Romeo and Juliet Literary Essay

Juliet is a Tragic Heroine

     Juliet’s decisions are in keeping with women’s rights and yet she is a flawed, tragic heroine of her time who pays the ultimate price for her defiance.  She was bred by her parents who provided a cushy life for her.  In her time, this ‘social breeding’, was in preparation for the day she would leave home. Ultimately,  to obey another set of rules - to be an obedient wife to a husband (chosen by her parents). Juliet lives a safe, sheltered life, she is young and inexperienced.  You could say her flaw is her eagerness to please others. Put that together with her natural curiosity and she will react impulsively and make bad decisions that get her into serious trouble.  It’s no wonder that her parents keep such a tight rein on her, knowing how ripe she is for the taking and how sweetly innocent she is.  

     Let’s take a look at her behavior with Romeo early in Act 2 Scene 2, when she is alone with Romeo for the first time. She starts out well-mannered and restrains herself “I have no joy in this contract tonight. It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden...” Then at the end of this scene, after allowing him to kiss her, she suddenly declares“...all my fortunes at thy foot I’ll lay and follow thee my lord throughout the world.” She disobeys her parents and breaks all code of conduct of a well bred lady.  She desperately clings to her new lord and master, Romeo who is probably as surprised as anyone to possess her heart and soul so rapidly.  She breaks from all modesty, losing her self control, in the name of love! 

     
     Back in Shakespeare’s time a young woman of Juliet’s class could not even consider ‘dating’ someone that her family did not approve of; and making a decision about who to marry was out of the question. As in Act 3 Scene 2 when Juliet’s father (Lord Capulet) is angered by her resistance to marry Paris and degrades her “Mistress, minion you, Thank me no thankings nor proud me no prouds, But fettle your joints ‘gainst Thursday next, to go with Paris...” and he warns and insults her,  “ I will drag thee thither.  Out, you baggage!...” He then goes on to yell at her calling her a “disobedient wretch” and telling her to shut up and do as she’s told, “ Speak not; reply not; do not answer me.  My fingers itch.” (that last part about his fingers ‘itching’ is telling how he would hit her if she doesn’t shut up and do as she is told).  

     Juliet listens to her heart and refuses the man her father has chosen for her. She is not expected to marry for love and if she is forced to marry Paris, she feels that a part of her will die. In the end she decides that dying with Romeo is better than living with that lie. This is shown in Act 4 Scene 1, Juliet confesses to Friar Lawrence (who is aiding her to make a Holy secret bond between her & Romeo), “ O, bid me leap, rather than marry Paris, from off the battlements of any tower.” This shows how she would take her own life, rather than conform to the social norm and obey her father’s demands. This defiance makes her a proud, strong woman because she makes this fearless decision to follow her heart no matter what the cost. Even though she breaks away from being her father’s obedient little girl, she is under Romeo’s influence and lets herself overlook the fact that he has killed her cousin. As seen in her defense of Romeo, in Act 3 Scene 2, hearing the news “Tybalt is dead and Romeo banished”-her reaction is as a dutiful wife, “O, that deceit should grow in such a gorgeous palace...” and then, “ Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband...” and “that villain cousin [Tybalt] would have killed my husband.” She is determined to stand by her man no matter how criminal and unspeakable his offense.

     Juliet’s freedom comes with her suicide, when she is finally free from her painful ordeal and everyone’s judgment.  All her life she’s told what to do, how to behave, what to wear, when to speak, when to wake up and when to go to sleep. At the end she is scared and alone, but with her final act she does something completely on her own for the first time, and bravely follows Romeo to the grave. Did she have a choice?  How would she live if she were cast out by her family with no training or skills? This was evidenced in Lord Capulet’s warning to her in Act 3 Scene 5  when he has his final say on the matter, “ I’ll give you to my friend, an you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets.  For by my soul, I’ll never acknowledge thee.”  This definitely rings in her ears when she realizes she will be cast out of society and shamed for life. She is not strong enough to bear this shame alone.  

