How is Juliet Represented within ‘Romeo and Juliet’?
Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet illustrates how powerful passion can lead to both the sweetest love and the most devastating tragedy. Juliet Capulet's character evolves from a shy and naive girl to a strong, independent woman as she meets Romeo, defies her father, marries Romeo, and ultimately takes control of her destiny by choosing to die rather than live without her Romeo. Her character can be impulsive and immature, chasing the fleeing of fleeting love. Juliet starts as a naive girl, obedient to her parents and unaware of life's complexities. Meeting Romeo shifts her perspective, prompting her to reject her arranged marriage to Paris. She faces an internal conflict between family loyalty and her love for Romeo. After hearing of Romeo's banishment, Juliet takes a potion from Friar Lawrence to feign death to escape marrying Paris. When Romeo believes she is dead, he takes his own life at her grave. Juliet awakens, finds him dead, and kills herself in despair.
At the beginning of the play, Juliet is depicted as a naive, sheltered, obedient young girl who is unfamiliar with the world around her. However, everything changes upon her brief encounter with Romeo. Her plan to marry Paris quickly shifts to her plan to wed Romeo. She falls in love with him at first sight, beginning her continuous confronting acts towards her father. When the reader is first introduced to Juliet, she is still a young girl, inexperienced in life and its adventures. She only knows one thing: her parents’ wishes. When Juliet first learns that she will meet her future fiance, she does not think of her wants, but rather her parents. When speaking to her mother, Juliet says “But no more deep will I endart mine eye than your consent gives strength to make it fly.” (1, 3, 100-101) She shares how she will love Paris, but only as much as her mother sees fit. During the period that Romeo and Juliet took place, it was common for daughters to enter arranged marriages, usually with older men, made by their parents. Additionally, it was Juliet's father who arranged the marriage, placing her in an incredibly difficult position because women were expected to obey men and remain silent. It was seen as a considerable sin if they were to ever talk back, or protest what a man said or did. English society was very patriarchal and disregarded the value of women. Yet, the obedience Juliet demonstrates; quickly changes when she momentarily crosses paths with Romeo, who’s family name is unknown to her. During their fleeting encounter, both make deep impressions on each other's hearts, and Romeo says to Juliet “Then move not, while my prayer’s effect I take. Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged.” (1, 5, 104-105) At this moment, Juliet fell in love. To the reader, it seems that a spell has entrapped her; all her attention becomes focused on Romeo. “Go ask his name.–If he be married. My grave is like to be my wedding bed.” (1, 5, 132-133) The quotation shows how she falls so deeply in love with this unknown man, that she will not marry anyone but him. She expresses how she would rather die than marry anyone else. Later in the scene, Juliet discovers the name of the man she loves, and it is revealed that he is a Montague. “My only love sprung from my only hate too early seen unknown, and known too late!” (1, 5, 137-138) Juliet had fallen so deeply in love; however, she realized too late who he was to save herself from his loving enticement. The juxtaposition, contrasting love to hate, greatly shows how contradicted Juliet is. Should she betray her family and love Romeo, or defy her heart and remain loyal to the Capulets? During her aside, Juliet is unaware that Romeo can hear her as she speaks to the stars. She tells the story of her true feelings, being the first time in the play that the reader learns what Juliet is truly thinking. The use of an aside exhibits Juliet’s conflicting situation, she shows this when she says “O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I’ll no longer be a Capulet.” (2, 2, 33-36) She cries to the stars, asking why Romeo is a Montague. “Wherefore” Juliet asks the stars. Why must he be from the Montague family? Why is her only love her enemy and one she is never destined to be with? Her heavy heart deepens in sadness as she believes she can never love him. Their chance at love would come if neither were a Capulet or a Montague. She wishes he would abandon his family name; if he won’t, she will surrender hers.
After Romeo kills Tybalt, Juliet questions Romeo's character. She wonders how he can be so evil for killing her cousin, while also passionately loving her. However, she quickly shakes off these doubts and returns to loving him, disregarding his actions. Juliet first learns of the terrible news when her Nurse comes crying hysterically bearing sad news. The Nurse can not stop her tears as she is consumed by sadness for the fallen. With her Nurse shouting and crying, Juliet assumes that Romeo is dead. “What devil art thou that dost torment me thus?” (3, 2, 44) The death of Romeo is worse than any fiery hell that Juliet could be dragged down to; she cannot fathom the pain of losing Romeo. The use of alliteration emphasizes Juliet’s hysteric mental state. The repetition as she waits for her Nurse to tell her what has happened to Romeo reveals her anxiety. Her Nurse finally tells Juliet that it is Tybalt who has died, and Romeo is the reason for his death. Juliet can not believe the news. “Was ever book containing such vile matter so fairly bound? Oh, that deceit should dwell in such a gorgeous palace!” (3, 2, 84-86) Juliet cannot believe that the fair Romeo could ever do such a thing. The “Deceit” she experienced with Romeo breaks her heart. His beautiful words and face hid such a vile, shameful mind. Instantaneously, her broken heart rapidly mends as her opinion shifts, she no longer detests Romeo for killing her cousin.
