Juliet's Growth Since the Start of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
The play “Romeo and Juliet was written in approximately 1595, by
William Shakespeare. It is set in Venice, Italy, in Venetian society
women played little role in anything other than to be a wife to their
husband and a mother. This is why many Venetian women married at such
an early age. The play is about 2 families whom are separated by a
long forgotten ancient feud.
Throughout the play of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ we see Juliet emerging as a
woman. There are many people that influence this growth. However there
are also many people which inhibit and even try to prevent her from
growing from a child into a woman. Romeo encourages Juliet to grow
and develop into an independent woman whereas Juliet’s parents and
Paris try to prevent Juliet from growing independently. Her parents
try to govern Juliet’s life by making all of her decisions for her.
Fate also plays a very important role in the ways that Juliet grows
and emerges as a woman.
In Act 1 Scene 2 Paris asks Capulet if he can marry his daughter
Juliet. However, Capulet is rather reluctant to let Juliet marry at
such an early age as “She hath not seen the change of fourteen years”.
He thinks that because Juliet is only 14 years old she is too young
for the responsibility of marriage. Capulet then tries to persuade
Paris that Juliet is too young. Nevertheless, in response Paris says
that, “Younger than she are happy mothers made.” This conversation
tells us that Capulet is trying to delay the marriage between Juliet
and Paris whereas Paris is trying to rush the marriage. Marriage for
Paris is a simply utilit...
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...noble and
a gentleman.
Juliet then says to her parents, “Delay this marriage for a month, a
week, Or if you do not, make the bridal bed In that dim monument where
Tybalt lies”. She says that if you do not delay the marriage, to make
the bridal in the tomb, because she will be dead.
Juliet’s parents then abandon her by saying “Do as thou wilt, for I
have done with thee”. The only person Juliet still talks to in the
adult world is her nurse but even that relationship comes to an abrupt
end when she offers no sympathy to Juliet.
This leaves Juliet totally alone, she had been shunned by her family
as she refuses to marry the county Paris, and her husband has been
banished.
Throughout the play we have seen Juliet change enormously, she has
changed from a naïve, gullible child to an independent married woman.