Predictable Behaviour In Romeo And Juliet

Juliet’s character is a collection of innocence, youth and naïveness. Her portrayal, however, did not fit well with the stereotypical view of how an Elizabethan women should have been. Women back then had to obey their fathers and husbands. They weren’t granted free will and so Juliet initial portrayal is girl who is an obeying daughter but when she discovers love she becomes a disobedient daughter to be faithful to her husband (Romeo).

Act 1 Scene 3, is the scene where we are introduced to Juliet when her Nurse and mother, Lady Capulet are introducing the idea of marriage and love. Juliet is portrayed as youthful, innocent and obedient, this is further emphasised when the Nurse makes constant references to Juliet’s childhood. When her mother bring up the idea of marriage, Juliet replies “It is an honour that I dream not of” when she states that she has given no thought to the idea of marriage, means even though she does not love Paris, if told to fall in love with Paris she would because she obeying her parents and only should care about their opinion on matter. This would have related to the Elizabethan audience because she was being loyal to her parents and at that time loyalty to your family was the most important agenda. Shakespeare uses the predictable behaviour at

the start of the play so at the end of the play her action would be a big effect on the audience.
Romeo and Juliet’s first encounter occurs in Act 1 Scene 5, during the Capulet’s feast.

Juliet is completely fallen in love with Romeo, as he is with her, and this causes a change is her portrayal since she acts unfaithful to her words. “Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much.” She teases Romeo, Romeo suggests a kiss “O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do. They pray; grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.” Juliet accepts the proposition “Saint do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake.” This is the first appearance of Juliet’s behavioural change as she shows signs of disobedience when she kisses Romeo, when she is supposed to fall in love with man her parents suggested

(Paris).
In Act 2, Scene 2, both the lover express their love for one another. Juliet, someone who had never gave a seconds thought to love changed her prepetition in one night and not only did she fall in love with a man who her father doesn’t approve of, but a man who is from the family who they have sworn to hate and to be enemies forever. Juliet changes in behaviour from the moment we met her, Juliet was innocent and naïve but in one day’s time she has matured enough to propose marriage to Romeo, “If that thy bent of love be honourable,/ Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow.” This would have gotten a huge reaction from the audience as she is breaking the perception of how women are supposed to behave.
In Act 3, Scene 2, when Juliet first is informed of the altercation between Mercutio and Tybalt which