Embedded Files
Juliet's character across the play
Use this section to gain an important overview of Juliet's character. Key scenes have been hyper-linked to an online version. Right now, this is a great opportunity to refresh your memory of key scenes - they take just a few minutes to re-read. There is a link to essay questions at the end.
Juliet and the Prologue:
Alongside Romeo, Juliet is referenced in the Prologue at the start.
The Prologue tells us that Romeo and Juliet are born into a world of hatred, violence and conflict.
As 'star-crossed lovers', their love is doomed at the start of the play to fail, and will result in death.
Their journey is an innocent pursuit of love against the odds, where their love cannot survive the strong, hostile forces of society, highlighting the important themes of external forces: fate, hate / conflict, society, family and expectations and the tragic nature of those victims who do not wish to conform to society's rules and expectations.
Overall in the play:
Juliet is only 13 years old; yet she is a child on the horizon of adulthood.
Juliet undergoes a 'coming of age' process in the novel: at the start of the play, she is unfamiliar to the wider power structures of politics. Her father in Act 1 scene 2 says she is a 'stranger' to the world - and this very much is true; she has clearly lived a very protected life in the Capulet household (where most of her scenes take place).
Key themes associated with Juliet:
Fate and freewill.
The illusion of choice and control.
Independence and autonomy
Love and passion
External forces
Family and society
Conflict and fighting
Rebellion
The individual versus society
Essential events for Juliet:
Analysis and overview of Juliet's key scenes:
Act 1 Scene 2 - Juliet's first reference in the play:
We first hear about Juliet through the conversation in Act 1 scene 2 between her father and Paris.
In this conversation, Paris is asking her father, Lord Capulet, if he can marry Juliet.
Lord Capulet reminds Paris that she is still yet a child, and that she should enjoy the last two years of her childhood before marriage / having children.
He says that Juliet is a 'stranger to the world', which allows us to see that Juliet is still innocent and naive to the world, has lived a protected and sheltered life, so doesn't yet understand society's dangers, or the toxicity of this world which is yet to 'poison' her.
It is also important to note that we see Lord Capulet in this scene as a loving father, concerned about his daughter's happiness in his need to protect his only child from being 'marred' (damaged) by becoming an adult too young; we learn that she is his 'earth'.
Capulet encouages Juliet to
The importance of Act 1 scene 2:
This scene is crucial in how it highlights Juliet's starting position of childhood innocence in the play, which sets an important benchmark to show us how her purity becomes corrupted by the adult world, revealing her overall journey from childhood innocence to adult knowledge and awareness by the end.
This conversation between Paris and Capulet highlights the power of family and society controlling in Juliet, including patriarchal control: two men in the play are discussing her fate, without her present, and without her knowledge.
Juliet, here, is being discussed as an object of transaction. She lacks agency in the choice in the person she will marry.
Connection of Act 1 scene 2 to other parts of the play:
Here, and elsewhere, male control is significant in the play. Romeo is the only man in the play, who gives Juliet control over him, and offers her room to be herself (consider how Romeo treats Juliet in the balcony scene and the status he gives her).
This conversation about who she will marry, introduced at the start of the play, is picked up and 'moved' in Act 3 scene 4 when Lord Capulet changes his mind and agrees that Paris will marry Juliet after the death of Tybalt. It therefore becomes a deadly conversation that pushes Juliet towards her decision to towards her fake death, and then her real death, both a form of protest and exit from the world.
This change in Lord Capulet, from a protective, emotionally sensitive father here at the start of the play, to a controlling and dominant man who seems to be more interested in forging a high-status family connection, even though it causes Juliet emotional distress, increases our response of pathos to Juliet: despite her strong desire for control and independence, she cannot break free from society's dominant forces.
Juliet cannot even trust the stability of the world around her: her father's sudden change of heart is as changeable as the 'inconstant moon' she asks Romeo not to swear his love by.
Act 1 scene 3: Juliet's first appearance in the play:
We first see Juliet in her first appearance in the play, in Act 1 scene 3.
In this scene, her mother, Lady Capulet, introduces her to the adult world and new expectations of being a woman, when she tells her that Paris is interested in marrying her and will be there at the Capulet party that evening so she can meet him. Her mother reminds Juliet that she had given birth to Juliet at an age younger than Juliet currently is.
However, Juliet seems disinterested in marriage, offering only a vague reply: 'I'll look to like if looking liking move', meaning 'I'll look at him tonight, and will be open minded, but I'll like him if he moves me (if she is attracted to him)'. Personal preference and choice is therefore important to Juliet, which is a defining feature of her character.
