How far does Shakespeare persuade you that the Nurse is to blame for Juliet's death?

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2020). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [25] Candidates should be able to discuss how far Shakespeare persuades them that the Nurse is to blame for Juliet's death. Points to consider include: the Nurse's role as Juliet's confidante and surrogate mother figure; her initial support for Romeo and Juliet's secret marriage; her complicity in arranging their meetings; her loyalty changing when she advises Juliet to marry Paris after Romeo is banished; her pragmatic, rather than romantic, view of love and marriage; her lack of understanding of Juliet's deep emotional commitment to Romeo; her abandonment of Juliet in her time of need; the Nurse's characterisation as warm, earthy, talkative, but ultimately unreliable and self-preserving. Responses may argue for or against the extent of her blame, considering other factors and characters that contribute to Juliet's death (e.g. the feud, Friar Laurence, parental pressure, fate).