In Romeo and Juliet Juliet broke the rules that a good daughter and wife should have followed in Verona's times. Juliet fell in love with and married a Montague

How did Juliet break all the rules?

In fifteenth century Verona women were treated as an object. They were not to disobey their father and husband for fear of being rejected by the family and thus losing their name. Without a name a woman was worth nothing. The setting of fifteenth century Verona was a very patriarchal society. This means that everything was run by men. Women however, instead of being loved for their personality (and often great sense of humour) were judged purely upon beauty. Although this may seem unjust to women living in the 21 century women in 15th century Verona could wish for nothing more than a kind husband and a generous and wealthy father. In those days everything was about status. If two families of equal nobility lived in the same vicinity there was bound to be trouble. In Romeo and Juliet Juliet broke the rules that a good daughter and wife should have followed in Verona’s times.

Juliet fell in love with and married a Montague! This was socially unacceptable because the status quo of a family would determine how respected and how rich a family was and this could be easily upset if a marriage of two enemies tipped the balance. The Montagues were a wealthy and reasonably well respected family. The Capulets were also at the same stage in the hierarchy triangle. We know this because in the chorus at the beginning of the play it mentions “two households, both alike in dignity” The chorus is there to set out the story so that the audience knew what was going to happen in the play. Instead of ruining the story, this actually makes it easier to understand because, had the audience not known, they would not be able to follow. This made them enemies as they both sought to outdo each other and prove that they are the wealthiest and most prosperous family so that they will gain more status. By falling in love with Romeo she has broken all the rules. The delicate balance of power meant that the families would always dislike each other and now that their children were in love, this would infuriate both families leading to a tragic end to the play. Their love is “death marked” because they tipped the balance of power and upset the status quo. They had to die as an example to all the other “star-crossed lovers” who were thinking of marrying without the father’s permission. Why wouldn’t it bring them closer? Friar Laurence hoped that by marrying these two teenagers the families will simply learn to love for he says “For this alliance may so happy prove, to turn your households’ rancour (or bitter hatred) to pure love”. This was the message Shakespeare wished to give out to the audience. This play was aimed at a young Elizabethan audience and was to discourage any young women (or older ones for that matter) from disobeying their husbands or fathers. Shakespeare discouraged rebellion by giving the play a tragic end in which both Romeo and Juliet pay for their mistakes with their lives.

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Juliet also refused to marry Paris, a wealthy and well respected man that Lord Capulet would have felt privileged to have as a son in law. Much to her fathers disgust Juliet blatantly refused to marry him in act three scene five when she claims that “He shall make me there not a joyful bride”. This, quite understandably, so infuriates Lord Capulet, so much so, that he has to fight the temptation to hit her as he felt his “fingers itch”. He also calls her “young baggage”. This is in reference to the patriarchal side of society in those days. Men then, especially those with high status, wished for there wife to give birth to a boy because they could be self sufficient and can gain a place in society. Girls however were a burden to there father’s as they had to find them a wealthy and respectable husband who could care for his daughters needs. Until then they had to pay for their upkeep. After Juliet refused to marry Paris she was disowned by her family. She pleads to her mother saying “O sweet my mother, cast me not away!” Her mother does what she was expected to do by the 15th century standards and replied “Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee”. Basically this means that even her mother left her alone and abandoned her. Juliet was raised by a wet nurse so which meant that Lady Capulet would have little maternal instinct motivating her to stick by her child. She did not feed her, care for her or even see her often. Not only does Juliet die physically at the end of this play, had she not died she would have died socially because she has no father or husband and is rejected by society. When she refused to marry Paris she gave up her status and is viewed as no better than the mud on Capulet’s shoes.

Juliet’s attitude in act three scene five was socially unacceptable. She

repeatedly answers her father back in a very disrespectful manner. This is in stark

contrast to the way in which lady Capulet speaks to Lord Capulet. For example

Juliet says “but thankful even for hate that is meant love.” In modern English, she is

actually saying “how can I be thankful for this hateful thing you did even though you

meant well?” So she is questioning her father’s actions and being disrespectful by

replying her father in such an outspoken manner. This contrasts with Lady Capulet who

explains to Capulet by saying “Ay, sir but she will none, she gives you thanks.” She tried

to break the news of Juliet’s rebellious and ungrateful refusal to marry Paris gently.

She also takes the side of the husband expressing her disbelief of her daughters

actions. She also treats him with respect when he lost his temper. Instead of

disrespectfully telling him to shut up and get on with it because life goes on she simply

says “you are hot” respectfully, calming the tense atmosphere as best she could. She

was the epitome of a perfect wife of those times.

Finally, throughout the entire play Juliet deceives her parents, her nurse and

other characters. It is wrong to lie nowadays but back in fifteenth century Verona it

was even more unacceptable. When Juliet decided to go and get married behind her

fathers back she wove a tangled web of lies to her father, mother, nurse and other

relatives. To blame her refusal of marriage on Tybalt’s death was a lie. To try and

fake her own death so that she could run off and live with Romeo was yet another

lie. This meant that the story could not have a happy conclusion. The unwritten laws of

society had been broken and someone had to pay the consequences. Juliet had to die for

her flagrant disregard for everything that the Elizabethans held dear. If she did not

die then the play had no warning for the impressionable onlookers. Without her death

there would be no reinforcement on the male stronghold on society.

In conclusion, Juliet’s attitude and actions throughout the play spelt imminent disaster. She went behind her fathers back to get married to an enemy of the family, refused to marry a respectable gentleman and continued to lie to her father to cover her rebellion. The play could never end in happiness as a warning to the audience. Shakespeare’s moral that he wanted to get across was ‘do not break the rules of society unless you want to pay the consequences’

By Ashleigh Tilley