Romeo and Juliet

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Pavandeep Gill

         Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is about true love and how it fights against all odds to overcome the problems in their lives. Too many ironic co-incidents, two feuding families and two rebellious lovers; Romeo and Juliet. Juliet is shown as the ideal Renaissance women, the dutiful daughter of Capulet. She is obedient and respectful, however with changing circumstances came a complicated Juliet; objective and opinionated. In the eyes of a Renaissance audience this was an outrage, though a modern audience would be more accepting of Juliet and praise her bravery. I think the development of Juliet from a young girl to a love struck women makes her an admirable character in the play, as she tries to break the rules that women of the Elizabethan era were meant to abide by.

        Juliet at the beginning of the play is a calm and collected person. Surprisingly Juliet uses a very formal register with her mother, making us think her relationship with Lady Capulet is limited. Juliet seems to have a more loving relationship with the Nurse and sees her  as a mother figure. Juliet’s use of language in Act 1, Scene 3 is very short and formal, for example when her mother asks :

“How stands your dispositions to be married?” Juliet replies “It is an honour I dream not of”

        Juliet does not show emotion to what her mother is asking her, her reply is straight to the point.  Even though Juliet’s replies are short, she is very assertive and answers calmly, in spite of the fact that her mother seems impatient and wants Juliet to answer “in brief”, as though she has not got time for any long winded replies. Juliet in this scene is shown as a young girl, who does not make decisions for herself. Throughout the scene you realise that Juliet is a very level headed person whist being respectful as well and you can tell this by her use of words, as she does describe marriage as an “honour”, though saying she has not thought much about it, however this indicates that she might give it more thought as this is what her parents want. This was expected of all girls in the Renaissance era, they were given expectations to marry when they were told to marry, but most importantly to marry who they were asked so they could provide good bonds with richer and more influential families than their own, afterwards cementing that relationship by having children as soon as possible.

        In the ball scene we see another facet to Juliet that was unknown to the audience until this point.  Romeo has spotted Juliet and has fallen in love with her at first sight. Juliet’s flirting with Romeo is totally unexpected because of her behavior and attitude earlier in the play you don’t think that she would be confident or daring enough to be flirtatious with him. However, she is confident and after Romeo kisses her she says to him,  

        “ You kiss by th’book”

        This makes you think that she is experienced, although there has never been any mention of her ever being experienced earlier on. She changes a lot throughout this scene as she is no longer quiet and speaks to him flirtatiously as she plays with him through words, she shows emotion towards Romeo as when the Nurse call hers, she asks the Nurse to go ask his name and says

“ If he be married, my grave is like to be my wedding bed”

        She makes up her mind that this is the man for her having only just met Romeo, and despite having been told by the Nurse that he is an impossible choice, he is a Montague. Shakespeare here is also giving some hints to the audience, about what may appear later in the play; these techniques grab attention and keep the onlookers curious.                                 In the Balcony scene, Juliet does not know that Romeo is there and confesses her love for him, and also says the fact that him being a Montague does not matter at all, as it is just a name,

“ It is nor hand nor foot, nor arm nor face, nor any other part belonging to a man.”

          The language used reveals that Juliet is reassuring herself that Romeo being a Montague does not matter. The effect of her saying this makes her more assured that what she is feeling and thinking is right. When Romeo finally answers her and declares himself to her she has a lot of mixed emotions. Juliet is wary that men can say they love you without meaning it, she tells him that she should have gone through the usual act of being more modest, however she cannot do it making her more honest and truthful than most women of the Elizabethan Era, as they were to act very shy before they confess their love. She tells Romeo she wants a simple answer though after the Nurse calls her, Juliet changes her mind and says that she will send a messenger to Romeo to arrange the wedding. This shows she maybe was feeling confused and acting rash but overall, she’s very spontaneous and confident her decision is right.                         In Act 3, Scene 2, we see a very different persona of Juliet. Juliet is excited that Romeo is coming to her, and is anticipating his arrival. Juliet is ecstatic, as she knows that they will be able to consummate their marriage and become man and wife lawfully,

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“ Thou sober-suited matron all in black, and learn me how to lose a winning match , played for a pair of stainless maidenhoods.”

        Juliet is awaiting night to fall, as it will bring her lover to her. She asks the night to teach her how to love him; this shows a very sensual side to Juliet. Her language used is a passionate as well, as she describes herself losing her virginity, then gaining Romeo forever. Thinking in the intense way that Juliet is was probably extremely rare in the Renaissance Era, showing she was a very advanced for the ...

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