Response #1
Juliet, the heroine of Romeo and Juliet, undergoes a tremendous transformation.Juliet changed, mainly in part due to the experiences she had had.First told of the prospect of marriage to Paris, her life takes a turn.Once a young girl cared for by her parents and nurse, she now must deal with courtship.She experiences love, or so she believes, when she meets Romeo.All of these incidents have been baby steps leading up to her dramatic transformation.The entire play documents her change.Love appears to be Juliet’s driving force.After she experienced it the first time, or so the reader is led to believe, Juliet knew that was what she wanted.It is very typical to undergo a change like this during adolescence, but its abruptness made it most unbelievable.The love she had for Romeo changed her focus in life.She cared more for others and less for herself.Love was Juliet’s transformer.Her actions and words show how she began to mature from innocent child to woman. Good ideas here, but they seem to leap around--hard to see how they are all unified.
In this play Juliet proved to be the most courageous character.She can be considered courageous for putting her family’s name at risk when she marries Romeo.Though it has crossed her mind, “’Tis but thy name that is my enemy./ Thou art thyself, though not a Montague” (2.2: 38-39). (awkward use of quote) Each time she snuck out to see her lover, Juliet puts a strike against her family’s reputation.Her ultimate act of courage was when she faked her death.Putting the vial to her lips and swallowing reveals a lot about her character.She was willing to give up her life in exchange for true love.Upon awaking and seeing her dead husband next to her, Juliet decided to commit suicide.Her valor is extraordinary.No other character puts himself on the line repeatedly, thus making Juliet the most courageous figure.
Juliet sustains her innocence but only through the first act of the play.Once she meets Romeo, her child-like qualities begin to deteriorate.In the beginning Juliet obeyed each word her parents said; she was a subservient daughter. When the Capulet’s felt she was ready to marry Paris, she agreed.Upon interaction with Romeo (the second act), she becomes less and less submissive to her parents.She tasted freedom and doesn’t want to return to her previous ways.Instead, she disobeys her parents and sneaks around with Romeo.All in all, Juliet was unsuccessful in maintaining her innocence throughout the entire play. But is submission equivalent to innocence?
Juliet becomes a victim to the world.The sheltered life she had been living cannot sustain once she experiences independence.Her parents fought to protect her, as did her nurse, but they failed.Her actions are repercussions of the restrictions her parents enforced.By associating with Romeo, the rival, Juliet is introduced to other aspects of the world, which she has never seen.Again, this aspect of freedom, which resurfaces in the play, is a source of Juliet’s transformation, loss of innocence, and her victimization to the world. some fine ideas here, such as J's courage, and her struggle to retain her innocence. I'm not sure you clearly set out how these elements work within the context of the social world of the play . . . this gets confusing to me. But good ideas. 8.0