daughter, Susan, born on the exact same day as Juliet. When only a few months old, she unfortunately died, leaving the nurse distraught. When she was employed to look after Juliet, she was at last content. Juliet was like her own daughter as she took the place of Susan. This shows that the nurse is quite an affectionate character. She continuously 'looks out for' Juliet. It also s...