He was not born to shame. Upon his brow shame is ashamed to sit. For ’tis a throne where honor may be crowned. Sole monarch of the universal earth, oh, what a beast was I to chide at him! (3, 2, 92-96)
She realizes how rude it was to speak poorly of Romeo; he did nothing wrong. Tybalt challenged him, and Romeo only harmed him in self-defence. The strong dialogue between Juliet and her Nurse highlights Juliet’s loyalty to her husband. Juliet’s assertiveness in the conversation illustrates her lack of concern for Tybalt’s death and her Nurse’s worries. She is fixated on Romeo and his banishment, which she deems unfair. “‘Romeo is banishèd.’ There is no end, no limit, measure, bound, in that word’s death. No words can woe that sound.” (3, 2, 125-127) Juliet is deeply troubled by Romeo's banishment; she knows she cannot live without him. Tybalt’s challenge led to the death of Mercutio’s life and his own. Challenging another man was a very common practice at the time to do after a dispute. Duels were fought based on chivalry and honour. A duel would pit together two opponents, the offended and the suspected. After Tybalt's death at Romeo's hands, Juliet struggles with her love for him and her loyalty to her family. Initially believing Romeo is dead, she later learns the truth. Ultimately, she defends Romeo, revealing her deep love for him.
Upon hearing of Romeo's banishment, Juliet mourns him deeply. The death of her cousin brings her no tears, overshadowed by the pain of losing Romeo. Her marriage to Romeo is still unknown as her father pushes her to marry Paris, but she will not heed his actions. She conjures a plan to meet Romeo again, but their final faithful meeting will be in death. To avoid raising suspicion regarding her plan, she pretends to be a fool and eventually follows her father. “Pardon, I beseech you! Henceforward I am ever ruled by you.” (4, 2, 23-24) She vows loyalty to her father, but unbeknownst to him, it is all a part of her cunning plan. On the night before the day she is to be wed to Paris, Juliet drinks the vial that Friar Lawrence gave her. In great ceremony, she quickly drinks the vial, ever excited to be reunited with her Romeo. “Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here’s drink. I drink to thee.” (4, 3, 57-58) She doesn’t drink for herself, she drinks for “thee”, Romeo. Her sole reason for her extreme actions is Romeo. Every decision she has made so far has been driven by one factor: Romeo. And in the future, he will be the reason she chooses to end her life, all because of “thee”. When Romeo rushes back to Verona upon hearing news of Juliet’s death, he visits her in her grave. “Beauty’s ensign yet is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks, and death’s pale flag is not advancèd there.” (5, 3, 95-96) He observes that there is still colour in her face while death has not fully claimed her yet, unaware that she is still alive. The use of dramatic irony in this quotation emphasizes the comedy within the play, even during a tragic scene. Romeo kisses Juliet one last time and ends his life, landing next to Juliet. As soon as Romeo crashes to his death, Juliet wakes up eagerly asking for Romeo as she sees the Friar approaching. But to her dismay, he has ultimately taken his life. The death of Romeo drives Juliet to madness; her only hope of life is lost as she sees him lying cold on the ground. In a last attempt of endearment towards her beloved, and an escape from her impending marriage to Paris, she takes her life. “O happy dagger, this is thy sheath: there rust, and let me die.” (5, 3, 169-170) She is happy to die for Romeo and stabs herself using his dagger; solidifying their unity as a couple. By doing this, she controls her fate. Without the stage direction: “Stabs herself with Romeo’s dagger and dies” (5, 3, 170), the reader would not know Juliet's actions or that it was Romeo's dagger she used to stab herself. This stage direction is essential for understanding Juliet’s loyalty to her love. During Shakespeare’s time, loyalty and male honour were a key part of Medieval society. Those who committed suicide, or did not die an honourable death at war, were seen as a humiliation to the male gender. During the Elizabethan Era, there were
two key gender characteristics which were thought to distinguish men from women: physical strength and reason. (Foyster, Male Honour, Social Control and Wife Beating in Late Stuart England)
For Romeo and Juliet to die by suicide for love would be considered immensely dishonourable.
In conclusion, Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet shows how intense passion can create both delightful love and tragic outcomes. At the start of Romeo and Juliet, Juliet is a naive and obedient girl, who is to marry Paris based on her parents' wishes. Her encounter with Romeo changes everything; she falls deeply in love and becomes more assertive, defying her father. Despite her family's feud, Juliet's love for Romeo grows. After Tybalt's death at Romeo's hands, she struggles with loyalty but ultimately chooses her love for him. Her bold actions, including faking her own death, lead to a tragic end, as both Romeo and Juliet take their lives, showcasing her transformation from an obedient daughter to a devoted lover. Juliet continues her transformation from an innocent girl to a confident and devoted woman; until her final breath.
Works Cited
“Duelling | Digitens.” The Digital Encyclopedia of British Sociability in the Long Eighteenth Century | Digitens, https://www.digitens.org/en/notices/duelling.html. Accessed 25 October 2024.
Foyster, Elizabeth. “Male Honour, Social Control and Wife Beating in Late Stuart England.” cambridge.org, Cambridge University Press, 12 February 2009, https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/transactions-of-the-royal-historical-society/article/abs/male-honour-social-control-and-wife-beating-in-late-stuart-england1/C0470C3566DDB96AA6E809813BE0B0EC. Accessed 26 October 2024.
“Romeo and Juliet: Study Guide.” SparkNotes, https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/. Accessed 28 October 2024.
Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Edited by John C. Crowther, Spark Pub., 2003.
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