“The valiant Paris seeks you for his love.” (I, iii, 75). Lady Capulet then goes on to say,
“This night you shall behold him at our feast;” (I, iii, 81). It's as if Juliet has no say in the matter. They have invited Paris over and they didn't even ask Juliet whether she wants to marry him or even meet him. Juliet replied to her mother,
“I'll look to like, if looking liking move,
But no more deep will I endart mine eye
Than your consent gives strength to make it fly.” (I, iii, 98-100). Here Juliet is saying, even though I don't know him, I will try and like him just because you want me to.
It's time for the feast and when Juliet sees Romeo, its love at first sight. At this point, she starts to gain experience. Romeo touches Juliet's hand and then regrets it immediately and apologises,
“If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this,
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.” (I, v, 92-95). Romeo is saying, forgive me for touching you, my hands are not worthy enough to touch you, I am willing to kiss your hand in order to clean it. Juliet replies to Romeo,
“Good pilgrim, you do wrong you hand too much,
Which mannerly devotion shows in this,
For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.” (I, v, 96-99). Juliet is saying, no, your hand is not unworthy, pilgrims touch saints' hands which is, in a way, a kiss. Here, she edges him on by saying it wasn't wrong of him to touch her. Juliet ends up kissing Romeo without thinking about the consequences. At the end of the kiss she says,
“You kiss by th’book.” (I, v, 109). This shows that she hasn’t had much experience and she only knows what a kiss is like by reading it in books.
The nurse says to Juliet,
“His name is Romeo, and a Montague,
The only son of your great enemy” (I, v, 135-136). Juliet says,
“My only love sprung from my only hate.
Too early seen unknown, and known too late.” (I, v, 137-138). Juliet fell in love with Romeo before knowing he was actually the son of her family’s worst enemy.
Romeo and Juliet plan on getting married and Romeo talks to Friar Lawrence,
“And all combined, save what thou must combine
By holy marriage. (II, iii, 60-61). Romeo wants Friar Lawrence to marry them. He also says,
“That thou consent to marry us today.” (II, iii, 64). Romeo and Juliet are urgent to get married so he wants to know his decision as soon as possible.
Going back to the previous point I made about Juliet's parents running her life setting her up to be married with Paris without consulting her fully, she knows she has no choice and she will do anything her parents tell her to do as she still relies on them. Further on in the play, her parents make the decision to get her married on Thursday and only tells Juliet the news once it has all been arranged.
“Marry, my child, early next Thursday morn,
The gallant, young, and noble gentleman,
The County Paris, at Saint Peter's Church,
Shall happily make thee there a joyful bride.” (III, v, 112-115). They tell her to go to the church to get married, they didn't ask when she wanted the marriage to take place. They think she hasn't yet gained enough experience to make her own decisions so all the decisions are made for her. At this point, Juliet would normally agree to the marriage and accept her parents' decision, but now that she has gained experience and fallen in love, she now regrets the decision that has been made.
“He shall not make me there a joyful bride.” (III, v, 117). Here, Juliet is showing disobedience and experience as she does not want to marry someone whom she does not love, but would rather marry Romeo, whom she is in love with.
At the end of Act 3, Scene 5, Juliet is expecting the nurse, the one who understands her the most, to be on her side. When Juliet asks the nurse what can be done to prevent the marriage between her and Paris, the nurse tells Juliet to forget about Romeo and marry Paris for he is a good man and can support her financially. Juliet asks the nurse,
“O God! - O Nurse, how shall this be prevented?” (III, v, 204). Juliet is looking to the nurse for help – Juliet still believes she can trust the nurse. She then goes on to say,
“What say'st thou? Hast thou not a word of joy?
Some comfort, Nurse.” (III, v, 211-212). Juliet is looking to be comforted by the nurse but all the nurse has to say is,
“Romeo is banished, and all the world to nothing
That he dares ne'er come back to challenge you;
Or if he do, it needs must be by stealth.
Then since the case so stands as now it doth,
I think its best you married with the County.
O, he's a lovely gentleman!” (III, v, 213-218). The nurse has betrayed Juliet by telling her to forget about Romeo as he cannot support her. If Romeo would ever want to see Juliet, it would have to be a secret and he must remain hidden from the people of Verona as he has been banished. The nurse also adds that Paris is a “lovely gentleman”. She is trying to persuade Juliet to marry Paris and forget about Romeo. When Juliet hears this, she says,
“Well, thou hast comforted me marvellous much.
Go in, and tell my lady I am gone,
Having displeased my father, to Lawrence' cell,
To make confession and to be absolved.” (III, v, 230-233). Juliet is being clever here and is pretending to agree with the nurse. She tells the nurse to tell her father that she is willing to marry Paris and she has sinned for displeasing him so she is going to confession. Here, Juliet knows that she now cannot trust her nurse. This proves Juliet is more experienced because she picks the people she wants to trust, not just everyone. Now that the nurse has betrayed Juliet, and she knows she cannot ask her parents, she turns to Friar Lawrence for answers.
“I'll to the Friar to know his remedy;” (III, v, 241). She has no-one else to turn to so she goes to the Friar to seek his advice.
In order to get out of the marriage with Paris, Juliet also contemplates death. This shows experience as you only tend to think about death when you are a mature adult, not when you are an innocent child.
“And ere this hand, by thee to Romeo's sealed,
Shall be the label to another deed,
Or my true heart with treacherous revolt
Turn to another, this shall slay them both,”. (IV, i, 56-59). She is willing to kill herself in order to prevent her marriage to Paris.
As Friar Lawrence offers Juliet a potion that makes her look as if dead, Juliet is eager to take this potion in order to prevent marrying someone whom she does not love. She is only in love with Romeo and will not settle for less.
“Give me, give me! O tell me not of fear.” (IV, i, 121). She does not care for the dire consequences of the potion – even if this may be death, but wants to avoid marrying Paris.
The final point in the play which shows evidence of her maturity is when she willingly takes her own life in order to be with Romeo.
“ This is thy sheath.
(Stabs herself)
There rust, and let me die.” (V, iii, 169-170). Once she realises that Romeo has killed himself, she grabs his dagger, and willingly stabs herself so she could be with him in eternity.