It is important that Juliet's first appearance comes after the street fight between the Capulet and Montague men, and after the conversation between her father and Paris as her suitor: it shows the strong masculinised dominance of this world, that Juliet, as a young woman, is heavily influenced by - and does not yet fully realise the extent she is controlled by it.
Act 1 scene 5: The theme of love:
In Act 1 scene 5, Romeo and Juliet meet and fall in love at the Capulet ball. There is clearly a strong physical and sexual attraction (they kiss even before knowing each other's name), but also a spiritual, emotional and religious purity in their connection in the religious references.
In their first meeting, Romeo introduces religious language into their vocabulary, through the idea of pilgrimage - a pilgrim being a long journey a worshipper takes to prove their level of faith. Using this religious language in a romantic context elevates Romeo's feelings, and ultimately shows us how he sees / positions her in his mind: someone worthy of devoting time and energy to.
Considering Juliet's position and status as a young woman in this world of patriarchy, this new status seems inspiring and uplifting to Juliet.
Act 2 scene 2: independence, autonomy and agency:
In the balcony scene in Act 2 scene 2, we learn more about Juliet's independent nature: she is prepared to go against the expectations her society has of her: she sees beyond Romeo's name and will not let his Montague family name cloud how she sees him (as Tybalt does): 'a rose called by any other name would smell as sweet'.
This floral (flower) imagery and her reference to Romeo's 'sweet[ness]' / nature's perfume suggests the feminine associations she has of Romeo. By all means, Romeo is not like the other dominant, aggressive males in the play reinforcing her attraction to Romeo: she finds his sensitivity, and delicate nature endearing and attractive.
The recurring flower symbolism could also draw attention to the theme of transience and the temporary and short-lived nature of their love, and ultimately her independence in the play: there is only so long that she can go with the false belief in her own self-control / governance. The choice she exercises in her love for Romeo, is as temporary and transience as the beauty of a rose in full bloom.
Hierachy and status:
In the balcony scene it is clear, also, that Romeo offers Juliet status in the relationship. He refers to Juliet as the 'east' calls Juliet the 'sun' - the sun being a powerful symbol traditionally associated with men in literature. The sun is an anchor, a symbol of warmth, and fits in with the theme of light in the play: a beacon of hope that in Juliet, his emotions, that needs anchoring, can be directed towards a brighter output.
Later on in the play, when Juliet is And pay no worship to the garish sun
Romeo is prepared to change himself for Juliet: his name is 'hateful' to him and will 'baptise' himself anew. Romeo's identity in their relationship here seems changeable in relation to hers: he swears by 'the moon' - which she says is too inconstant.
When Romeo asks for their exchange of vows, Juliet's response to him is that she had already given this to him before he had asked; again showing her strong mindedness and the fact that she had exercised her own choice in the marriage (a contrast with Paris, where she has no authority or control over this important decision).
The ideas of Juliet's power and status in Romeo's eyes is reinforced by Juliet's physical height of Juliet on stage as they start to get to know each other for the first time when she speaks to Romeo from her balcony. This is in relation to Romeo who is stood at ground level, and symbolically conveys a sense of her stature.
Pedastal, courtly lover, goddess, elevated status
In this scene, it is also significant that Romeo privately obseves her in the dark garden, as she speaks outloud her thoughts, not realising that she is being watched. Juliet is disclosing here, her inner most private thoughts and desires, and sharing her private self. This is significant because it shows that Romeo is looking beyond Juliet's outer / surface appearance - whereas he was intially struck by her beauty when he sees her from a distance at the Capulet party, he is now seeing, and showing interest, in her mind.
After their marriage, Romeo later goes to her, and climbs a ladder to spend the night with her. The ladder, metaphorically, could suggest the climb of Romeo to reach Juliet, on her level. As her husband, he meets her demands, on her terms, where Paris, later, does not.
Act 3 scene 5:
The significance of setting and Juliet's character:
Juliet's setting conveys important ideas about her character, her situation and highlights crucial themes.
Much of the action connected with Juliet's character takes place inside the setting of the Capulet household, connecting Juliet to the female world of duty, entrapment and expectation. The other location linked to Juliet is connected to world of religion: Friar Lawrence's world, and the crypt at the end where she lies 'dead' and then dead.
