The societal roles and expectations forced upon Juliet regarding her identity impact her actions and decisions. Juliet’s expected contributions to society were based on her gender,her social class and family name, and her age.
Considerable expectations are placed on Juliet due to her gender. As a female, Juliet was expected to marry the man of her family’s choosing, granting her no control over her future. Capulet and County Paris discuss whether Juliet is fit to be a bride. Although age plays a factor in this decision, Capulet is deciding his daughter’s fate based on the expected gender roles of her being the sole female daughter of the family, “ She hath not seen the change of fourteen years;/Let two more summers wither in their pride/
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Paris is talking with Capulet, and saying that Juliet’s age should not stop her father from being married off, “Younger than she are happy mothers made” (1.2.12). Paris's argument to not wait for his and Juliet’s marriage is that there are many girls who are even younger than Juliet who are married and have already started a family. Juliet’s age puts her in a place where she is expected to contribute a child. This may be why she was in such a rush to get married to Romeo. Marriage of her choosing to Romeo prevents the marriage against her will to Paris. The influence placed on Juliet by her family is itself shaped by expectations of Juliet’s age group. When Juliet tells her father she does not wish to marry Paris, her father replies harshly commenting on her reasoning being due to her age, “A whining mammot, in her fortune’s tender/To answer I’ll not wed, I cannot love,/I am too young, I pray you pardon me” (3.5.185-187). Juliet’s father lacks empathy for Juliet’s position, and so continues to hold the high expectations that are required of her because of her age. Juliet never told her father she would not wed because of her age or her inability to love, so perhaps her father is projecting his guilt as he knows it is unreasonable to expect marriage and children from her when she is still so young and innocent. Juliet’s young age affects her maturity, which consequently influence the drastic and impulsive choices she made. When the Nurse agrees with Juliet’s parents about her marrying Paris, Juliet loses the one confidant she had. She depended heavily on the Nurse’s advice, as she herself lacked such wisdom. Her lack of maturity led her to make hasty decisions-choosing death as the easier way out, “Thou and my bosom henceforth shall be twain/I’ll too the friar, to know his remedy:/If all else fail, myself have power to die”
The negative life changing experiences they face are a leading cause for them to refuse acting in accord with the prevailing idealistic standards which their society conveys. David suffers a lot under the oppression of Joseph, who keeps him in check by the threat of unjust force and authority that he rebels to defy the oppression present in his society. Similarly, Romeo’s banishment opens his mind to what he is forced to sacrifice as a result of the feud. He discerns foolishness of the feud that causes him to lose Juliet as a result. This illustrates how both experiences alter their beliefs and open their minds to the ugly reality of society, and therefore plays an essential role in triggering their decision to conform to its standards. In both cases, these experiences are crucial in changing their views and swaying them to transform their stance on society. Similarly, Rosalind’s and Juliet’s experiences result in the same effect. Rosalind’s fear that one of the norms will find out about her mutation causes her rebuff their sudden affection. Her experience allows her to discern the fear of rejection others like her has to endure. Juliet’s arranged marriage to Paris prompts her to reject to act in accord with her parent’s wishes. Through her experience, she perceives how blind the families’ brawl causes them to be and restricts her life. This illustrates
Instead it is the wife’s duty to inform her child that she must prepare herself for marriage. Lady Capulet was married at an age younger than Juliet is. She says, "By my count I was your mother much upon these years that you are now a maid" (1.3.73-75). It is time Juliet leaves her nest and adds to the family’s fortune. The mother is the one to tell Juliet this news because she was put into the same situation as her daughter. During the ...
Juliet has never been in a relationship before, so this is a new experience for her. Lady Capulet, Capulet, the nurse, and others thought that she is being ridiculous. They think that she is stubborn and foolish for not wanting to marry Paris. Her father gets very upset when he hears Juliet will not and does not want to marry Paris as he expresses to her.
