Juliet, An Oxymoronical Harmony of Strong Will and Consideration

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In Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, emotional maturity is only very loosely linked to time. Traditional concepts of patience and dignified waiting are swapped for hasty decisions in the face of intense passion and looming dates. For a girl of only thirteen, the play’s events are likely to seem overwhelming. However, Juliet is, in general, emotionally mature in that she is considerate of the well-being of herself and others, extremely aware of her feelings, and selective in what suggestions she will heed. Juliet considers and expresses concerns over possible physical danger of the people around her. To Romeo in the orchard, after having warned him that her guards may harm him, she says, “I would not for the world they found you here” (2.2.74). This makes clear that she is empathetic and does all she can to protect those she believes are in danger. Even when she has her own agenda, she proclaims, “I would thou hadst my bones, and I thy news” (3.5.27), which shows that Juliet worries about and prioritises the comfort of the Nurse. Additionally, Juliet speaks during the ba...

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