Juliet: Character Analysis
Summary
TLDRThis video script delves into the character of Juliet from Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', highlighting her complex relationship with her family and nurse, her cautious yet blossoming love with Romeo, and her maturity in contrast to Romeo's immaturity. It explores the Elizabethan societal norms that confined Juliet and emphasizes her growth from a guarded girl to an assertive woman, ultimately presenting her as a proto-feminist figure whose actions and decisions drive the play's narrative.
Takeaways
- 🌟 The character of Juliet is first introduced in Act 1, Scene 3, where her distant relationship with her mother and close bond with her nurse are established.
- 👶 The nurse's role as a wet nurse to Juliet, a common practice among wealthy Elizabethan families, signifies her deep connection to Juliet since her birth.
- 🤔 Juliet's cautious and non-committal responses in Act 1, Scene 3 suggest her awareness of societal expectations and the lack of control over her future marriage.
- 💑 The meeting between Juliet and Romeo in Act 1, Scene 5, and their exchange in the form of a Shakespearean sonnet, symbolizes their perfect match and mutual completion.
- 🔄 Juliet often mirrors Romeo's words in their dialogue, which could indicate her cautious nature or a playful form of flirting.
- 🌙 Juliet's maturity and practicality are contrasted with Romeo's immaturity and poetic hyperbole, especially evident in their balcony scene in Act 2, Scene 2.
- 🏠 The settings in which Juliet and Romeo are seen highlight the constraints of the patriarchal society; Juliet rarely leaves her father's property, unlike Romeo who roams freely.
- 👵 The nurse's role as a confidante and surrogate parent to Juliet changes as the play progresses, with Juliet distancing herself from the nurse as she matures.
- 💔 The deterioration of Juliet's relationship with the nurse is marked by the nurse's inability to understand Juliet's loyalty to Romeo and her advice to marry Paris instead.
- 🏛 The societal norms of Elizabethan England are reflected in the play's settings and character dynamics, emphasizing Juliet's limited freedom compared to Romeo.
- 💔 The dramatic emphasis on Juliet's death over Romeo's in the play suggests a proto-feminist perspective, presenting Juliet as a wiser and more significant character.
Q & A
What is the significance of Juliet's relationship with her nurse in the play?
-Juliet's relationship with her nurse is significant as it shows a close bond that is akin to a mother-daughter relationship. The nurse has been with Juliet since her birth and has played a crucial role in her upbringing. This relationship is also indicative of the social norms of Elizabethan England, where a wet nurse, typically of a lower class, would nurse the child of a higher class family.
How does the script suggest that Juliet's relationship with her mother is distant?
-The script suggests a distant relationship between Juliet and her mother through the dialogue where Lady Capulet cannot bear to talk to Juliet alone and asks the nurse to leave them to talk in secret. This dynamic is further emphasized by the closeness of Juliet's relationship with her nurse in contrast.
What role does the nurse play in Juliet's life, and how does it reflect the social structure of Elizabethan England?
-The nurse plays the role of a surrogate mother and confidante to Juliet. This reflects the social structure of Elizabethan England, where it was common for wealthier families to employ wet nurses from a lower social class to care for their children. The nurse's role extends beyond infancy, showing a lifelong bond with Juliet.
How does the script analyze Juliet's dialogue in Act 1, Scene 3 regarding marriage?
-The script points out that Juliet is given very little dialogue in Act 1, Scene 3, which is significant as it suggests her limited agency and voice in matters such as marriage. Her response to Lady Capulet's question about marrying Paris, 'It is an honor that I dream not of,' is non-committal and guarded, indicating her awareness of the societal expectations and constraints she faces.
What is the significance of the sonnet form used in the exchange between Romeo and Juliet at the Capulet ball?
-The use of the sonnet form in their exchange symbolizes the perfection and completeness of their love for each other. It is a form of love poetry that consists of 14 lines of iambic pentameter with a specific rhyme scheme. This literary device signifies that Romeo and Juliet are meant for each other and that their love is profound and harmonious.
How does the script interpret the mirroring language used by Juliet in her conversations with both Romeo and Lady Capulet?
-The script interprets the mirroring language as a sign of Juliet's cautious nature, especially in expressing her feelings. By repeating words used by others, she may be subtly flirting or simply being cautious not to reveal too much of her own emotions.
What does the script suggest about the maturity levels of Romeo and Juliet?
