Lord Capulet is introduced as a sensible man who, while not willing to reach out to Lord Montague to end the feud, is willing to not initiate any new conflicts. His age is a governing factor in this, as he says, "... And 'tis not hard, I think, / For men so old as we to keep the peace" in the first part of this scene. One can infer he is weary of the feud and just tries his best to not stoke the long-existing enmity between the two families.
Shakespeare contrasts Capulet with the young Count Paris in this scene, emphasizing the older man's patience. Paris is eager to marry Juliet right away, even before the two are introduced. Capulet advises Paris to wait until Juliet is older. The interaction between these two characterizes Capulet as cautious, advising against impulsive action, since "too soon marred" are girls who marry and have children before they are emotionally ready to do so.
Capulet's words about Juliet mark him as a loving father. He describes Juliet as "the hopeful lady of my earth" and claims "Earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she." Juliet is an only child, so the hope that the line will continue rests on her. However, Capulet wants to respect Juliet's wishes in choosing a husband. He tells Paris he must "get her heart" before Juliet shall be his to marry.
Overall, Capulet's introduction presents him as a wise family man, looking out for the best interests of his loved ones. This has the effect of making his later tyrannical behavior all the more tragic, since they go against the two impressions the audience receives in this scene: his desire to stay out of the feud and his patient love for Juliet.
We know that Capulet is an older man who would prefer to "keep the peace" as opposed to engaging in a fight with the Montagues. This is important for the audience to know in relation to Capulet's character, which is why Shakespeare privileges it by opening the scene with this comment from Capulet himself.
In this scene, Paris is attempting to persuade Capulet to accept his "suit," but Capulet is wary. This is a further example of his cautiousness as a character: he suggests that they "let two more summers wither in their pride/Ere we may think [Juliet] ripe to be a bride." The use of the rhyming couplet here draws attention to the sentiment and gives a sense that this is Capulet's final, resolved conclusion, as rhyming couplets are commonly used in Shakespeare to bring scenes or ideas to an end. When Paris argues that "younger than she are happy mothers made," Capulet counters that such women are "too soon marr'd."
Capulet's approach to his daughter is forward-thinking; his language—"consent," "choice," "get her heart"—suggests strongly that he respects his daughter's authority and will not override her wishes. He attempts to imbue Paris with some of his own natural patience, offering an invitation to "an old accustom'd feast" as a suggestion to Paris as to how he might gently win Juliet's favor. Capulet's language is measured and elegant, his use of verse (rather than prose) marks him out as an erudite and aristocratic character. He uses natural imagery to persuade Paris that the "fresh female buds" he will find at Capulet's house will justify the young man's attendance.
All in all, this scene presents Capulet to the audience as a respectable older man who has seen enough in his life to take a cautious approach to change, which stands in contrast to the rather brash young Paris.
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