Preview

Social Norms In Romeo And Juliet

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2415 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Social Norms In Romeo And Juliet
William Shakespeare’s tales have stood the test of time through his critique of human nature. Certain primal relationships are addressed frequently in his works and a related popular role employed by him is that of the daughter. Arguably one of the most complex roles in Shakespeare, the daughter faces certain expectations while having to handle a set of higher stakes dealt to them by their families and in general, society. An accurate example of this unique dynamic is seen through the famous teenage lover, Juliet Capulet of The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo & Juliet. The character of Juliet as a daughter breaks down societal norms and ultimately rebels against her stiflingly distant parents and for this reason is drastically underestimated. These norms pose great challenges to daughters like Juliet because of their importance in society. Expectations are demanded of Juliet by her parents reinforcing the lack of control she has over her own life. “In the fair city of Verona, where we lay our scene.” It is fairly a common social norm to become married and pregnant all in a young woman’s early teen years, roughly around twelve to fourteen. At the time of Shakespeare’s England, the average women did not marry until they were around the age of twenty one, yet in many other cultures this was normal practice. These expectations imposed by her parents, especially her mother, are the initial cause of Juliet’s distress. “Well, …show more content…
This passage exhibits Juliet’s respect for herself as a person with her own desires and displays the fact that she can still show some humor in uncomfortable situations. Her ultimate act of defiance against her parents happens when she fakes her own death to be happy with her husband. Juliet demonstrates that it is her that controls the events of her life, not her
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    ‘Romeo and Juliet/Catrin/Sweet 16/Follower’ Controlled Assessment: Examining the presentation of parental relationships from the literary heritage.
    • 1754 Words
    • 5 Pages

    ‘Romeo and Juliet/Catrin/Sweet 16/Follower’ Controlled Assessment: Examining the presentation of parental relationships from the literary heritage.

    ‘Romeo and Juliet’ written by the great man William Shakespeare is a title that everyone knows about. It’s a story that talks about both love and conflict in different types of relationships. Parental relationships are an eternal issue which often involves tensions even conflict. Relationships differ even today between parent and child, and the way it may be interpreted is affected by women’s role in society in Elizabethan England. In Elizabethan England, women were expected to adjust social restrictions by showing obedience and respect to the men in their lives. We describe this as being a patriarchal society, where men are more dominant. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare explores the effects of being part of a patriarchal society. In this assessment, I will examine just how the way Shakespeare presents the relationship from the literary heritage between Juliet and Lord/Lady Capulet with backed evidence.…

    • 1754 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Controversy Between The Capulets In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet
    • 1094 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Controversy Between The Capulets In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

    “Take thou this vial, being then in bed, and this distilled liquor drink thou off. When presently through all thy veins shall run a cold and drowsy humor; for no pulse shall keep his native progress, but surcease.” ( ,). This did not go as planned Romeo never got the letter explaining what was going on as far as he knew Juliet was dead. Romeo had went to get some poison opposed from not having Juliet in his life he had rather die with her so that they could be together at peace finally. Seconds before Juliet had awaken the poison was already upon his lips,he had began to take his last breath.Spending their last moments alive together Juliet had decided to take her life as well. If it weren’t for the feud Romeo and Juliet would be able to live together happily instead their life had to end so that they could be together. Their forbidden love because of the feud caused the death of the two lovers. They wanted to be together but the two families morals got in the way of that. Romeo and Juliet came from two different families who things from very different perspectives Romeo could do things that Juliet’s parents had…

    • 1094 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Juliet Can Be Recontextualised
    • 896 Words
    • 4 Pages

    How Juliet Can Be Recontextualised

    Juliet’s personality and character is one of the most obvious and significant element that has been recontextualised. In Shakespeare’s play, Juliet is described to be more than just a pretty face; she’s smart, witty, determined and mature. She knows what she wants, and she gets it as it is Juliet who proposes to Romeo not the other way around. In the text, she is written to be thirteen years of age and begins the play as a naïve child who has thought little about love and marriage, but she grows up quickly upon falling in love with Romeo. Being a girl from a high social class family, she has none of the freedom Romeo has to roam around the city or climb over walls at midnight. However she shows amazing courage in trusting her life and future to Romeo, refusing to believe the worst reports about him and even willing to shut important people out of her life (nurse) the moment they turn against Romeo. "And when I shall die, take him and cut him up in little stars, and he will make the face of heaven so fine that the entire world will fall in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun." Juliet’s role in society is very minor and simple. She is the pretty, ‘prized’ daughter of the Capulets and is expected to be obedient of men in their families. In the novel, she receives little guidance and help from her family and is expected to marry Paris as her father decided. This gives a clear example of women’s role and its unimportance.…

    • 896 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Act 3 Scen 5 Romeo and Juliet- Emotions Between Lady Capulet and Juliet
    • 682 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Act 3 Scen 5 Romeo and Juliet- Emotions Between Lady Capulet and Juliet

