Juliet in Romeo & Juliet Essay Example

cultural expectations pose a challenge to Juliet's personal freedom. Her parents' desire to arrange her marriage goes against her own wishes for self-fulfillment. When asked about her interest in Paris, Juliet expresses her lack of enthusiasm for marriage and him. She explains that she does not desire to marry, saying "I dream not of [marriage]". Then Juliet discusses her belief in love at first sight, stating "I'll look to like, if looking liking move; But no more deep will I endart mine eye/Than make your consent to make it fly." Throughout the rest of the play, Juliet grapples with the struggle between fulfilling her parents' expectations and her own happiness. This is the difficulty with being a daughter; parents are responsible for making sure their daughter is well taken care of and has a financially stable husband.

During this time period, although the sons of families were still advised on whom to marry, ultimately the decision was up to the son. However, Juliet's status as a daughter was comparatively lower than Romeo's due to gender. Daughters faced the challenge of gender discrimination, which they had no control over, putting them at an unfair disadvantage compared to men of the time. This disadvantage affected various female roles, including those of wife and sister. Daughters, in particular, had to adhere to their fathers' ideals because of their complete dependence and relationship with them.

The challenges faced by Juliet as a daughter are difficult but her strength of character helps her stay stable. Juliet's character should not be underestimated. She should be acknowledged as much as any other influential character because of her spirited personality. Her role as an oppressed

daughter is relatable to young girls and their struggles with their parents.

This is why the play is taught in lower level English classes in high school. The young teenagers can also be inspired by Juliet and her courage to stand up against her parents’ demands. Most young women in her position would hesitate to argue with their parents, but Juliet shows a lot of character and intelligence. Her bravery and cleverness are evident after her first encounter with Romeo. She establishes the boundaries for their "sacred love" and ensures that Romeo is fully committed to his feelings.

Juliet observes and sets boundaries in her relationship with Romeo by monitoring the kisses he gives her. However, she begins to doubt the intensity of their relationship and questions her own feelings. In Act 2, Scene 1, she expresses her concerns: "Although I joy in thee, / I have no joy of this contract tonight. / Is it too rash, too unadvised, too sudden, / Too like the lightning which doth cease to be/ Ere one can say it lightens." (2. 1. 158-162) Despite her doubts, Juliet overcomes them and commits her unrequited love to Romeo by proposing marriage: "If that thy bent of love be honourable, / They purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow" (2. 1. 185-186). This shows Juliet's awareness of the situation and her responsible thinking. She realizes that their relationship is advancing rapidly and suggests marriage to avoid being left dishonored by a handsome young man. This contrasts with Romeo's impulsive nature as Juliet takes a more rational approach in their relationship.

His intense and overwhelming love for Juliet leads her to defy her parents and

engage in actions she would not typically do. After Romeo kills Tybalt and becomes overwhelmed with guilt and despair, he contemplates suicide. Friar Lawrence and the Nurse console him and Friar Lawrence offers tough advice to help Romeo regain composure: "Hold thy desperate hand. Art thou a man? They say you are. Your tears are like those of a woman, and your reckless behavior resembles the irrational fury of a beast."

Romeo’s death threat against himself is considered inappropriate given his circumstances as an unseemly woman in a seeming man, and an ill-beseeming beast in seeming both (3. 3. 107-112). However, when Juliet, despite being a thirteen-year-old girl, threatens to kill herself, her situation presents higher risks and more difficult problems to solve than Romeo’s. Her willingness to harm herself stems from the pressing matters caused by her parents. This showcases her strong will and wisdom at such a young age. While many readers perceive her as naive and timorous due to her youth, her responsible and mature acts contradict this perception. The fact that she is only thirteen years old at the start of the play accentuates the weight of the decisions she is forced to make throughout the rest of the story, initially lacking the knowledge and experience of the real world.

Upon being questioned by Lady Capulet about her thoughts on marriage and the 'County Paris', Juliet appears uninterested as she had not given marriage much consideration at that point. However, shortly after meeting Romeo, she contemplates the possibility of marriage, even though only a day has passed since her mother's discussion on the topic. Juliet's love for Romeo accelerates her maturity throughout

the four days of the play.

The intensity of Juliet's situation increases significantly after her cousin Tybalt's death and her parents' disapproval of her second marriage. Lord Capulet's infamous speech, where he disowns Juliet, creates a forceful and tense environment within the play. He says, "Hang thee, young baggage, disobedient wretch! / I tell thee what: get thee to church o’ Thursday, / Or never after look me in the face." (3. 5. 160-162) Despite these challenges, Juliet manages to handle them with the maturity of someone who has experienced similar difficulties before.

Despite the hurdles presented by her parents and fate, Juliet's maturity and determination enable her to overcome them. To achieve her goals, she resorts to deception. Her relationship with Romeo is kept secret until they seek help from outside adults for their wedding. Juliet cunningly defies her parents multiple times, tricking them into believing she is visiting Friar Lawrence for confession.

Juliet's defiance of her parents' wishes highlights her prioritization of personal happiness over their presumed happiness. She goes to the extent of openly rebelling against them and engaging in heated arguments. This rebellion is evident when she discusses marriage with the Nurse and Lady Capulet; she completely disregards the concept of marriage and only partly complies with her mother's desires. Another instance of confrontation unfolds when Lord and Lady Capulet inform Juliet about her upcoming marriage to Paris.

Juliet protests against the ceremony, boldly expressing her objections to her mother: "Now, by Saint Peter’s Church, and Peter too, He shall not make me there a joyful bride. I wonder at this haste, that I must wed Ere he that should be husband comes to woo.

I pray you, tell my lord and father, madam, I will not marry yet; and when I do, I swear It shall be Romeo-whom you know I hate- Rather than Paris. These are news indeed" (3. 5. 116-123). In disregarding her parents' decision, Juliet also makes a sarcastic remark about her existing marriage to Romeo Montague.

This passage showcases Juliet's self-respect and individual desires. It also highlights her ability to find humor in uncomfortable situations. Ultimately, Juliet rebels against her parents by pretending to be dead in order to be with her husband. This illustrates that Juliet is in control of her own life, rather than her parents. The main hurdle Juliet faces is the absence or lack of support from her parents. The Nurse is the only consistent parental figure, although she can be unreliable due to her excessive talkativeness.

The Nurse reveals in one of her speeches that Juliet’s parents were absent during the time she was weaning her off breastfeeding, stating, “My lord and you were then in Mantua” (1. 3. 30). This indicates that Juliet's parents were frequently away, missing important moments in her life. Moreover, this scene suggests a lack of closeness between Juliet and her parents, as Lady Capulet initially wants to speak with Juliet alone but quickly calls the Nurse back as she seems hesitant to be left alone with her daughter.

Despite finding comfort in seeing Juliet have a supportive parental figure, it is disheartening to discover that when Juliet seeks advice in a desperate situation, the Nurse becomes indecisive and ultimately aligns herself with Juliet's parents. In this instance, the Nurse attempts to convince Juliet to consider

marrying Paris by saying, "I think it is best you married with the County. / O, he's a lovely gentleman!... Beshrew my very heart, / I think you are happy in this second match" (3. 5. 217-220). Although the Nurse genuinely wants to assist Juliet, she lacks the authority within the household dynamics to convey what Juliet desires to hear.

In the end, Juliet's only reliable confidante is Friar Lawrence, who becomes a contrast to both Juliet and her devoted husband as external circumstances take charge. In all fairness, fate had always intended for the two young lovers to meet their tragic end. Along with the close-mindedness of Juliet's parents, this served as a downfall for her. Obstacles imposed by "the stars" caused Juliet to succumb to these challenges. Her continuous fight to remain united with Romeo ultimately led to her downfall.

Despite the deceit and concealment surrounding their romance, it fueled Juliet's persistence and rebelliousness against her parents. The ongoing feud between their families escalated, but fate ultimately determined the outcome for Romeo and Juliet. Friar Lawrence encapsulates this inevitable force, stating, "A greater power than we can contradict/Hath thwarted our intents" (5. 3. 154-155). Juliet's role as a daughter complicates social constructs and familial bonds, while simultaneously challenging the institutions that caused her internal struggle.

Given Juliet's rebellious nature, she faced significant conflicts with her parents. She desired to be more than just a traditional trophy wife and instead be a beloved spouse, which was an unexpected aspiration for her. Her rebellion against the conventional ideas of marriage and advocating against participating in wedding ceremonies had little impact on her parents, until the tragic conclusion when

the deaths of Romeo and Juliet enlightened their parents about the significance of love and harmony.

The couple's story was predetermined by fate, leading to their tragic demise. Juliet's character in Shakespeare's play offers insight into the nature of defiant daughters and exemplifies the common portrayal of daughters in his plays. While Juliet's death may not have been as dramatic as Jim Stark's, it was nevertheless a sorrowful end because she was a courageous rebel driven by love.