Investigating How Juliet’s Language Reflects Her Character
Juliet uses many variations of language during the play. Her use of
rhyme, imagery and irony develops her character. Her character changes
during the play and so does her mood. The different types of language,
which are used, reflect her moods and emotions.
When the audience first meets Juliet she speaks very little. Of the
107 lines in Act one Scene three, she says only six; whereas the
nurse, a relatively minor character, speaks at great length. Therefore
Juliet appears to be shy and modest. In this scene Juliet is a
well-mannered child. She’s polite when she tells the nurse to be quiet
saying, ‘stint thou too, I pray thee’. This gives the audience the
impression that Juliet is well-mannered and obedient. However in the
scene when we first meet her she doesn’t always mean what she says.
Towards the end of Act one Scene three, when Juliet replies to Lady
Capulet’s question, Shakespeare uses rhyme when she says, ‘ But no
more will I endart mine eye/ Than your consent give strength to make
it fly’. The use of rhyme is generally used to make the words less
serious. This indicates that although she means what she’s saying at
the time, she doesn’t mean she will obey he mother throughout the
play. Juliet has never thought about getting married. This quotation
also tells us that she doesn’t directly answer her mother’s question.
Juliet hasn’t dismissed the thought of getting married, but is hasn’t
crossed her mind before. Mainly Juliet appears to be shy,
well-mannered, modest and a well behaved child. Later on in the play
she behaves very differently. This scene is important beca...
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...l we met at the start of the play, to
the disobedient, mischievous young women at the end. Shakespeare uses
language to reflect the feelings and emotions of Juliet so that the
audience is well informed. Juliet’s love for Romeo grows from strength
to strength. Towards the end of the play Juliet shows absolute
devotion to Romeo. She avoids telling the truth by using irony and
rhyme. Her use of language is advanced showing how mature her
character is; her behavior portrays a different image. Her trust for
Friar Lawrence stays constant throughout most of the play. Juliet
forms a great friendship with the Friar this is why she trusts him to
give her a potion which could kill her. Her character develops during
the course of the play. As the plays goes on she is more outspoken and
decisive and this is what leads to her death.
In an attempt to push away from medieval love conventions and her father's authority, Shakespeare's Juliet asserts sovereignty over her sexuality. She removes it from her father's domain and uses it to capture Romeo's love. Critic Mary Bly argues that sexual puns color Juliet's language. These innuendoes were common in Renaissance literature and would have been recognized by an Elizabethan audience. Arguably, Juliet uses sexual terms when speaking to Romeo in order to make him aware of her sexuality. When he comes to her balcony, she asks him, "What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?" (2.1.167). Bly asserts that "satisfaction in her hands, becomes a demure play on the sating of desire" (108). Following this pun, Juliet proposes marriage. She teases Romeo with sexual thoughts and then stipulates that marriage must precede the consummation of their love. Juliet uses "death" in a similar sense. She asks night to "Give me my Romeo, and when I shall die / Take him and cut him out in little stars" (3.2.21-22). Death holds a double meaning in these lines. It connotes both "ceasing to be and erotic ecstasy" (Bly 98). Based upon this double meaning, one can infer that "she sweetly asks 'civil night' to teach her how to lose the game of love she is about to play for her virginity" (Wells 921). She tells her nurse, "I'll to my wedding bed, / And death, not Romeo, take my maidenhead!" (3.2.136-137). Placing death opposite Romeo highlights the irony of the situation; both death and Romeo should claim her maidenhead together. These sexual puns reveal Juliet's awareness of her sexuality. She entices Romeo, forcing her sexuality to act as emotional currency.
how her personality changes from act 1 scene 5 to act 5 scene 5 and
Who would be willing to die for their loved ones? Romeo and Juliet would and did. Romeo and Juliet’s love and death brought two families together who could not even remember the origin of their hate. When the parents saw what their children's love for each other, they realized that their fighting had only led to suffering and insoluble conflict. Romeo and Juliet loved each other to an extent that they killed themselves rather than live apart. They did it with no hiatus. Juliet says before she kills herself, “O happy dagger, This is thy sheath. There rust and let me die.”( 5, 3, 182-183) demonstrating how she would rather die than not be with him.
