She teases Romeo, only enough to keep him interested in her. This proves her character to be changing, since she contradicts her youth in Act 1 scene 3, where she had not considered love. She also challenges her innocence, by unexpectedly kissing Romeo
“You kiss by th’ book.”
Juliet’s abrupt change in character would have surprised Elizabethan’s, since she had altered herself from being the dutiful daughter that was expected of her, to an ill behaved child that would have been frowned upon. Above that, Juliet’s reference to religion would have appalled, since it was being used in conjunction with her intolerable deeds, such as betraying her family name to woo her only enemy.
It is in Act 2 scene 2 where Romeo and Juliet truly declare their love for one another, and this happens by Juliet’s balcony at the Capulet household. In this scene, Juliet abandons her youth when she portrays herself persistent and assertive in order to keep her love. She discontinues her courtship with Romeo in order to bring in the prospect of love,
“Or if thou thinkest I am too quickly won, I’ll frown a be perverse and say thee nay, So thou wilt woo-.”
as opposed to her initial depiction, where she had not given it a single thought. She dominates the topic of conversation
“Deny thy father and refuse thy name; Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.”
as she requests that they resolve their current situation.
Juliet’s dominance over Romeo, through her perseverance for resolving their affair, would not have been the norm for Elizabethan women. For Juliet to have acted in that manner would have shocked Elizabethan’s, since it was not traditional for a woman of that era to approach a man. Having done so, Juliet’s character would have been detested in Elizabethan society.
During Act 3 scene 2, the Elizabethan audience lose sight of Juliet’s preliminary portrayal. She becomes sharp tempered and passionate, as opposed to her initial youth and innocence, during her wait for her Nurse’s return from her meet with Romeo about the prospect of marriage. Juliet curses her Nurse for her delay,
“What devil art thou that dost torment me thus?”
since she is made to wait for Romeo’s reply in agony and anxiety, and therefore the audience cannot depict Juliet as innocent as she used to be. The contrast to her former portrayal continues, as Juliet speaks passionately of Romeo, despite his slaying of her cousin Tybalt
“O serpent heart, hid with a flow’ring face! Did ever a dragon keep so fair a cave? Beautiful tyrant, fiend angelical-”
She wishes to curse Romeo for his part in Tybalt’s death, but cannot bring herself to do so. Instead, Juliet ends up using a vast variety of oxymoron’s to depict her undisputable love for Romeo, contradicting all the while with her initial youth that was her insignificance with love.
Juliet’s arrogant and impatient depiction in this scene was not the stereotypical nature of Elizabethan women. It would have appalled, since rather than waiting for Romeo to approach her-without free speech, she questioned Elizabethan woman’s rights by taking it upon herself to resolve her state of affairs with him.
In Act 3 scene 5, Juliet conveys a bleak contrast in behaviour to that of her initial portrayal. She display wilfulness, as opposed to her preliminary innocence, during her combat with her father over the prospect of her marriage with Paris
“Now by Saint Peter’s Church, and Peter too, He shall not make me there a joyful bride!”
Much to the discontent of her father, Juliet refuses to marry Paris. Her unruly behaviour continues through means of oppressive shouting, causing Lord Capulet to resort to verbal threats
“I tell thee what: get thee to Church a Thursday, Or never after look me in the face!”
However, Juliet’s incontestable love for Romeo defies her father’s intimidation, and she continues to disobey and quarrel. Eventually, Juliet’s radical behaviour causes Lord and Lady Capulet to depart, leaving the Nurse to persuade the child. Nevertheless, Juliet’s love is unquestionable, and a difference in opinion between the two results in an angry young Capulet
“Ancient damnation! O most wicked fiend! Is it more sin to wish me thus foresworn-“
She has been let down by her Nurse, the only person whom she could really rely upon. Without any reassurance or support, Juliet is left to curse her only aid in her love bound situation. She takes an abrupt mood swing, and is anxious to know how she will resolve her problem. In total desperation and anxiety, Juliet seeks the Friar for advice.
Juliet’s wilfulness during her quarrel with her father would not have been an Elizabethan child’s custom. For Juliet to act in that way would have had Elizabethan audiences taken aback, since she neglected what was expected of her, and that was for her to obey her father, rather than question him.
Throughout Act 4 scene 3, Juliet conveys tremendous courage by acting through love, regardless of the severe repercussions her actions may bring. She expresses emotions of apprehension and fear, however surpasses them due to her desire to be with Romeo. She begins the scene apprehensive, as she considers whether the Friar’s role in supplying her with poison was a supportive deed, or an ominous one
“What if it be a poison which the Friar Subtly hath ministered to have me dead-“
Owing to her contemplations, Juliet develops a fear for the treacherous consequences her actions could bring. She becomes reluctant towards drinking the poison, and portrays timidity,
“-a fearful point. Shall I not then be stifled in the vault, To whose foul mouth no helthsome air breathes in-“
as opposed to her boldly spoken character at the expense of Paris, when she debated her validity in his life in previous scenes
“It may be so, for it is not mine own-“
Despite all her fears, Juliet’s love for Romeo guides her to courageously drink the poison, in hope that she will be reunited with her one true love
“Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here’s drink-I drink to thee.”
Juliet’s display of courage during her decision to drink the poison was not a custom held by Elizabethan women. Having drunk the poison, Juliet would have shocked the Elizabethan audience because it was not common for a woman of that era to have boldly taken her own life, not to mention decide how her own life would have been run.
Act 5 scene 3 is Juliet’s final scene, in which she concludes her atypical behaviour, as well as her life. However, doing so, she displays courage and strength, unusual traits for an Elizabethan daughter. As Juliet wakes, Romeo lies dead beside her, having taken poison. She mourns his death, all the while showing immense strength
“-the watch is coming. Come, go, good Juliet. I dare no longer stay!”
as she stands firm in the presence of the tomb watchmen. Her uncanny behaviour continues, as her infatuation with Romeo empowers her to kiss his lips for poison
“I will kiss thy lips. Haply some poison yet doth hang on them.”
To no avail, Romeo has drunk the last drop of poison, leaving none for Juliet to accompany him after death. Due to emotions of apprehension and passion, Juliet defies all barriers of love by boldly stabbing herself, furthermore sacrificing her life to be with Romeo; her one true love
“O happy dagger, This is thy sheath. There rust, and let me die.”
Juliet’s disregard for her father’s will of her marriage with Paris was not at all pleasing to the Elizabethan’s. For her to cunningly defy his power as a father in order to be with whom she loved was intolerable. She had not behaved as expected, and for that she would not have been accepted in Elizabethan society. As well as that, her act of suicide displeased God, therefore displeased the greatly religious Elizabethan’s. Back then; Juliet’s suicide would have caused uproar.
To conclude, I think Juliet was initially portrayed as a youthful, innocent child, and as her intolerable love for Romeo progressed, her inner strength and belief in what was right developed her into the mature, wilful young woman who died for her true feelings.
I will have my final draught handwritten
