Juliet Capulet
| Juliet Capulet | |
|---|---|
The balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet as depicted by Frank Dicksee
|
|
| Creator | William Shakespeare |
| Play | Romeo and Juliet |
| Family |
|
| Associates | The Nurse (surrogate mother) |
| Role | Protagonist |
Juliet Capulet (Italian: Giulietta Capuleti) is the female protagonist and one of two title characters in William Shakespeare's romantic love tragedy Romeo and Juliet. Juliet is the only daughter of Capulet, the patriarch of the Capulet family. The story has a long history that precedes Shakespeare himself.
The play takes place over a time span of five days. Within these few days, Juliet is thrust into adulthood quickly—where she must deal with issues of life such as, romance, Passion, loss, and even death. During the play she is courted by a potential husband named Count Paris, strongly falls romantically in love with another Romeo who is the only son of her family's enemy, marries Romeo secretly, experiences the death of her first cousin Tybalt, has one brief passionate, romantic night with her new husband before he is forced to leave the city, is threatened by her father and nearly disowned by both of her parents for refusing to marry the man they have chosen for her, she is let down emotionally by the nurse who raised her from infancy, spends nearly two days drugged to unconsciousness. When Romeo found out he thought she was dead and drank poison to meet her in the after life.
Shakespeare's Juliet is a headstrong and intelligent character in spite of her young age, though she often seems timid to the audience because of her young age. She is considered by many to be the true hero of the play, acting as a sounding board and a balance against the impulsive Romeo. It is Juliet who sets the boundaries of behavior in her relationship with Romeo: she allows him to kiss her, she pledges her commitment before him, and it is she who suggests their marriage. Juliet's forgiveness of Romeo after he kills Tybalt indicates her mature nature in contrast to his passionate impulsiveness. Furthermore, Juliet lies and clandestinely subverts her family's wishes, a truly rebellious action against traditional Italian society. These actions and the choices they require establish Juliet as a far more complex character than her family, or even Romeo, appreciate.
Juliet's wealthy family lived in Verona, headed by old Capulet and his wife. She was their only child and was thought of as a gift from heaven. Juliet at this point is two weeks away from her fourteenth birthday. As a child, she was cared for by her nurse, who is now her confidant, or Juliet's best companion.
...
Wikipedia