Read the following extract from Act 4 Scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet, and then answer the
question that follows.
At this point in the play, Juliet is expressing her displeasure at her impending marriage to
Paris.
JULIET
O, bid me leap, rather than marry Paris,
From off the battlements of yonder tower;
Or walk in thievish ways; or bid me lurk
Where serpents are; chain me with roaring bears;
Or shut me nightly in a charnel-house,
O'er-cover'd quite with dead men's rattling bones,
With reeky shanks and yellow chapless skulls;
Or bid me go into a new-made grave
And hide me with a dead man in his shroud;
Things that, to hear them told, have made me
tremble;
And I will do it without fear or doubt,
To live an unstain'd wife to my sweet love.
Starting with this exchange, explain Shakespeare’s presentation of the role of women.
Write about:
● how Shakespeare presents the role of women in this extract.
● how Shakespeare presents the role of women in the play as a whole.
Introduction
Outline: Shakespeare uses Juliet’s melodramatic expression of her displeasure regarding her
impending marriage to Paris to exemplify her reluctance to fulfil her father’s wishes.
Main Points:
Shakespeare presents the role of women as dictated by the wishes of the leading
male figure in their life, allowing little room for women to pursue their own desires.
Shakespeare presents the role of women as confined: their role is magnified only in
the domestic sphere and their capacity to marry.
Shakespeare presents the role of women as important to establish an aristocratic
connection through marriage, rather than allowing them to pursue love.
Paragraph 1
Point: Shakespeare presents the role of women as dictated by the wishes of the leading
male figure in their life, allowing little room for women to pursue their own desires.
Evidence: 1. “O'er-cover'd quite with dead men's rattling bones” (Juliet), 2. “And I will do it
without fear or doubt, to live an unstain'd wife to my sweet love.” (Juliet)
,Technique: Personification (quote 1), metaphor (quote 2)
Explanation: Though Juliet’s soliloquy is melodramatic, it is effective in communicating to
the audience how her will is being overborn by her father’s desire for her to marry Paris.
Equating her marriage to Paris to being covered by “dead men’s rattling bones” could
potentially forbode how she would prefer to be dead herself (lying with another dead man,
for example, in a cemetery) than be forced to marry Paris. She wants to remain “unstain’d”
for Romeo, which not only alludes to avoiding bigamy, but also alludes to remaining faithful
to Romeo and reserving her love and affection for only him.
Context: This scene would have resonated with the Elizabethan audience, as arranged
marriages, particularly amongst the nobility were common. The marriage would double as a
way to facilitate business between the families, so that each family can flourish with access
to powerful connections and even more wealth. Thus, young wealthy women watching this
scene would certainly empathise with Juliet, given that their marital arrangements were
similar.
Link: Shakespeare uses this scene to present the role of women as being subordinated to the
wishes of their family, blocking them from pursuing their own desires.
Paragraph 2
Point: Shakespeare presents the role of women as confined: their role is magnified only in
the domestic sphere and their capacity to marry.
Evidence: 1. “Within her scope of choice lies my consent” (Lord Capulet) 2. “Here in Verona,
ladies of esteem are made already mothers” (Lady Capulet)
Technique: Personification (quote 1)
Explanation: From the outset of the play, the audience witnesses Juliet’s purpose being
defined by her family. As a young lady, Lord Capulet conveys that Juliet only has an illusion of
choice, with the reality being that his approval is a prerequisite to any choice she makes.
Additionally, Juliet is pressured to adopt the prototypical role of a woman as soon as
possible, with Lady Capulet making sure to point out that she should have been married
with children already. Societal confines mean that Juliet’s relationship, which requires her
own autonomy and freedom to be upheld, was doomed from the start.
Context: Elizabethans watching this play would likely have seen no issue with this type of
parenting/arrangement of Juliet’s marriage. Elizabethans understood that average life
expectancy was around 40 years old. Therefore, there was nothing unreasonable to them
about a woman getting married as young as 13 years old. Though this may be shocking to a
modern audience, a contemporary audience would see Lord and Lady Capulet as fulfilling
their parental duty in finding Juliet a reasonable suitor, even at such a young age.
, Link: Shakespeare presents the role of women as one that is pre-determined and outlined
already. Their role is only truly significant for marriage and later, in the domestic sphere.
Paragraph 3
Point: Shakespeare presents the role of women as important to establish an aristocratic
connection through marriage, rather than allowing them to pursue love.
Evidence: 1. “I tell thee what: get thee to church a' Thursday or never after look me in the
face.” (Lord Capulet), 2. “Talk not to me, for I'll not speak a word, do as thou wilt, for I have
done with thee.” (Lady Capulet)
Technique: Hyperbole (Quote 1), dismissive tone (Quote 2)
Explanation: Juliet’s refusal to marry Paris is especially insulting to her father, not only
because she is rebelling against his wishes, but because her father will not be able to pursue
his own agenda through her marrying another aristocrat. Her parent’s reactions are so
severe, she is told not to “talk” or “look” at them. It is disappointing, particularly for a
modern audience to witness Juliet being effectively disowned because she is pursuing her
own love by remaining loyal to Romeo. Shakespeare presents their reactions as harsh, but
their reaction to her death as particularly distressing, perhaps to highlight the dangers of
trying to control your children’s destiny to the modern and contemporary audience.
Context: Paris was a kinsman to Prince Escalus and was known as a wealthy man. Both
during the Elizabethan era, as well as the 14th century when the play was set, marriage was
used by parents to make links with other rich families, and it was commonly accepted that a
girl’s father would find a husband for her. Marrying for love was a mindless exercise for
Elizabethans and generally was not accepted. Juliet's refusal to marry Paris was so severe
because women were expected to get married and take of their family's household.
Link: Shakespeare presents the role of women as magnified only when it benefits the wider
family, which he subtly critiques throughout the play.
Conclusion: *Reiterate three main points*