-The script suggests that Juliet is more mature and practical compared to Romeo. This is evident in their conversations, where Juliet often provides down-to-earth responses to Romeo's poetic and hyperbolic statements. Her maturity is further highlighted by her initiative in discussing marriage with Romeo.
How does the script discuss the role of women in Elizabethan England and its reflection in the play?
-The script discusses the limited rights and opportunities for women in Elizabethan England, such as the inability to attend school, own property, or vote. It reflects this in the play through the arranged marriage plot and the limited agency of Juliet, who is expected to comply with her father's decisions regarding her future.
What is the significance of the different settings in which Romeo and Juliet are seen throughout the play?
-The different settings emphasize the patriarchal society of the time. Juliet is often seen within her father's property, signifying her limited freedom and the control exerted over her by patriarchal norms. In contrast, Romeo is portrayed as free to roam and act independently, reflecting the differing expectations and freedoms for men and women.
How does the script analyze the changing relationship between Juliet and her nurse as the play progresses?
-The script analyzes the changing relationship by highlighting the nurse's role as a surrogate parent and confidante that Juliet initially relies on. However, as Juliet matures and the plot develops, especially following Tybalt's death and the nurse's advice to marry Paris, Juliet distances herself from the nurse, asserting her independence and indicating a shift in their relationship.
What emphasis does the script place on Juliet's death compared to Romeo's in the context of the play's dramatic impact?
-The script places more dramatic emphasis on Juliet's death as it occurs later in the play, allowing her character to have a greater impact on the audience. This supports a proto-feminist interpretation, presenting Juliet as wiser and more important than Romeo.
Outlines
👶 Introduction to Juliet's Character
The first paragraph introduces the character of Juliet, highlighting her distant relationship with her mother and close bond with her nurse, Lady Capulet. It explains the role of a wet nurse in Elizabethan England and how this connection shapes Juliet's upbringing. The audience is also introduced to the societal expectations of women during this era, including the lack of autonomy in marriage. Juliet's cautious and guarded demeanor in her interactions, especially with her mother regarding marriage, is noted. The paragraph sets the stage for Juliet's character development throughout the play.
🌹 Juliet's Maturity and Relationship with Romeo
The second paragraph delves into Juliet's maturity and her relationship with Romeo. It contrasts Juliet's practicality with Romeo's poetic hyperbole, showcasing her wisdom and grounded nature. The paragraph discusses the balcony scene, where Juliet's true feelings are revealed, and how the setting of their interactions reflects the constraints of the patriarchal society. It also touches on the idea of Shakespeare as a proto-feminist, presenting Juliet as a strong and eloquent character who leads the conversation about marriage with Romeo.
📜 Juliet's Growing Independence and Tragic End
The third paragraph examines Juliet's journey towards independence and the tragic conclusion of the play. It details the evolving relationship between Juliet and her nurse, highlighting the nurse's role as a surrogate parent and the eventual distancing as Juliet matures. The paragraph also discusses the societal expectations and pressures faced by Juliet, especially in contrast to Romeo's freedom. The emphasis on Juliet's death as a more dramatic and impactful moment compared to Romeo's is noted, reinforcing the proto-feminist interpretation of the play where Juliet is portrayed as the wiser and more significant character.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Character Analysis
💡Mother-Daughter Relationship
💡Wet Nurse
💡Elizabethan England
💡Sonnet
💡Patriarchy
💡Proto-Feminism
💡Blazon
💡Hyperbole
💡Surrogate Parent
💡Dramatic Emphasis
Highlights
Introduction of Juliet's character in Act 1, Scene 3, emphasizing her distant relationship with her mother and close bond with her nurse.
Juliet's relationship with her nurse is highlighted as a significant aspect of her upbringing and emotional support.
The role of a wet nurse in Elizabethan England and its implications for Juliet's class and upbringing.
Analysis of Juliet's cautious dialogue in Act 1, Scene 3, suggesting her awareness of societal expectations and constraints on her future.
The contrast between Juliet's limited dialogue and the extensive conversation between Lady Capulet and the nurse, indicating Juliet's lack of agency in her marriage prospects.
The significance of the Capulet ball in Act 1, Scene 5 as the setting for Juliet and Romeo's first meeting and their poetic exchange.
The use of a Shakespearean sonnet in their dialogue to symbolize the couple's perfect match and mutual completion.
Juliet's cautious language mirroring Romeo's words, suggesting her guarded feelings or playful flirting.
Juliet's full expression of feelings in the balcony scene, demonstrating her maturity and independence.
Contrasting Romeo's immaturity and hyperbolic statements with Juliet's practical and mature responses.