Each character, in some capacity, is learning something new about themselves. Whether it be new views, new feelings, newfound confidence, or a new realization of past events, each character involved in the play realizes something view-altering by the end of the play. Bonny is realizing that she is growing up and discovering how to deal with boys, and to lie to her parents; Elsie realizes that she doesn’t need her father for everything, and eventually overcomes her fear of driving on her own; Grace is discovering that she must let her children think for themselves at times, and that she must let Charlie choose what he wants to do; and Charlie, of course, is discovering that there are more ways to think than the status quo that society presents. Each character obviously goes through very different struggles throughout the play, but in the end, they all result in realizing something about themselves they didn’t at the beginning of the
agreed to do as she is told but has given an answer which will please
Many people think that society has changed so much over the years. That the way that children act, has taken a turn for the worst, but in reality children are learning from their ancestors. Children are lying to their parents, they are sneaking out at night to be with a boy that is “the one”, children are going back into the age of Shakespeare. In the play “Romeo and Juliet” which was written by William Shakespeare in 1597, there are two teenagers, Romeo and Juliet, who fall in love with each other. These two teenagers try to do everything that they can to live the rest of their lives together, except their families despise each other, so there is no way that they can live the rest of their lives together. So, many people believe that the way that our children are growing up today is taking away the fun parts of their childhood. However in this play Juliet did many of the things that teenagers are trying to do now. Children and sometimes adults now need to realize how your actions not only affect you but also the people around you, you also need to think about the consequences of the actions you make. At first Juliet falls in love at first sight with Romeo, then she takes a potion, which causes her family to think she is dead, and then how Friar Lawrence helps Juliet with the scheming, which shows how adults have to think about others as well.
many years. She is hurt and she seeks revenge. This is seen in Act II,
William Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet,” is arguably the most widely known tragic love story of all time. Although it has been the subject of debate and controversy, it has inspired many love stories in recent times. One of the most controversial details of the play, are the relationships that Friar Lawrence and Nurse, have with Romeo and Juliet. Many argue that they were not being responsible with their actions regarding Romeo and Juliet’s marriage. Others say that their actions were justified, because the two teens trusted them. Nurse and Friar Lawrence did not do the “right thing” in this situation, and contributed to the events which eventually led to the death of Romeo and Juliet.
This character changes as soon as she starts to realize that Billy will be going off to the ballet school.
At the start of the play she was described as a girl who is very
Through the flaws in the characterization of his characters, Shakespeare allows their weakness to manipulate and cloud their judgment. This fundamentally leads to the outcome of Romeo and Juliet, with each weakness presenting a conflict that alters the characters fate. Being especially true with the star-crossed lovers, William Shakespeare leads their perfect love into tragedy with these conflicts. In Romeo and Juliet, Juliet, Friar Lawrence, and Tybalt all contribute to conflicts that enhance the plot. From destructive flaws in their characterizations, Juliet, Friar Lawrence, and Tybalt are all consequently controlled by their weakness, therefore affecting the outcome of the play.
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet has been modified numerous times and has been a source of inspiration for many playwrights and directors. Franco Zeffirelli and Baz Luhrmann are examples of directors that use Shakespeare’s legendary tragedy as a basis for their films.
One of the main catalysts in Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' is powerful, uncontrollable emotions; love, hate, wrath, infatuation, and outrage are all apparent in the play and have a direct impact on the tragic events that unfold. In act one, scene two, the strongest emotions conveyed are those of despair, love and sincerity. Shakespeare uses imagery, figurative language and powerful vocabulary to convey these emotions to the audience.
Literary Analysis of Romeo and Juliet “What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. (The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet). ” This quote from Act II explains how Juliet feels about marrying someone for their status instead of who they really are.
Juliet, one of the main characters in Shakespeare's play. She is still a young girl introduced in the play, not yet fourteen. Juliet at this young age goes through a tragic love story. Even though it seems like Juliet is intelligent, and could be responsible, she actually proves to be an immature young lady, who makes irresponsible decisions.