Lord Capulet, a short tempered man, is the father of young Juliet. Lord Capulet has always been nurturing towards Juliet, since she is his only child. In the beginning of the book he believes Juliet is not ready for marriage, and she should wait until she is at least fifteen or sixteen. Multiple times Paris, a prince, has approached Lord Capulet asking Juliet’s hand in marriage. Lord Capulet has always pushed it off because Juliet is only thirteen. For instance, when Lord Capulet says to Paris “But saying o’er what I have said before. My child is yet a stranger in the world; She hath not seen the change of fourteen years, Let two more summers wither in their pride, Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.” (1.2.7-11). Lord Capulet seems to have made up his mind, but he has not. Near the end of the book, Lord Capulet arranges the marriage between Paris and Juliet. Lord Capulet and Paris shook hands, meaning it is a done deal. When Juliet finds out about the arranged marriage, she is deeply upset. Lord Capulet did not expect Juliet to react in such a manner, so he gives her an ultimatum. To become a beggar in the streets or marry Paris, she had to make a decision quickly. For example, Lord Capulet says a cruel line to Juliet “But fettle your fine joints 'gainst Thursday next To go ...
Lady Capulet was definitely an irresponsible mother, since she didn’t support or respect her daughter’s thoughts. The Nurse, give evidence Juliet’s servant, reported that her mother was totally unapproachable and never allowed her own daughter to discuss the problems she encountered. More evidence to expand on the previous line. It is a parent’s duty to guide their child; yet Lord and Lady Capulet only created desperation in their young daughter, instead of helping her. In addition, Lord Capulet even tried to force his thirteen-year-old child to marry Paris, a stranger she had never actually met. Otherwise, she would be disowned and thrown out of their house. The Nurse’s testimony of Lord Capulet’s angry remark is damning: “And you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets. For, by my soul, I’ll never acknowledge thee.” It is not surprising that the girl was confused by the change in her father’s attitude. A servant of the Capulet family testified that two days ago Lord Capulet said to Paris: “Let two more summers wither in their pride, ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.” In the meantime, Lady Capulet ignored Juliet’s pleas for help when the marriage was suddenly thrust upon her Therefore, it was Lord Capulet’s whim and Lady Capulet’s indifference that pushed their daughter over the edge. Ladies and gentlemen, can you
One of the main antagonists in “Romeo and Juliet” is Capulet, Juliet’s father. In the story, Capulet said to Paris, “Sir Paris, I will make a desperate tender of my child’s love. I think she will be ruled in all respects by me; nay more, I doubt it not.” (Shakespeare p. 805 lines 12-14) By saying this, Capulet has made an offer to promise Juliet to Paris without Juliet’s consent. Capulet is sure that he can follow up on his offer, thinks that Juliet will listen to him, and he has no doubt in his mind that she will marry Paris. With Capulet proposing this offer, he i...
Juliet’s family, the Capulet’s wanted Juliet to marry a charming man named Paris. They thought that he was a very nice man but they wanted him to marry her when she was finally old enough to get married because she was only 13. After a while though her parents were really wanting her to marry Paris she wouldn’t marry him though and her dad had told her if she did not marry him he would disown her. “But, an you will not wed, I’ll pardon you. Graze where you will, you shall not house with me. Look to’t, think on’t; I do not use to jest. Thursday is near; lay hand on heart, advise: An you be mine. I’ll give you to my friend; An you be not, hand, beg, starve, die in the streets” (3.4 215-220). Second of all her parents and Romeo’s parents and family did not like each other at all, there was no way her parents would approve of her being married to Romeo. In the end her parents are a big part of her death because if they wouldn’t have wanted her and Paris marrying each other she could have just secretly been married to Romeo without them knowing, or pressuring her to marry another person.
