In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Juliet’s longtime confidante is commonly called the Nurse.
The Nurse has cared for Juliet since infancy and functions almost as a member of the Capulet household. Shakespeare gives her extensive comic and emotional material, making her one of the play’s most memorable supporting characters. She helps arrange Romeo and Juliet’s secret marriage and carries messages between the lovers.
Unlike Juliet’s parents, the Nurse knows about the private relationship and initially supports it. Her advice changes after Romeo is banished: she tells Juliet that Paris is a better husband, which deeply disappoints Juliet and ends their closeness.
The Nurse has no personal name in Shakespeare’s text. “Nurse” is her role and the name by which the other characters identify her. Some productions emphasize her comic energy, while others highlight her grief and the intimacy of her bond with Juliet.