It affects many of the events and actions done by the characters. Juliet and Romeo are both adolescent; Romeo is 16 years old while Juliet is 13 years old. In the beginning of the play, Juliet’s attitude towards marriage is that of dismissal. She waves off that her parents, particularly her father, who wants her to marry Paris, a well-respected county. Juliet’s reluctance to get married shows that she does not feel ready for commitment, especially committing herself into a relationship with a person she hardly knows. However, Juliet’s mindset changes when she meets Romeo, whom she immediately falls in love with. Her love for Romeo causes her to agree to marry him, which later prevents her from willingly marrying Paris. This causes her to reveal that she would rather die than marry another man whom she does not love at all; Juliet feels that she would be betraying Romeo if she does. Besides showing how Juliet’s age affects her decisions, Shakespeare also emphasizes how love can be confused with infatuation. …show more content…
During Shakespeare’s era, women weren’t seen as equals to men. In wealthy families, the patriarch would plan an arranged marriage in order to gain an alliance with another family or to rise up within the social hierarchy; this is what happens in Romeo and Juliet. Capulet, Juliet’s father, wants Juliet to marry County Paris. In Act 1, Scene, 2, Capulet talks to Paris about Juliet getting married. He mentions that Paris needs to “get her heart” (1.2.16) in order for the marriage to be a complete success. Subsequently, in Act ________, Scene ________, Capulet and Juliet engage into a heated argument where he gives Juliet, who objects the proposal, the ultimatum of marrying Paris or being disowned and thrown out into the streets. Capulet’s stern attitude shows that Juliet has no choice, which is a stark contrast to his behavior in the beginning where he displays a genuine concern relating to Juliet’s young age; he discusses the marriage as if Juliet has a choice whether to love and accept County Paris or not. Juliet’s restriction causes her to seek a solution from Friar Lawrence, who gives her a potion that would make her appear