Friday, August 5, 2011

How is Juliet courageous in Romeo and Juliet?

One way that Juliet's courage is revealed in the play is in her willingness to receive Romeo's love in the first place. In so doing, she risks running afoul of her own family, which is, of course, locked in a bitter and long-running feud with the rival Montagues. Juliet also shows courage by defying her father's decision that she will marry Paris. While she eventually gives in as part of the Friar's plot to reunite her with Romeo, her refusal to marry Paris earns her a bitter rebuke from Lord Capulet. Shakespeare's audience, steeped in a culture that demanded total obedience from daughters, would have realized what a courageous act this was. Finally, Juliet's greatest act of courage is her willingness to go through with the Friar's plan. This plan requires her to take a drug that will make her appear dead, and to have her body interred in the Capulet family crypt. Not only must it have been frightening to take the poison, but she did so knowing that when she awoke, it would be in a mausoleum filled with the decaying bodies of her ancestors. The important thing to understand is that she derives her courage from her love for Romeo, which she values more than her own life.

No comments:

Post a Comment

What are hearing tests?

Indications and Procedures Hearing tests are done to establish the presence, type, and sever...