    At the start of Act 3 Scene 5, Juliet has just, unknowingly, said her final words to Romeo and had a premonition of his untimely death, something that later comes true when Juliet awakes from her drug induced slumber to find Romeo lying dead on the floor of the Capulet tomb. It is at this moment the Nurse informs Juliet that her mother is coming to her chambers. When her mother arrives, she finds Juliet in tears. However, instead of showing kindness towards her, she places a death threat on Romeo… believing Juliet’s tears to be sadness over the death of Tybalt and anger towards Romeo for killing him. However, this just adds to the distress Juliet is under. It is then Lady Capulet makes an announcement that, to Juliet, is the worst possible thing that could happen. She tells her that ‘’the gallant, young and noble gentleman, the county Paris, at Saint Peter’s church will happily make thee there a joyful bride” Here Lady Capulet is expecting a positive response, believing that this marriage will truly bring here out of her grief. So, the response she receives from Juliet would have been shocking, not only to Lady Capulet but to the contemporary audience… as it was expected at the time, that girls would do as their fathers told them and not dream of disobedience. The main emotion Juliet expresses in her response to her mother is anger. This very sudden, strong expression of her feelings on this matter has emerged due to this hasty marriage proposal being placed upon her already fired up emotions. Juliet is only a young girl, 13 years old and yet she is having to try and cope with problems/emotions that many of us will likely never have to face. It is the way Shakespeare portrays this that gains the sympathy of the modern audience and even partly the contemporary audience. Now although Juliet’s anger does show her youthfulness, it is quite clear to the audience she is not innocent little girl that her parents believe her to be. Juliet’s complete response to her mother…

    • 682 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Romeo And Juliet Disobeying Authority
    • 205 Words
    • 1 Page

    Romeo And Juliet Disobeying Authority

    In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, disobeying authority leads to conflict in the long run. First, the people of Verona have been feuding for generations and have been going against the Prince’s rule which leads death and destruction for both families. “If ever you disturb our streets again./ Your lives shall pay for the forfeit of this peace. ,” (1.1.87-88).…

    • 205 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Relationship Between Romeo And Juliet Decision Making Essay
    • 906 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Relationship Between Romeo And Juliet Decision Making Essay

    The historical hatred between the Capulets and the Montagues immediately compromised the relationship between Romeo and Juliet. They both knew that their parents would forbid their love for each other. Romeo and Juliet recognized that their partnership would never be blessed, yet this parental control could not stop the loving bond between these two young adults. (Act II Scene I) A second example is the arrangement of marriage between Juliet and Paris.Juliet protested that she did not love Paris and would never marry him. Juliet threatens her parents that if they force her to marry Paris, she will end her life for her heart belongs to Romeo. (Act III Scene V) Similar to the parents in this play, today's parents try to control the lives of their children, but children need to find their own path through life. Parents could possibly create permanent and catastrophic consequences similar to the needless deaths of Romeo and…

    • 906 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Romeo And Juliet Research Paper
    • 471 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Romeo And Juliet Research Paper

    Romeo had a friend in the city to help him find a way back to Juliet, but the news he got was horror to him. When he heard the news about the death of Juliet he was furious. He did not eat or sleep for some time. And when he was thinking he got the idea to kill himself to be with Juliet. So he went to the market to buy poison. When the deal was done he went to the church to die there with Juliet. but the plan backfired, when he drank the poison he saw that Juliet was alive, but by then it was to late. So Juliet grabbed a knife and killed herself so she could be with…

    • 471 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Romeo And Juliet Greed Quotes
    • 1112 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Romeo And Juliet Greed Quotes

    Youth must often suffer for parents' mistakes and the children involved in the classic tragedy by William Shakespeare, "Romeo and Juliet", suffer greatly for them. The parents of the Capulet and Montague families channeled energy into a very destructive, tragic outcome. Being too late to correct this negative behavior of hatred, disregard of feelings, and manipulation results in the most tragic events of all and the worst fear of any parent: the death of their child.…

    • 1112 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Romeo & Juliet Act 3 Scene 5
    • 1305 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Romeo & Juliet Act 3 Scene 5

    Within this essay I will be analysing the relationship between Juliet and Capulet. In the Elizabethan era women were treated less than men because it was the patriarchal society and this means that men are in charge. This is relevant to the question because an Elizabethan audience will be expecting a relationship like this from Juliet and Capulet because it’s the patriarchal society. An Elizabethan audience are different from a modern day one because, an Elizabethan audience would be expecting Capulet to be an Elizabethan character and therefore we had lot of expectations for his daughter Juliet and a modern audience would be surprised by this kind of relationship from Capulet. This is an important thing to consider for my essay because it helps us to understand more about the Elizabethan era. In my essay I will be looking at the relationship between Juliet and Capulet before Act 3 scene 5, why Capulet agrees to Paris marrying Juliet, what does Lady Capulet think and act 3, scene 5- how does Capulet react to Juliet’s refusal.…

