Character Analysis of Juliet From William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

Character Analysis of Juliet From William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

Juliet is a young girl living in Elizabethan times. She is from a rich

background. Although the play is set in Italy, it is really about

English characters. Shakespeare is giving a glimpse of a thirteen year

old girl (Juliet) living in the Sixteenth century.

The nurse is like a mother to Juliet. She is very important in her

life. When Lady Capulet is talking about Juliet, she says "...Thou

knowest my daughter's of a pretty age" (p.25) and the nurse replies

"... I can tell her age unto an hour." (p.25) showing she is close to

Juliet as most parents would be conscious of the precise age of their

children. This shows that Lady Capulet has not spent a great deal of

time with Juliet.

Lady Capulet may only have limited contact with Juliet because in 16th

Century Elizabethan times, it was customary to employ a maid or nurse

to look after your child. It was a show of wealth, so that if you have

a nurse for your child, you are looked upon as being rich. Juliet's

parents expect her obedient.

Juliet is requested to marry by her parents, but falls in love with

her family's worst enemy, Romeo. The play is about how she and Romeo

secretly meet and in the end, both commit suicide as they believe they

cannot be with each other.

SECTION 2:

==========

The first impressions of Juliet that Shakespeare gives the audience is

that Juliet is obedient to her mother. When the nurse requests Juliet

to come and see her mother, Juliet replies "Madam, I am here, what is

your will?" (p.25) showing she does what she is asked to do. Juliet

also seems a very quiet girl. ...

... middle of paper ...

...at she is

willing to forgive him for his. Her family put pressure on Juliet to

marry by threatening to disown her, like when Capulet said "...get

thee to church a'Thursday, Or never after look me in the face."

(p.133) which must have shocked Juliet. I feel angry with her family

over this because they do not listen to what Juliet wants and only

think about what they want, more power and wealth. I think her actions

at the end of the play were fitting with Juliet's attitude. She dies

saying "Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die." (p.185) showing

that if she cannot be with Romeo, then she would rather not be at all.

Juliet's role in the play defies what her traditional role should have

been, to obey her parents. She could not see sense and comfort once

she fell in love with Romeo and this eventually lead to tragedy.