Act 1 scene 3 - Juliet's bedroom, where Juliet, the nurse and her mother discuss the idea marriage to Paris. It is important that the play starts here, in Juliet's bedroom, a place which represents Juliet's childhood. Overall, the play traces Juliet's journey from the freedom of childhood to the control of duty and responsibility adulthood. In this scene between Juliet, the nurse and Juliet's mother - the nurse reminds us that Juliet is still a child when she talks about breastfeeding Juliet, and what Juliet was like as a child.
We see Juliet is on the verge of entry into adulthood with the first mention of the new adult expectation her family has of her. Lady Capulet introduces Juliet to the prospect of her marriage Paris, and references the adult responsibilities of being a mother. Juliet, however, is not yet ready for this, and seems to be disinterested in taking this step. She will 'look to like' Paris at the party, she tells her mother, but will keep an open mind and will not be pressured into it.
Act 1 scene 5 - the party, which takes place in the Capulet household. There is the first 'clash' between two forms of love in Juliet's world: the arranged love of Paris and passion and emotional freedom of Romeo's love.
Taken her mothers gentle encouragement to find her 'match' at the party / love at literal value - she has gone ahead and looked for her own suitable match
First sexual encounter
Rebellion
Independence
The nurse interrupts Romeo and Juliet at the end, telling Juliet her mother wants a word with her - this interruption represents the intrusion of her family and her family expectations - also a reminder about the social rules and codes she is bound by - which she cannot trespass: she cannot become romantically involved / attached to her family's sworn enemy.
Act 2 scene 2 - Juliet's balcony (her bedroom). The nurse unknowingly interrupts the conversation between Romeo and Juliet by calling her name repeatedly from inside. This is a reminder of her social transgressions in meeting and agreeing to marry the 'wrong' man; it is also a reminder of the interruptions of the 'real' world, to reinforce the idea that she has been carried away by fantasy and the illusion that she has got freewill and choice.
Act 2 scene 5 - Juliet is left for hours, pacing the courtyard of the Capulet house, impatiently awaiting news from the nurse who is speaking with Romeo about the wedding.
Act 2 scene 6 - the marriage to Romeo at the church. Juliet offers the pretence to her family that she has gone to confession.
Act 3 scene 5 - she loses her virginity to Romeo in her bedroom. Later in this scene, in the same room, Lord Capulet imposes his dominance over Juliet by pressurising her into marrying Paris using aggressive language and the threat of being disowned from the only world she knows: the Capulet household.
Act 4 scene 1 - Juliet visits the Friar looking for help to escape (religious setting).
Act 4 scene 2 - Juliet fakes her death in her bedroom. This physical removal from the toxic control of her household links to her desire for emotional freedom. Symbolic death of childhood innocence
Act 5 scene 3 - the crypt. She takes her life, using a dagger (a masculine symbol in the place). Knowledge and death
Juliet is therefore physically trapped in this world of family, expectation, rules and male dominance, as well as physically isolated and separated from society, in a similar way to Romeo at the start: except that Romeo's physical separation is self-induced and he has choice over it.
Despite Juliet's confinement, she attempts to exercise freedoms of the mind - through having a romantic emotional escape with Romeo. However, this reveals itself to be an unattainable illusion - a reality that can never be hers. The idea of fate in the play is so closely connected with socety: society dictates that they are not fated to be together, through its strong powers of control.
As the play progresses, the intensity of Juliet's entrapment and emotional responses to this becomes clear. This is reinforced through the colour symbolism of darkness and references to death, which increasingly dominate her language.
The only way out of this conflict and the knowledge of her victimhood is through death, which in itself represents a form of protest and escape from the toxicity of this entrapment.
The external forces:
Despite Juliet's physical entrapment, the external forces around her, still play a strong role in her character development.
The hyper-masculinised world of aggression and fighting, results in the death of her cousin which causes her partner, Romeo, a man who is sensitive, non-threatening and innocent, to be pulled into the quarrel. This action has life-changing consequences.
A man she has never met, has been bestowed upon her as a future husband, by a man she has trusted (her father).
The changing emotional state of her father; who becomes the enemy in her world.
The dominance of her father over the nurse, who attempts to stand up to Capulet
Give me, give me, O tell not me of fear! (4.1.)
Romeo, Romeo, Romeo, here’s drink. I drink to thee. (4.3.)
If in thy wisdom thou canst give no help
Do thou but call my resolution wise
And with this knife I’ll help it presently (4.1.)
Essay practice questions for Juliet
Page updated
Report abuse