Romeo and Juliet charts Juliet's journey from subservient daughter to passionate lover

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9th March 2005

ENGLISH COURSEWORK: ROMEO AND JULIET RESPONSE

By Sebastian Obracaj

Romeo and Juliet charts Juliet’s journey from subservient daughter to passionate lover”

     Romeo and Juliet is a play based on a romantic tragedy, written by William Shakespeare. The play is about two star- crossed lovers who are each from two rival families who are in a civil war against each other in the Italian city of Verona. The play charts the journey of many characters whose experiences change them forever and make them different people. So in love are the lovers, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, who also marry without the consent of their parents, that they actually end up killing themselves thinking it better not living then living separately.

     The play is based at a time when society was very patriarchal. This meant that men were seen as the heads of the family and the providers, whereas women were expected to cook and look after the house and have children. This is why the situation of Romeo and Juliet being married without their parents knowing, Capulet (Juliet’s father) wanting her to marry the county Paris, Romeo being banished for killing the Capulet’s kinsman and Juliet’s cousin Tybalt so much more difficult for Juliet to handle. Her status in society as a woman is mirrored by her status in her family. Capulet and Lady Capulet see Juliet more of a possession which will eventually work in their advantage when they will want to marry her off to someone rich (Paris). We see this lack of respect for Juliet in Act 3 Scene 5 when Capulet says “I’ll give you to my friend”. It’s like he doesn’t even care what she wants just what he wants matters and he treats her more like his possession then a daughter. This whole experience of falling in love with Romeo, marrying him, losing him, changes Juliet dramatically through the play.

     The first time we see Juliet in the play is in Act 1 Scene 3. Juliet is alone in her room when Nurse and Juliet’s mother enter. From our first impression of Juliet we get to see this subservient obeying daughter, “Madam, I am here, what is your will?” This shows that Juliet and her mother don’t exactly have a very close relationship but one where Juliet does all her mother asks and is obedient. Juliet is then asked by her mother whether she will marry Paris. This is a quite a strange question for Juliet as it is out of the blue. She replies “It is an honour I dream not of”. This is almost a way of letting her mother down in an easy way. This shows she does not want to disappoint her mother. She is simply not ready to get married. She is being cautious because of her inexperience.

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     We then see Juliet in Act 1 Scene 5. This is when she first meets Romeo at the Capulet party. She falls in love with him at first sight which is a new experience for her. She keeps her cool though and engages in a short romantic conversation in which she automatically connects with Romeo. “You kiss by th’ book” is Juliet’s response to Romeo’s kiss. As the audience we know this is probably Juliet’s first experience of kissing a member of the opposite sex. This shows Juliet is maybe a bit desperate to make herself look more ...

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