How does the poor treatment of women result in increased tragic events in Romeo and Juliet?
In the dramatic tragedy Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, gender inequality reoccurs throughout the play as a consequence of patriarchy. Shakespeare uses this imbalance as a catalyst to increase tragic events in Romeo and Juliet. During Shakespeare's time, women were often objectified and restricted from their freedom to determine their future. Shakespeare uses this gender inequality to further explore important themes such as family honour and the social status of women in society. By presenting Juliet as a figure in the play who yearns for freedom and attempts to escape her family's bondage, Shakespeare creates a symbol of female independence
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Her determination for love made her death more tragic in this play. When the Nurse and Lady Capulet are chatting, Lady Capulet asks Juliet’s opinion on marriage. Juliet replies “It is an honour that I dream not of”(1. 3. 71) indicating her lack of interest towards marriage and also the refusal of her mother’s proposal of marrying someone. This suggests that Juliet is different from most of the girls her age, and does not consider marriage as a necessity. Lady Capulet still insists “Think of marriage now”. (1. 3. 75) In a way forcing her into a marriage with Paris, this can also be seen in Juliet’s father, Lord Capulet, while Lady Capulet euphemistically Juliet to Marry Paris Lord Capulet is a lot more authoritative. When Juliet wishes to postpone the marriage with Paris, He threatens to disown her: “hang, beg, starve, die in the streets”. (3. 5. 203) Lord Capulet does not see Juliet as a daughter, but more as a tool for the Capulet’s honour, and if she does not obey, then she serves no purpose, and he is willing to abandon her. The nurse has also mentioned her husband's comment when Juliet was a baby she “fall backwards when thou hast more wit…”(1. 3. 46) which portrays the inevitability of Juliet's situation in this marriage. Juliet falling on her back when she reaches the age of consent is a reference to Juliet …show more content…
Juliet’s “fate” is to be married to Paris for her family's honour, it is shown in many scenes that it has been long planned for her since her birth, but she wishes to elope with Romeo and go against her family. Friar Lawrence stated previously “Poison hath residence and medicine power.”(2. 3. 24) implying that the love of Romeo and Juliet is a poison, it will be purposeful if they use it properly, but it can also backfire on them. When Romeo and Juliet are married, Friar Lawrence foreshadowed once more “These violent delights have violent ends”(2. 6. 9) All the audience who watches this play knows from the prologue that Romeo and Juliet will eventually die, this further enhances the power of fate in Romeo and Juliet, although both Romeo and Juliet are passionate lovers, they still live in a world where family and masculine honour are prominent. When Juliet waves Romeo goodbye she soliloquizes: “As one dead in the bottom of a tomb.”(3. 5. 55) The lover foreshadows her and Romeo’s death, the next time they ever see each other is the time of their death, which establishes a dramatic irony. Juliet attempts to escape her fate by defying her father’s will, but in doing so, she discovers the limit of her power. Juliet, as powerful as she thinks she is, is still a woman in a male-dominated world.
In the beginning of the play, Lord Capulet is immune to Count Paris’s eagerness to marry his daughter and says that Juliet is too young to get married. While negotiating with Paris, Capulet demonstrates value for daughter’s consent as well: “My will to her consent is but a part; An she agree, within her scope of choice lies my consent and fair
As the speaks to Juliet she says “Marry, that ‘marry’’ is that the very theme I came to talk of. Tell me, daughter Juliet, how stands your position to be married?”(DBQ project: who is to blame, document B). One would think that Lady Capulet would is putting a
“Hang thee, young baggage, disobedient wretch! I tell thee what: get thee to church o’ Thursday, Or never after look me in the face... ”(Shakespeare Act 3.5). If Sir Capulet didn’t intervene with Juliet's love life and force his daughter to marry a man she didn’t love, Juliet may have not acted so rashly. “...Unless thou tell me how I may prevent it.
By my count, I was your mother much upon these years...,". Lady Capulet is not against the idea of marriage because from her experience it is normal to marry someone and even have children at a young age but she wants to leave the choice of marriage up to Juliet which explains why she does not push Juliet to marry right away. The fact that Lady Capulet had Juliet at such a young age explains why she can act so cold to Juliet like when she told Juliet to look at Paris and try to like him without thinking about how this might end up affecting Juliet's future. Lady Capulet doesn't care that Juliet would lose her childhood if she did marry right now because lady Capulet herself did not have a childhood and does not understand how having a childhood could be important to childrens teenager/adult
“Ay, sir, but she will none, she gives you thanks./I would the fool were married to her grave.” (A3S5L144-145). The nurse says that Juliet doesn’t want to marry Paris but she thanks him for asking. It ends with Lord Capulet yelling at Juliet for not agreeing with him. Not only did Juliet's parents try to force her to marry Paris, but at the highest point in the story, Capulet gets really mad and yells at her telling her that if she does what they ask then she is going to live on the streets.