The exploration of Juliet's character as a proto-feminist figure, showcasing her strength and eloquence.
The importance of Juliet's role in initiating the discussion about marriage with Romeo, reflecting her assertiveness.
The setting of the play as a reflection of the patriarchal society, with Juliet often confined to her father's property.
The close relationship between Juliet and her nurse, serving as a surrogate parent and confidante.
The gradual distancing of Juliet from her nurse as she matures and seeks independence from her childhood dependencies.
The dramatic emphasis on Juliet's death as the final scene, suggesting her greater impact and significance in the play.
The evolution of Juliet's character from cautious and guarded to assertive and independent, highlighting her growth throughout the play.
Transcripts
hello everybody and welcome to today's
video analyzing the character of Juliet
the audience first meets Juliet in act 1
scene 3 where a number of key points are
established to begin with we learned
that Juliet has a distant relationship
with her mother and a close relationship
with her nurse Lady Capulet cannot bear
to talk to Juliet alone nurse give leave
a while we must talk in secret nurse
come back again this presents the
mother-daughter relationship as distant
the audience sees that nurse has been
with Juliet since she was born faith I
can tell her age into an hour this
closeness of relationship is understood
further when we learned that nurse was
the wet nurse for Juliet a wet nurse is
someone who breastfeeds the child of
someone else a wet nurse in Elizabethan
England would have been a woman of lower
class employed to feed the child of a
higher class family we learned that
nurse had her own daughter Susan who
died and nurse took on the role of
wetness for Juliet the presence of a wet
nurse was common in Rich families in
Elizabeth and England but they would
only be employed until the the baby was
weaned in the play nurses stayed on as a
guardian for Juliet who is now 13 years
old in a scene focused on asking Juliet
what she thinks of the idea of marrying
Paris it's notable just how little
dialogue Shakespeare gives her Juliet
only has eight lions in act 1 scene 3
whereas Lady Capulet and the nurse take
up 90 or so of the dialogue so what
impression do we get from the little
that Juliet does say in this
introductory scene when Lady Capulet
asks her daughter how stands your
disposition to be married Juliet
responds with the non-committal it is an
honor that I dream not of Juliet is
guarded and cautious here sidestepping
the question but is she telling the
truth has she never thought of marriage
in act 2 scene 2 she's certainly
thinking of marriage with Romeo telling
him if that thy bent of Love be
honorable thy purpose marriage send me
word tomorrow either way Juliet is
guarded with her mother giving very
little away she's much more open with
her nurse as we shall soon see although
act 1 scene 3 is the first time the
audience meets Juliet it's not the first
time she's been the focus of the play
act 1 scene 2 sees Paris talking to Lord
Capulet about the possibility of
marrying Juliet the scene might confuse
a modern audience but in Shakespeare's
time arranged marriages were common
particularly for middle and upper class
families to understand this fully let's
explore the role of women in Elizabethan
England women belong to their fathers
and then their husbands when they
married could not attend school or
university could not purchase or own
property could not vote were not allowed
on stage in plays the female roles were
acted by young men with this in mind
perhaps Juliet says very little in act 1
scene 3 because she knows that her
future marriage is outside of her
control or at least it is expected to be
but things are about to change when the
audience next sees Juliet in act 1 scene
5. Juliet meets Romeo in act 1 scene 5
at the Capulet ball where the exchange
between the two is significant if I
profane with my unworthy or hand this
holy Shrine the gentle finest this my
lips two blushing pilgrims ready stand
to smooth that rough touch with a tender
kiss good Pilgrim you do wrong your hand
too much which manually devotion shows
in this for Saints have hands that
Pilgrim's hands do touch and palm to
Palm is Holy Palmer's kiss have not
Saints lips and holy Palmers too I
Pilgrim lips that they must use in
prayer oh then dear Saints let lips do
what hands do they pray Grant thou lest
Faith turn to despair Saints do not move
though grant for prayer's sake then move
not while my prayers effect I take Romeo
and Juliet's words combine here to form
a Shakespearean sonnet a form of love
poetry which has 14 lines of I am bit
pentameter that's 10 alternating
unstressed and stressed syllables per
line with the rhyme scheme a b a b c d c
d e f e f g g Shakespeare's employment
of the sonnet form symbolizes that the
couple are perfect for each other and
that they complete each other only when
together to their words crater sonnet
symbolizing how they found true love
however it is possible to see in this
exchange some of the same caution Juliet
had with her mother previously in the