     Juliet is both a heroine and a tragic figure.  She follows her heart and is inspiring because she decides to live her life with the man she truly loves. It is sad that she must defy her father’s wishes and bring shame on her family. It makes me thankful that I live at a time when women have so many more options and choices about how to live their lives. 

Outline/Thesis for Lit. Essay on R + J

Thoughts on Juliet and Women’s Rights:

Her father’s strict code of conduct turns the dial up on her sense of hopelessness. Juliet comes from a place where she feels trapped and doomed so it becomes pointless to ‘grow up’ and stand up for herself.  Part of her reckless behavior is because of Romeo’s influence on her that she obeys him.

She knows the ultimate sacrifice she makes and is in fact an emancipated woman because she listen’s to her heart instead of cowering to her father but Juliet’s fate is sealed either way.  To marry Paris would mean a part of her dies, if she must die than Romeo is a better choice than living a lie.

Juliet is out of control and stubborn.  She is determined to have her way.  She is spoiled rotten by her parents who have given her everything and this is a problem as she becomes a woman.  She is reckless and irresponsible. She is disrespectful towards her parents because she stands up to them.  

Juliet is sworn to Romeo and he is a man.  She goes from being a good little girl, to an obedient lover.  Now Romeo controls her. He betrays her by killing her cousin and she ignores this painful event because she is blindly following him towards certain death. Is she really that free thinking?

Juliet puts too much trust in people around her and takes herself too seriously.  She doesn’t trust herself so she gives in.  She is young and weak and so she makes bad decisions.  Her impatience makes her do things that get her into trouble.

I think that Juliet’s final freedom comes with her death when she is free from everyone’s judgment.  All her life she was told what to do, how to look, what to wear, when to speak, when to wake, to sleep and now she does something completely her own.  That one thing is hers and still she follows Romeo to the grave.  I wonder at this.  How this final act of suicide makes her more of a coward.  At the end she is scared and confused.  She is alone for the first time.  Does she have to give up just because Romeo is dead? She should have stayed to face the music.

I know that my parents tell me to do certain things so that I take responsibility for my life. They are strict with me when it comes to boys.  They say that I need to focus and that boys will be a distraction and that there is plenty of time later in my life to have a boyfriend.  When I finally have a boyfriend I will want there approval and I hope he passes the ‘test’.  There is a difference between parents that truly care about their children and parents that are blind to their children’s interests.  Back in history there was less opportunity for a young woman to even consider ‘dating’  there really was no such thing. At least I will get to look around and test out who I like  and who I want to be with.  Hopefully my parents will approve and trust me to make the right choices.  I think they know that I will make mistakes and don’t want me to be hurt by anyone.

If I do make mistakes I won’t feel like I’ve brought shame to my family and be treated like baggage or garbage. I will at least have a chance to live my life with dignity.

I feel sorry for Juliet.  She is a sort of tragic hero to me.  I wish she died feeling proud of herself.  I think a part of her was lost in love and her final death was a desperate act.

Becoming Who I Was Always Meant to Be; Transition by Chaz Bono

The title of this memoir "Becoming Who I Was Always Meant to Be: Transition" tells the reader about an extraordinary journey of physical, emotional, and spiritual change that few people ever get to do.

This is the story about the transformation of Chastity Bono, into Chaz Bono. 

The son of the famous duo, Sonny and Cher transitions as the title fortells into his authentic true self. From the first chapter Chaz describes his early years as already uncomfortable in the skin of a girl. He doesn't really know then how much has to change, how much he has to sacrifice and what a struggle it would be to become the person that he could live as - a man. 

Growing up in a “hollywood family” Chaz was allowed to explore his sexuality at a very young age. Encouraged by his mother and Aunt Gee, Chaz defines himself as a lesbian at an early age. But it would be years, doctors, pills, relationships gone bad , the death of his true love and his father’s untimely passing for his old old self to die and his true self to be born. 

At the end of the story Chaz is finally happy with who he is. Not only because of the physical change, but for the rewards of the struggle that he surpassed. And we understand that it was never his choice, this was something he was meant to do.