Before the Capulet party had started in the play, Lady Capulet is seen explaining to Juliet how she should think more about marriage now, as many women in Verona are already mothers by the age of 13. She quotes in Document B, “Well, think of marriage now; younger than you, here in Verona, ladies of esteem, are made already mothers”, right after Juliet says how she is not thinking or caring about it. This saying shows that Lady Capulet might have reminded Juliet about marriage, which caused her to be more aware and observant at the Capulet party by looking at all the possible swains and taking a deeper interest in Romeo. If Lady Capulet had not mentioned this, likely, that Juliet would not have felt that the party was an important event that helped her find a suitor and would not have met or seen Romeo at that party. Later in the play, County Paris talks to Lord Capulet about Juliet’s hand in marriage, which leads to Lord Capulet letting Juliet know about Paris’ marriage proposal and becoming disappointed with her response.
However, Juliet had no desire to get married. That is until the Nurse and Lady Capulet forced the idea onto her. Women were supposed to marry young, according to Lady Capulet, who said, "Well, think of marriage now. Younger than you Here in Verona, ladies of esteem, Are made already mothers. By my count, I was your mother much upon these years That you are now a maid.
My will to her consent is but a part” (I.ii.28). Capulet says that girls who are married young grow up too soon, but also encourages Paris to charm her. Capulet says that his permission is only part of the decision. Unfortunately, this is a lie. Despite Capulet saying his permission is only part of it, later on in the book forces Juliet to get married even when she doesn’t want to.
Lady Capulet tried to talk Juliet into marrying Paris by saying, “Well, think of marriage now; younger than you, Here in Verona ladies of esteem, Are made already mothers: by my count, I was your mother much upon these years That you are now a maid. Thus then in brief: The valiant Paris seeks you for his love…(Doc B)” This was her mother's way of saying that Juliet should marry Paris, because he is a good man that can take care of her. Also she is trying to point out that she was much younger than Juliet when she married her father. When Juliet doesn't see eye to eye with her mom, her father steps in and tries to convince Juliet to marry Paris.
The Nurse believes that Juliet is not fully grown to be married as she said “She’s not fourteen” (18). Her age has proven that she’s not mature enough to become a wife and indeed that she won’t be able to act or talk like an adult. And because at such young age, 13, it’s obvious to the maid of house Capulet to act innocent, especially in her response during the conversation about her marriage. Juliet replied to her mom obediently “I’ll look to like, if looking liking move” (Shakespeare 21) about the man that she’s going to marry without hesitation. She don’t even considered whether that man would be a good selection or not.
The Capulets told Juliet that if she didn’t marry him, she would be kicked out and they would dis-own her. The Capulet had said to his wife “I am furious, day and night minute by minute, now Paris wants to marry her but she says no”. (Act 3, Scene 5). The Nurse changes her mind and tells Juliet that she should marry Paris.
However, the marriage would have made her unhappy, and she knew this. Instead of consoling his daughter, Lord and Lady Capulet yell at Juliet and threaten to disown her if she doesn't obey. (Quote here). Similar to this instance, when Lady Capulet first tells Juliet she is to marry Paris, Juliet doesn’t feel comfortable with that idea. Lady Capulet tells Juliet she will marry Paris at the capulet party and tries to get the nurse to convince her to agree (Quote).
He shall not make me there a joyful bride! I wonder at this haste, that I must wed ''. Juliet’s parents, Lord and Lady Capulet if they truly cared, would not force her to marry after such an
The thematic idea that my group and I were assigned for Romeo and Juliet is gender role in society. This is norms created by society for different genders. Gender role in society is very relevant in the world today, with many people experiencing it in their daily lives. An example of gender role in society is believing that males have to be strong and aggressive, and females have to be petite and do all of the housework. In Romeo and Juliet, gender role in society is evident throughout with arranged marriages, such as Capulet wanting Juliet to marry Paris, and forced household rules, like Juliet not being able to leave her home freely.
Within this play, there are many conflicts between feuding families and even individuals. Since societal expectations were so great of both genders, much pent-up frustration for those who did not perfectly conform was frequently released in the form of violence or aggression. It also went the other way around, where those who did not fit all of the standards were shamed and embarrassed for the way they were. Two characters in which the gender traits were partially switched are Romeo and Juliet. In their relationship, Juliet is more dominant, and Romeo is more submissive.