    • 1305 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Persecution Of Juliet In William Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet
    • 373 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Persecution Of Juliet In William Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

    In this soliloquy, we see Juliet in her final moments prior to drinking the vial that is meant to stop her heart. Beginning her passage she bids farewell to her Mother and Nurse, who each have no knowledge of the plan Juliet and the Friar have made to stop her impending marriage to the Paris. The Friar gave her a potion made from a poisonous flower, intending for her to use it to fake her own death. At the time the Friar gave to potion to her, she indicated that she would do anything it takes to get out of a new marriage, even threatening to take her own life. Yet now Juliet expresses to the audience (or reader) that she is a bit skeptical of the plan, true to her natural character, being a skeptic who thinks things through fully. For the remainder of the passage we see her debate with herself and explore many possible…

    • 373 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Romeo and Juliet. No One's Tragedy
    • 782 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Romeo and Juliet. No One's Tragedy

    Shakespeare depicts love that can empower one to challenge the convention and the tradition in the world in which they live. In the patriarchal society, it is unthinkable for the daughter to defy her parents. Juliet goes against all social restraints when she contradicted her parents with, “I will not marry yet; and when I do, I swear it shall be Romeo.” Even her father’s outburst of rage in “young baggage, disobedient wretch!” did not change her plans. And in the world where names mean more than just a way to address oneself, she advises Romeo to "Deny thy father and refuse thy name… And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.’’ Young Juliet experiences love that gives her courage to challenge all that is expected of a young unmarried lady of noble background. Therefore her love liberates her from the bondage of the social mores of the time.…

    • 782 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Parents In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet
    • 688 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Parents In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

    When it comes to being a supportive parent of Juliet's decision in marriage that can be questionable. For example Lord Capulet is explaining to his servants of how he realizes he is not young anymore, “ Welcome, gentlemen, I have seen the day that I have worn a visor and could tell a whispering tale in a fair lady's ear, such as would please. “Tis gone...”, Lord Capulet is basically explaining how he realizes that he is not within his youth age anymore, he can’t just go around making love to a fair maiden. Back then the point of life was to multiply, it made sense the average age to live too was in your 20’s or 30’s. The only problem is it can be hard to multiply especially when you are yelling at your daughter that you don’t care about them and they can go die in the streets. This is exactly what Lord Capulet did to Juliet when she expressed her true feelings toward the marriage to paris. Lord Capulet Indignantly yells at Juliet, “ An you be mine, i’ll give you to my friend; and you be not, hang,beg,starve,die in the streets, for, by my soul i’ll ne’er acknowledge thee, Nor what is mine shall never do thee good: trust To’t, bethink you; i’ll not be forsworn.”, Lord Capulet never fails to show anger at the highest level. Juliet on the other hand is not trying to be rude by refusing to marry Paris, she doesn’t like him, and she’s already married, the only problem is…

    • 688 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Romeo and Juliet
    • 1147 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Romeo and Juliet

    Parenting is a responsibility beyond compare. The parents of today’s society carry the task of raising our next generation of adults. Both modern day parents as well as children face circumstances and issues that are particular to the 21st century. With today’s newfound technology and means of transportation, the scenarios that take place in Romeo and Juliet appear utterly ridiculous to us. The formalities and customs of the 1500’s were vastly contradictory to those of our era. Young girls, as young as age twelve, were married off to adult, sometime much old men. The story of Juliet Capulet and Romeo Montague is a textbook case of the “norm” in the 1500’s. Shakespeare emphasizes that extreme parental restriction and control can lead to destruction of true love, and sometimes, young lives as well.…

    • 1147 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Romeo And Juliet Human Nature Essay
    • 794 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Romeo And Juliet Human Nature Essay

    When a person becomes a parent, their ultimate goal in life is to protect and provide for their child. Juliet had the ideal childhood environment; her parents sheltered her from the negative of the world and provided her with the best in life. Yet sometimes parents’ best intentions are not suitable for their child. Juliet’s view of marriage at the beginning was naïve, “It is an [honor] that I dream not of” (1.3.71). The thought of marriage…

    • 794 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Comparing the Love Scenes - Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing.
    • 1276 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Comparing the Love Scenes - Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing.

    In Romeo and Juliet, the lovers which were Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, had a secret, albeit forbidden relationship, due to their families in an ongoing feud with each other. Juliet, at the young age of 13, was pressured, and eventually commanded to (or else she would be disowned), marry Count Paris. This shows that around the time of Shakespeare, parents could 'make' their daughter, even at young ages, marry a man even if they didn't want to.…

    • 1276 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics