William Shakespeare published “Romeo and Juliet” in 1597, a play of two lovers from rival houses who overcome hate to find love, only to have fate guide them to their deaths. Shakespeare bestowed upon the world a play with lively characters, and Juliet of the Capulets is a complex character who defies the typical stereotype of women during the Elizabethan era. Shakespeare developed Juliet to be an individual who is beautiful, intelligent, defiant, and yet masculine. By doing so, Shakespeare created a character that is significant to the tragic play of “Romeo and Juliet” because it shows the audience how a young and naïve girl will transition into a woman that defies the typical behavior of a woman only to achieve her happily ever after ending
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Juliet is no exception as her personality is strong shows the audience that “nowhere in Shakespeare’s psyche is Juliet ‘less than’ Romeo; nor is she ‘more than’ Romeo. They are equal”, this statement alone from Packer informs the reader that Romeo and Juliet stand on equal ground, which is unlike most men and women of the era (Packer 100). Juliet can be seen throughout the play as the one in the relationship who makes all the hard decisions, in fact, she was the one who proposed to Romeo and told him to make the arrangements. But it isn’t only her actions with Romeo that reflect this trait, as she defied her father and argued with her mother over what she believed to be right and best for her, it represented that she did not feel meek and weaker than a man, but on even ground. As Shakespeare fashioned Juliet to behave and react in such manner, it gives the aura that she is more masculine than what most women would consider the norm for the era of the play. It is her virility that propels the story forward for her character, as she makes the decisions that ultimately lead to her and Romeo’s fate. When faced with the death of her husband, she did not choose to take her life by the way of …show more content…
Whether it’s her beauty, intelligence, defiance or masculinity, Juliet is a complex heroine of “Romeo and Juliet”. This tragic tale of two lovers, overcoming great odds to spend their lives with one another only to lie in a together in a cold crypt. Her beliefs show the audience that even faced with death she will not bend to meet the norms that society has placed on her. She, Juliet, is just one of the many complex characters found throughout the play who embodies many different traits and ethics that bring the play to life and a complex character who defies the typical stereotype of women during the Elizabethan
Juliet is no exception as her personality is strong shows the audience that “nowhere in Shakespeare’s psyche is Juliet ‘less than’ Romeo; nor is she ‘more than’ Romeo. They are equal”, this statement alone from Packer informs the reader that Romeo and Juliet stand on equal ground, which is unlike most men and women of the era (Packer 100). Juliet can be seen throughout the play as the one in the relationship who makes all the hard decisions, in fact, she was the one who proposed to Romeo and told him to make the arrangements. But it isn’t only her actions with Romeo that reflect this trait, as she defied her father and argued with her mother over what she believed to be right and best for her, it represented that she did not feel meek and weaker than a man, but on even ground. As Shakespeare fashioned Juliet to behave and react in such manner, it gives the aura that she is more masculine than what most women would consider the norm for the era of the play. It is her virility that propels the story forward for her character, as she makes the decisions that ultimately lead to her and Romeo’s fate. When faced with the death of her husband, she did not choose to take her life by the way of …show more content…
Whether it’s her beauty, intelligence, defiance or masculinity, Juliet is a complex heroine of “Romeo and Juliet”. This tragic tale of two lovers, overcoming great odds to spend their lives with one another only to lie in a together in a cold crypt. Her beliefs show the audience that even faced with death she will not bend to meet the norms that society has placed on her. She, Juliet, is just one of the many complex characters found throughout the play who embodies many different traits and ethics that bring the play to life and a complex character who defies the typical stereotype of women during the Elizabethan