Guiding Question and Response:
"Shakespeare's real miracle . . . was Juliet, transformed from an adolescent arrogantly eager to outdo her elders to an appealing child-woman, barely fourteen, who learns to mix courage with her innocence, yet falls victim to a world that only briefly and unintentionally but fatally treats her as a plaything."
The first impression the audience receives of Juliet is that of an obedient child.In Act I scene 3 she speaks passively and obediently to both her parents.She responds to marriage as a decision involving strong consent from her family rather than herself.“I’lllook to like if looking liking move, but no more deep will I endart my eye than your consent gives strength to make it fly.”This initial search for approval from her parents represents her still juvenile state of being.She has not yet developed any independence nor confidence in her own decisions.As the play progresses her attitude makes a conspicuous transformation. From the time of their very first meeting, Romeo seems to bring out a side of Juliet that is rarely exposed.She is opinionated and confidently reputes many of Romeos comments.In Act I scene 5 Romeo says “O then dear saint, let lips do what hands do!They pray, grant though, lest faith turn to despair.”Yet Juliet responds by saying “Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake.” Juliet sheds her skin of innocence and obedience in this scene as she begins to develop.In Act II, Juliet first begins to show signs of rebellion.“Or if that wilt not be but sworn my love, I’ll no longer be a Capulet.”In each scene Juliet reveals another characteristic of Coming of Age.Juliet opens the play as the most passive character yet by the final act; she is the crucial character whose actions cause all the repercussions that make this play so tragic. Juliets progression towards womanhood acted as fates tool for the events that would result from her actions.Juliet’s character is needed to represent the relationship between the opposites that are so often mentioned in the play.Shakespeare shows that Juliets growth and good intentions of love can result in death.Her growth and maturation can be quickly stunted by death.Her role in the play seemed to be to represent the irony of the world and the connection between two conflicting ideas.By the conclusion of the play the audience realizes that Juliet’s larger struggle was not against society or her family, rather it was the struggle against fate. Much of this is outstanding, particularly the first two-thirds, as you show the ways in which J moves from obedient child to rebellious young woman. The last third loses some focus, although your effort to connect her coming-of-age to the play's many oppositions and conflicts is commendable. Overall one of the better responses of the bunch. 9.5