His pressure on Juliet to marry Paris without knowing or understanding her reasons behind the refusal caused her to think of fleeing as an option. When Juliet proclaimed her refusal to marry Count Paris, her father, Lord Capulet, did not show acceptance to her decision, but instead he got angry and reacted by forcing her whether she liked or not. He pushed her without negotiating with her or asking for clarification for refusing Paris, he just wanted her to do what he wanted, which left her with no choice except reacting herself. He was not glad, even angry, that she argued about the marriage and did not give her the chance to explain or refuse, she had to pretend the approval, but she can not marry Paris, so she had to fake her death to evade from this marriage. He did not show welcoming to any decision or suggestion, he only wanted to do what he thought is right without delay, so she thought another way to stop it, which ended her life and Romeo's, too. Secondly, Lord Capulet's obligation on everybody to feud the Montagues affected Juliet's decisions and the story's plot line. The Capulet's servant, "Come and have a glass of wine with us – as long as you are not a Montague. Good day, sir." (Shakespeare Act 1, Scene 2, Page 17). The servant's emphasize that they are welcome unless they are a Montague is surely not unasked,
and Mrs. Capulet have a huge involvement in why the lives of Juliet and Romeo crumbled to pieces. Lady Capulet, for example, in Act 3, Scene 5, screamed “...but she will none, she gives you (Capulet) thanks. I would the fool were married to her grave!” at Juliet, practically shaming her well being and sentencing her to death. Both her mother and father in this scene threw many abusive insults at Juliet, and in effect after words they lost their ere to the throne. In this same scene, Capulet walks in and spots Juliet crying because she doesn’t want to marry Paris, and he states abruptly “Hang thee, young baggage! Disobedient wretch! I tell thee what; get thee church o’ Thursday, or never after look me in the face. Speak not, reply not, do not answer me.” He’s stating in this final note to Juliet that if she doesn’t marry Paris, he will no longer consider her his daughter, and she’ll be executed the day of the wedding. Both of the parents after this fight with their daughter, stormed out of the room and slammed the door, where Juliet was left in a blanket of shame and hate from her own family, bringing on many hurtful, depressed feelings about what to do, what’s going to be best for Romeo, how she can stay with Romeo, and if not, what she was going to do about it. Had Capulet and Lady Capulet not said the of the terrible things that brought down the miserable, suicidal thoughts onto their daughter, Juliet might have found a better way to avoid marrying Paris and she
Juliet's emotional isolation from her parents allows her to make the decisions that ultimately lead to her death. Lady Capulet's lack of understanding for her daughter's emotional state first becomes evident
Romeo and Juliet is the story of two star-crossed lovers who are placed in the difficult position of choosing their true love or their relevant families. The play is considered one of the greatest love stories of all time, complicated by fate, youthful inexperience, but mainly adult interference. Romeo and Juliet were on an already determined course of action that they were meant to follow. Romeo and Juliet were impetuous when it came to their actions. The adults in Romeo and Juliet’s life had some control over what the lovers were allowed to do, and played an influential factor in their lives, which led to their demise.
Juliet’s arranged marriage with Paris, as well as the ancient feud between Capulets and Montagues, eventually contributed to the deaths of their children. In Act 1 Scene 2, Paris asks Capulet, ‘But now, my lord, what say you to my suit?’ which shows that Capulet and Paris are discussing Juliet’s possible marriage without consulting her, perhaps implying they think she is too nave to decide on her future. They are arranging her marriage for her, which implies that men are very controlling of women’s lives, especially those of their daughters. The scene establishes how Juliet is subject to parental influence, and how she is very constrained since her father can force her to marry whoever he wants. Juliet’s status as a woman leaves her with no power or choice in the decision of whom she should marry.
At the beginning of the play she was very obedient and naïve. She believed that her parents always knew best, and had no reason to think otherwise. When her mother asked her in act I scene iii if she can marry Paris, she responds, “I’ll look to like, if looking liking move; But no more deep will I endart mine eye Than your consent gives strength to make it fly” (line 97-99). Her mother clearly has authority, and Juliet goes with this authority, taking the place she truly is. Later in the play, however, she tells her mother, “…He shall not make me there a joyful bride! ... I will not marry yet; and when I do, I swear It shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate,…” (lines 118-123 Act III Scene v). This portrayal of Juliet is much different from earlier in the play. While before she agreed that whatever her mother wished, she would do, now she is telling her that she has plans of her own. This is a drastic change, and she is no longer so obedient or naïve. Her parents do not like the fact that she has all of a sudden decided to make decisions for herself instead of the custom of parents making the verdict
Pleasing their husbands, parents, and families were all things women should aspire to do. At the beginning of the play, Juliet follows gender conventions. She always obeyed her parents and did what they wanted her to do. After Juliet meets Romeo, things change dramatically. Juliet breaks gender conventions by denying her parents request for her to marry her suitor Paris, something that was unheard of in Elizabethan times. It is said that “Marriages were usually arranged by the families of the bride and the groom in order for both sides to benefit from one another” (Women's Rights in Romeo and Juliet 1). When Juliet's father finds out she does not want to marry Paris, her father says “Hang thee, young baggage, disobedient wretch!
Juliet is an innocent, pretty and naïve thirteen year old girl who is the daughter of Capulet and lady Capulet. She falls in love with Romeo however due to her strict upbringing she doesn’t have the freedom that Romeo does. However she trusts him a lot with her life because she really loves him. Juliet is close with her Nurse, who has been alongside her since she was born.