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Capulet is the patriarch of the Capulet family, and an active participant in the feud between the Capulets and Montagues. For example, he draws his sword against Montague in the play’s opening scene. However, he is also a proud man who is obsessed with appearances and status—so much so that he is willing to (briefly) overlook the feud in order to avoid causing a scene. Similarly, he allows Romeo to remain at the masquerade ball because he knows that throwing him out would cause the party to descend into chaos and, potentially, bloodshed. These moments highlight the arbitrary nature of the feud; they prove that Capulets and Montagues are capable of coexisting when the situation calls for it.
Capulet’s obsession with social standing and power causes him to fly into a rage when said authority is questioned. He is quick to fight Montague in 1.1, he loses his temper with Tybalt in 1.5 when he feels that Tybalt is trying to undermine him, and, most importantly, he becomes enraged when Juliet says that she does not want to marry Paris in 3.5. Capulet clearly loves his daughter, but he loves his own authority more. He claims that Juliet will be “ruled in all respects by [him]” and even threatens to drag her to the altar in a sledge or disown her completely if she does not bend to his will (3.5.15). Although it is never explicitly stated, one can conclude that Capulet is so angry with Juliet because he thinks that Paris and Juliet’s wedding will rejuvenate his sense of control, which has been floundering since Tybalt’s death.
Finally, Capulet is the first person to extend an olive branch to end the feud after Romeo and Juliet are discovered in the tomb. Perhaps he finally realizes that his obsession with maintaining appearances and fostering an age-old feud has cost too many lives. It may be too late to save his daughter and nephew, but he can try to ensure that no more blood is shed in the name of pride.
