Exploring Ways that Shakespeare Makes us Sympathize with Juliet

In Act 3, Scene 5, we begin to feel sympathy for Juliet because of the situation that she is in, and the treatment she is receiving from her family. In this essay I will be looking at the sympathy felt for Juliet, the language used in the play.

Set in “fair Verona” both Romeo and Juliet meet at a party at the Capulet’s mansion where they immediately fall in love with each other. Romeo forgets his `love` for Rosaline and immediately chases after Juliet and declares his love for her. After the party, Romeo sneaks back into the Capulet household to see Juliet. He climbs up to her balcony where he declares that he wants to marry her. Romeo and Juliet marry and soon afterwards Mercutio gets killed by Tybalt and Romeo, seeking revenge goes after Tybalt and kills him. Romeo is then banished from Verona. He goes to see Juliet and spend the night together. The next morning Lady Capulet comes to tell Juliet that she must marry Paris. Juliet disagrees and her father lashes out on her.

Juliet denies that it is morning so that her love does not have to leave her.

“Will thou be gone? It is not yet near day”.

Juliet tries to defy the fact that morning has come and that Romeo must leave, or be killed. This creates sympathy for Juliet because we can see that she does not want him to go because she loves him so much. Romeo then tells Juliet that day has already broken “What envious streaks do lace the severing clouds in yonder east.” Shakespeare uses personification to describe the sun’s rays as `envious streaks`, as though the sun is trying to separate Romeo and Juliet. Romeo then goes on to tell Juliet that he has to leave.

“I must be gone and live or stay and die.”

Romeo sympathises with Juliet and tries to expl...

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...r longing to be together. Knowing the final outcome of the play can help us decide which themes are most important such as family, “For she be a Capulet?” This comment by Romeo enables us to understand that Romeo must think where his loyalties lie, with his family or with his heart. The themes used in the play all help create sympathy for Juliet throughout.

I feel that Act 3, Scene 5 creates a relative amount of sympathy for Juliet. Juliet goes through so many problems in the scene that she prepares herself for suicide. This can create a huge amount of sympathy from the audience. The circumstances in the film may not relate to the culture that we all know but in other cultures this may not be the case. From studying Romeo and Juliet I have learnt about the different types of love and hate themes and have learnt more about Shakespearean language.