juliet quotes and analysis

• Juliet


  Telling her mother that she hadn't really dreamed of the possibility of being married, but it is an honor
• This is a complete lie, as Juliet deeply fears the patriarchal arrangement of her father choosing who she will marry
• Juliet's mother was already married and had Juliet when she was 13 years old, while Juliet's father is now around 50 years old
• Juliet wants to escape this patriarchal arrangement and marry someone she chooses, which is why when she first meets Romeo, she tells him to work out a plan to get them married
• Sonnet


  The form of a love poem that Romeo and Juliet speak together, sharing lines as they first meet
• Religious language


  Used by Romeo and Juliet to explore their sexual passion and attraction, which is blasphemous and sacrilegious
• Juliet is in control of the sudden change (volta) in the sonnet, telling Romeo to kiss her
• Original sin


  The idea that women are naturally more manipulative, sinful, and evil than men, as seen in the story of Adam and Eve
• Shakespeare wants the audience to understand why Juliet would want to break society's rules, as she is forced to become manipulative and cunning to survive in an oppressive patriarchal society
• Juliet's soliloquy


  Suggests that she is really interested in her sexual passion for Romeo, rather than just love at first sight
• Rose


  A symbol of femininity that Juliet uses to portray Romeo, showing the gender divisions in society and the mismatch between them
• Juliet imagining Romeo as a falcon


  Suggests she is taking on the masculine role of controlling him, which is a sign of original sin in Elizabethan society
• Juliet puts pressure on Romeo to arrange their marriage, as the only way they can have a sexual relationship in their society is to be married
• Juliet offers Romeo her fortunes as a dowry, which was the money the bride's father would pay to the groom for marrying his daughter
• Juliet sees herself as in control


  She says if thy purpose is marriage send me word tomorrow and romeo's gone okay i'll marry you
• Juliet tries to control Romeo


  By using the conventions of the patriarchal society, asking him to arrange the marriage
• Juliet introduces fortune as finance


  She says she will give Romeo her extreme wealth, showing she is negotiating the marriage
• Juliet associates love and sexuality with death


  She personifies night time as a black brown knight, a lover who's coming to see her, and links this to her own death
• Juliet imagines death as a lover coming to take her virginity


  This shows her obsession with her virginity, which has a high price in her society
• Juliet would rather her parents were dead than Romeo was banished


  This shows her immaturity and the terrible influence of her parents
• Juliet has to show complete subservience to her father


  She has to get on her knees, be polite, and is not allowed to speak, symbolising how society silences women
• Shakespeare pushes us to see the relationship as more about sexual passion than true love