Romeo And Juliet's Influence On Modern Society

Romeo and Juliet is one of William Shakespeare’s most famous writing pieces that have made an influence on modern society and its culture. It is a tragedy story of two ‘star-crossed’ lovers and their families engaging a long feud between each other as the general audience or other characters watch the relentless quarrel. This text has become a general studying piece in literature for secondary students due to its popular themes containing love, revenge, rebellion and fate. The characters are a major element to Shakespeare’s story as they lead the events and outcomes of their own life. As the story focuses on the lovers, Romeo and Juliet’s characters make alternate changes to themselves later on. However Juliet is a persona who undergoes a

vital character development that concludes the fate of the whole tale.

Juliet Capulet is the only daughter of Lord and Lady Capulet. She is described to be a pure, naïve, gentle, beautiful, obedient and innocent girl at the ‘appealing age’ of soon-to-be fourteen. Her family have sheltered her from the world of its ‘evil’ and ‘darkness’, impacting on Juliet’s social skills with her only mutual contacts are her family, her nurse and most likely the servants of Capulet. During Act I of scene III, Lady Capulet asks Juliet what her opinion on marriage is which Juliet replies “It is an honour that I dream not of” indicating that she has never thought about marrying someone at a young age. She still has time to decide whether she is ready to be wed or not, though her mother explains at her age women were expected to be married and have children (Act I, Scene III, Line 73: “Here in Verona, ladies of esteem, are made already mothers: by my count.”). Her beauty was able to attract the attention of Paris, a relative of Prince Escalus.