exchange with Romeo Juliet often mirrors
or repeats his words Romeo mentions
Pilgrim hand kiss and Juliet's reply
includes the same words Romeo mentions
lips and Juliet replies with the same
word Romeo mentions Saints and prayer
and Juliet replies with the same words
this language mirroring is similar to
the exchange between Juliet and Lady
Capulet in Act 1 Scene 3 speak briefly
can you like of paris's love I'll look
to like if looking liking moves Lady
Capulet mentions like and Juliet replies
with the same words what could this
mirroring from Juliet suggest perhaps it
indicates how she is slightly cautious
with Romeo trying not to give too much
away of her own feelings or perhaps it's
simply flirting punning on Romeo's words
for playful effect whatever the cause it
is notable how Juliet only expresses her
feelings fully when she believes she's
alone in the balcony scene of act 2
scene 2. little does she know she's
being observed by Romeo in act 2 scene 2
Shakespeare presents julieta's mature
and he heightens this through contrast
with Romeo's immaturity when Romeo spies
Juliet at the window he declares it is
the East and Juliet is the sun this is
the first of many hyperbolic statements
from Romeo his words are an example of a
blazon describing women using a range of
grand metaphors his poetic hyperbole
continues when Juliet asks him a
practical question how can Mr hither the
orchard walls are high and hard to climb
and Romeo replies with with loves light
Wings did Iowa perch these walls Juliet
ignores this nonsensical comment and
again gives a very down-to-earth
practical warning if they do see thee
they will murder thee once again Romeo's
reply is ridiculous a lack there lies
more Peril in thine eye than 20 their
swords again and again in this exchange
Romeo's words are hyperbolic and poetic
whilst Juliet's a practical and mature
the juxtaposition between the two
heightens the impact and shows the
audience Juliet's maturity and wisdom
many people argue that Shakespeare was a
proto-feminist feminism is the belief
that women should have the same rights
opportunities and power as men feminism
as it exists today did not exist in
Shakespeare's time so we use Proto at
the beginning to make that distinction
Scholars often look at Shakespeare's
female characters and point to their
eloquence and strength of character
concluding that Shakespeare must have
been sending some sort of message about
women and what he thought of them and
this is most definitely the case when it
comes to Juliet who's presented in far
superior times to Romeo despite being
only 13 years old in her wisdom it is
Juliet who instigates discussion about
marriage to Romeo if that thy bent of
Love Beyond Rebel thy purpose marriage
send me word tomorrow the mirroring has
now disappeared and and julietus leading
the conversation is that thy bent of
Love be honorable suggests that Juliet
is still cautious about Romeo's
intentions and all of this is very
important for Juliet as evidenced in a
seemingly insignificant line when she
tries to get the attention of the
retreating Romeo bondage's horse and may
not speak aloud Juliet is pointing out
here how she must speak quietly as she's
under her father's control a stark
reminder of the context of the play
Let's just pause and think about what's
Happening Here Juliet is at her bedroom
window in capulet's house Romeo has
climbed over the wall into the Capulet
Orchard and is speaking from the ground
below this setting is highly significant
Juliet is where she is supposed to be
but Romeo is not now here's a list of
every setting in the play let's look at
where we see Romeo and where we see
Juliet in the play is Romeo
here's Juliet
now there are two things to note here
firstly Juliet rarely leaves her parents
property in fact she only does so when
she heads to Freya Lawrence's cell
Shakespeare's use of setting reminds us
of the patriarchal society in which
Juliet lives in Elizabethan England a
husband legally owned his wife and
daughters when her daughter married she
then became the property of her husband
and the use of setting for Juliet
reinforces this apart from a brief visit
to the fire in Act 4 scene 1 Juliet is
always seen in her father's property the
bondage Juliet refers to here is the
fact that she's held captive by the
expectations of the patriarchal society
patriarchy is a system where men possess
power and women are excluded from it
patriarchy also refers specifically to a
family where the father is in control
and we see both in Romeo and Juliet
Juliet's father decides who she marries
and when Paris discusses his marriage
proposal with Lord Capulet not with
Juliet in stark contrast to this not
only is Romeo never seen at his home the
Montague household does not feature as a
setting of the play at all but as arati
Kanika points out in architecture's
pretexts spaces of translation Romeo's
presence can be traced at every location
that is mentioned in the play and that
quotation is used with permission so
thank you for that so Romeo essentially
appears everywhere at some point or
another whilst Juliet remains at home
Romeo is free to roam the streets and is
