In this essay I will explore the character of Juliet and show that Juliet is both assertive and rebellious.
Juliet is very obedient to her parents to start with. Lady Capulet asks Juliet whether she will love Paris and Juliet replies “but no more will I endart mine eye than your consent give strength to make it fly” [act 1, scene 3] She is saying she will meet up with Paris as her mother requests and will not do anything that her mother would not approve of. At this point the audience can tell that Juliet is willing to please her parents because she is agreeing to what her mother is asking her and in addition Juliet’s answer displays obedience.
At the party Juliet meets Romeo and he pays her many compliments Juliet proves she is assertive because each time he compliments her she makes a witty comment. She is also showing her intelligence and demonstrating that she’s not naive and not easy going. Romeo tries to kiss Juliet and she pushes him away so he declares, “Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?” [act 1, scene 5]
Juliet cleverly replies, “Ay pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.” [Act 1, scene 5] Persistently, Romeo still tries to persuade Juliet to kiss him.
Juliet is not worried about going against her parents’ wishes because she feels Romeo is the one. I think she knows this by the kiss and her response to it “you kiss by the book “ [act 1, scene 5] She is saying that his kiss was perfect, that she really enjoyed it and that she wants to kiss him again.
Later that night, after the party, Romeo sneaks into the orchard to see Juliet and they talk. Juliet as aim shows that she is assertive with Romeo. “If thy bent of love be honourable, thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow”. Juliet demands that if Romeo really loves her then he should make her his bride.
Disaster strikes when Juliet’s mother and father go up to her room and tell her she has to marry Paris, “the county Paris, at St Peter’s church, shall make thee there a joyful bride.”
At that point, Juliet particularly shows her rebellious nature; she refuses to get married to Paris, she will marry no one but Romeo “I pray you tell my lord and father, madam, I will not marry yet…” Her Father is astonished. “…And when I do, I swear it shall be Romeo…” [act 111, scene 5] shouts Juliet.
Juliet’s refusal infuriates Capulet “hang thee young baggage, disobedient wretch” he is so angry he tells Juliet that if she does not marry Paris, he will disown her and kick her out on to the streets. “O God, O nurse, how shall this be prevented? My husband is on earth…” [act 111, scene 5] Juliet’s mother and father walk away. Left standing, the nurse who has helped her all the way walks away too. If the nurse helps her any more Juliet will no longer need her and the nurse will lose her job.
Perhaps the strongest evidence that Juliet can be quite assertive is when she appeals to Friar Lawrence. She persuades the Friar to lie for her and conspire with her in order help her run away with Romeo. She does this by threatening to kill herself.
The play tells the audience a lot about Juliet, it portrays her as powerful, assertive, rebellious, intelligent, loving and very determined to get what she wants. The play also shows that she could a bit rash at times and did not think before rushing into things so quickly. Alternatively, she should have thought things through properly, because she was very bright and could have designed a much better plan to get what she wanted.
In conclusion, I think Juliet should have been more assertive and rebellious because then maybe Romeo would not have been sentenced to banishment. She had enough power to sort out the squabble between the Capulet’s and Montague’s. She should have been more patient instead of rushing into love so quickly, which after a short time ends with death.
