Question

why does lord capulet say, \death is my son - in - law\ (act 4 scene 5, line 38)? he has just learned that romeo, his mortal enemy, is married to juliet. juliet appears dead on her wedding day, as if she has \married\ death. death is like a \son - in - law\ because it visits his family so frequently. he is describing a dream in which paris dies soon after marrying juliet.

Explanation:

In Romeo and Juliet Act 4, Scene 5, the Capulets find Juliet (who has taken a sleeping potion to fake her death) appearing lifeless on what was supposed to be her wedding day to Paris. Lord Capulet uses the metaphor "Death is my son-in-law" to grieve the loss of the wedding and frame Juliet's apparent death as a forced "marriage" to Death. The other options are incorrect: he does not know of Juliet's marriage to Romeo yet, Death is not referenced as a frequent family visitor, and this is not a dream about Paris.

Answer:

Juliet appears dead on her wedding day, as if she has "married" Death.