bold enough to enter the property of his
sworn enemy Juliet is indeed in bondage
whilst Romeo is not the differing
expectations of a young man and a young
woman in Elizabethan England are evident
through the locations in which the
characters appear Juliet is cautious
because she has to be she does not have
the same Freedom as Romeo in Acts 2
scene 5 we see more of the close
relationship that Juliet has with her
nurse nurse returns to Juliet who's
desperate to know what Romeo has said
the audience knows that Romeo has
proposed marriage but the nurse drags it
out in lines like this your love says
like an honest gentleman and a courteous
and a kind and a handsome and I warrant
of virtuous where is your mother
where is my mother why she is within
where should she be how oddly thou will
replyest your love says like an honest
gentleman where is your mother What's
Happening Here is the nurse is
deliberately winding Juliet up by
dragging out the news of Romeo's
proposal the comic exchanges between the
two signify the closeness of the
relationship as does the fact that
Juliet confides into her nurse in the
first place after meeting Romeo in act 1
scene 5 Juliet asks nurse to identify
him then in act 2 scene 4 Juliet
confides in her nurse and sends her to
meet Romeo it is the nurse who takes the
Rope platter needed for Romeo to ascend
into Juliet's chamber and the nurse sets
it up in Act 4 scene 2 it is the nurse
who's sent to deliver a message and a
ring to Romeo at Friar Lawrence's cell
in act 3 scene 3 it is the nurse who
warns julieton at 3 scene five third her
mother's about to walk into the room and
find her with Romeo and it is the nurse
who stands up to Capulet in the same
scene telling him you are to blame to
rate her so we therefore see very
clearly that the nurse has a close
relationship with Juliet we can see
nurse as a surrogate parent to Juliet in
much the same way as we see Friar
Lawrence as surrogate's parent to Romeo
but this relationship between Juliet and
her nurse grows apart as the play
progresses in act 3 scene 2 the audience
finds the nurse unable to understand why
Juliet is siding with Romeo After
tibolt's Death she proclaims will you
speak well of him that killed your
cousin Juliet who doted on nurse at the
start of the play is becoming a young
woman and moving beyond such childish
things as needing what is essentially a
full-time babysitter as a result she's
starting to distance herself and the
people she Associates with childhood
Juliet and the nurse will continue to
grow apart throughout the play Juliet's
relationship with nurses further damaged
an act 3 scene 5 when nurse tells Juliet
she should forget the newly banished
Romeo and Maori Paris for Juliet this is
the final straw she dismisses her nurse
and rants ancient damnation almost
Wicked fiend is it more sin to wish me
thus for sworn or to dispraise my Lord
with that same tongue which has she hath
praised him with above compare so many
thousand times go counselor thou and my
bosom henceforth shall be Twain out of
the friar to know his remedy if all else
fail myself have power to die in other
words Juliet vows never again to tell
nurse what is in her heart the
relationship as far as Juliet is
concerned is over
this newfound Declaration of
Independence is reiterated later in the
scene having told her mother and nurse
to leave Juliet begins to worry about
the situation she's in and panics about
the terror of the place the tomb to
which she is heading for a moment she
loses her nerve and calls the nurse back
but soon realizes she needs to act alone
Juliet has at this point fully outgrown
the nurse she's been betrayed by her in
act three scene 5 with the nurse
advising a second marriage to Paris and
has realized that a nurse can help her
no further finally let's explore the
deaths of Romeo and Juliet as Cedric
Watts points out in the introduction to
the Wordsworth edition of the play there
is more dramatic emphasis placed on
Juliet than Romeo as her death occurs
later in the play if we compare this to
a play like Macbeth where Lady Macbeth
dies off stage in an earlier scene to
the death of Macbeth we understand
what's his point Juliet being the last
to die means she has the greater impact
on the audience and again this backs up
the Proto a feminist interpretation with
Juliet being presented as wiser and more
important than Romeo for key quotations
let's begin with Juliet's early
mirroring good Pilgrim you do wrong your
hand too much moving to assertive
Behavior if that thy band of Love Beyond
Rebel thy purpose marriage send me word
tomorrow we might also choose an example
of Juliet's practical level-headed
approach in contrast to Romeo's
hyperbole if they do see thee they will
murder thee and finally let's select an
example of the growing distance in
Juliet's relationship with her nurse
ancient damnation if you found this
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everything I go through in these videos
can be found in the new Third Edition of
Mr brosky to Romeo and Juliet available
through following the links in the
description
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