The Struggle Between Juliet In William Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet
Juliet defies her parent's wishes for her to marry Paris. In Elizabethan society, people would regard the act of a woman defying a man preposterous, making the context of this scene crucial for Juliet’s progression into a mature woman. Juliet, only fourteen, develops into a woman when her submissive nature leaves her. In response to her father’s arranged marriage, Juliet states this. “Proud can I never be of what I hate.” (3.3.147). In her conversation with her mother, Juliet pleads with her mother to delay the marriage. When Lady Capulet refuses to listen to her daughter, Juliet boldly threatens her mother that she may “make the bridal bed/In that dim monument where Tybalt lies” (3.5.201-202). Such a threat opposes her earlier obedience to her mother wherein Juliet states that “no more deep will I endart mine eye/Than your consent gives strength to make it fly” (1.3.100-101). She believes as an “adult” she should be able to make her own decisions.
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Juliet defies the wishes of her only friend and mentor the Nurse.
Up until this scene the Nurse, her maternal figure and confidant, the Nurse sides with the Capulets and recommends that Juliet does the same after her argument with her parents over marrying Paris. The shocked Juliet responds, (3.5. 228) "Speakest thou from your heart?" Juliet, distraught, because the Nurse does not support her wishes to be with Romeo. She finds it hard to believe that the Nurse would have her break both legal and moral laws in marrying Paris. She feels betrayed and thus ends her trust in the Nurse's confidence. Juliet’s final and desperate hope goes to Friar Lawrence in the hopes that he may help her. "If all else fail, myself have power to die" (3.5.244). That quote from Romeo and Juliet shows as dramatic irony because we know her fate and she doesn’t, so when she talks about death it foreshadows later in the
play.
Juliet defies the wishes of her only friend and mentor the Nurse.
Up until this scene the Nurse, her maternal figure and confidant, the Nurse sides with the Capulets and recommends that Juliet does the same after her argument with her parents over marrying Paris. The shocked Juliet responds, (3.5. 228) "Speakest thou from your heart?" Juliet, distraught, because the Nurse does not support her wishes to be with Romeo. She finds it hard to believe that the Nurse would have her break both legal and moral laws in marrying Paris. She feels betrayed and thus ends her trust in the Nurse's confidence. Juliet’s final and desperate hope goes to Friar Lawrence in the hopes that he may help her. "If all else fail, myself have power to die" (3.5.244). That quote from Romeo and Juliet shows as dramatic irony because we know her fate and she doesn’t, so when she talks about death it foreshadows later in the
play.