Juliet Capulet Analysis

Juliet Capulet from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is more than just the mere lover Romeo. She represents a naïve youth, loyalty, hope, strength, forgiveness, and in her death, peace. Throughout the play she interacts with different characters and represents a different meaning to each one. Her significance is what drives the play forward as she quickly grows into adulthood, yearning for her own freedom. When Juliet is first introduced, the play quickly makes a comment upon her age. Her father, Capulet, tells her suitor Paris that she is too young (Act I, scene ii). Juliet is only thirteen but her father agrees that in two years that they shall marry. In the next scene, Juliet’s mother, Lady Capulet, brings up Paris and forces Juliet to contemplate

When Romeo sees her, all his thoughts of Rosaline and being alone vanish. He sees hope for love in Juliet and becomes overtaken by her (Act I, scene v). Juliet also represents a naïve youth again when she still chooses to be swayed by Romeo after learning he is a Montague (Act II, scene i). She states as long as he loves her truly, she will look past the last names. Here, she represents a sense of forgiveness to Romeo by looking past the family feud. In scene ii, Romeo goes to Friar Lawrence and asks to be married to Juliet. He agrees because Juliet to him also represents hope; hope that the families will end their feud and be at

Her first representation of love is seen with her father. He wanted a good husband for his daughter and he was looking out for her in a sense. While he did push the idea of marrying Paris, he originally said to wait two years since she was so young (Act I, scene ii). He also agreed to give her time to think about it rather than just badgering her consistently in the beginning. Her next representation of love is seen with Romeo when they first meet at the feast and they share a kiss (Act I, scene v). From that point on, it is clearly seen how much he means to her. He sneaks into the courtyard, he then goes to Friar Lawrence for marriage, sneaks into her room before leaving for exile, and then the eventual death in her honor. Juliet also represents love to Paris. While he seeks for her hand in marriage in the beginning of the play, it is truly established by the end that it more than a political marriage. He was scattering flowers around her grave alone even though this could be dangerous of a man of his status (Act V, scene