Romeo and Juliet

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Roxanne Slevin 10LT        Romeo and Juliet Sunday, 16 March 2008        

 

        The play of Romeo and Juliet is still very popular today.  The themes of love, feud and tragedy are very interesting which makes it have a lot of suspense; furthermore, it makes the play very exciting, as it has universal themes.   The position of women in society was very different to men.  Women were supposed to be obedient, quiet and done whatever a man wants them to.  There was a lack of women’s rights, for example, women were not allowed to make their own choices, about who they could marry.  Despite the fact that at that time, England was ruled by a female monarch, women had very little control over the direction of their life.  Families during this time centred on the traditional patriarchal paradigm – that of domination and submission.  The father was the head of the household and rule over his wife and children.  This also meant that the father would choose his daughter’s future husband; this means the father would arrange the marriage.  In those days marriage was a way of inheriting money and land, “shall you this night inherit at my house.”  Women were merely a tool for whatever a use a man wanted them for.  The focus of my work will be on Juliet and how she interacts with the other characters to make the play dramatic for the audience.  

Juliet is a young, 14 year old, who is the daughter of Capulet and Lady Capulet.  She is an only child of Capulet, since all of the other children have passed away, “earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she.”  Her social situation means she should behave in a certain way.  She should be quiet and do exactly what her father expects her to.  She is supposed to marry according to her social status, whoever the father finds and only if he thinks the man is appropriate.  In this case, the father Capulet has chosen Paris to marry Juliet, “We have wrought so worthy a gentleman to be her bride?”    

In act 1 scene 3, she learns that her father has found a husband for her, “think of marriage now” so how she behaves in act 2 scene 2, is really shocking for the audience.  In act 2 scene 2, is when Juliet first sees Romeo, it is love at first sight, in this scene she behaves very differently.   They are at a party, at the Capulet’s mansion.  Romeo loves Juliet from the first moment he sees her, she falls instantly in love with him.  Lines 92-105, when the lovers first meet, are written like a sonnet.  Sonnet writing was a popular and highly esteemed activity at Queen Elizabeth’s court.  Furthermore, Romeo compares Juliet to a shrine or saint.  Religious imagery runs through their conversation, “profane”, “faith”.  Romeo uses religious imagery; he is trying really hard to show Juliet that it is not lust that he is feeling but love.  He is trying to say that he worships the ground that Juliet treads on.  He uses his words very carefully so that he does not disrespect or “profane” her.  Romeo’s language is different from how he spoke earlier in the play.  He is more passionate, romantic and caring, “my lips two blushing pilgrims ready stand”, rather than upset and angry, which he had been in previous acts because he was upset over the rejection of Rosaline’s love, “sad hours seem long”.  

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After this scene, Juliet starts to question her thoughts.  She has found out by the nurse that Romeo is a Montague, “my only love sprung from my only hate,” and then she later questions herself about her feelings she has for Romeo and whether she should tell him, whether he will think she behaves like this around all men, “or if thou think’st I am too quickly won”, even though he is a Montague.  Juliet questions why a name should matter, “what’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet” ...

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