3.2.1

First Impressions & Character Development

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First Impressions of Juliet

Juliet is 13 years old. Juliet starts as an immature child and acts rashly at times, but also displays good judgment as the play goes on.

Obedient

Obedient

  • At the start of the play, Juliet is an obedient child who listens to her parents.
  • In A1 S3, she actually speaks very little during a conversation about her potential future husband – Lady Capulet and the Nurse talk for the majority of the conversation. This highlights how quiet and obedient Juliet is at this point.
Hints of strength

Hints of strength

  • When Lady Capulet and the Nurse are talking about how handsome Paris is, and Lady Capulet tells Juliet to marry him because he’s very rich, Juliet says, 'I’ll look to like, if looking liking move'.
  • This suggests that Juliet is actually quite a strong person. She does not agree to the match immediately but tells her mother she will think about it.
  • But she also suggests that she will do her best to like Paris if her parents really want her to marry him. So she is still very much obedient.

Juliet's Rebellious Nature

In A1 S5, Juliet changes when she meets Romeo.

Defies her parents

Defies her parents

  • By Act 2, she has made the decision to go against her parents’ wishes, and go against societal expectations, to marry the enemy of her family – Romeo, a Montague.
  • She swears that if Romeo cannot stop being a Montague, she will stop being a Capulet as long as he loves her ('be but sworn my love, and I’ll no longer be a Capulet').
Response to marrying Paris

Response to marrying Paris

  • The audience sees her defiant (rebellious) nature again in A3 S5 when Lord Capulet tells her she will marry Paris on Thursday or he will disown her (stop calling her his daughter) – Juliet responds that she would rather die than marry him.

Maturation of Juliet

Juliet shows her changing maturity and sexual maturity through her relationship with Romeo.

Recognises rashness

Recognises rashness

  • In Act 2, she shows that she is more mature than Romeo because she sees that their desire to be together is 'too rash, too unadvis’d, too sudden'.
  • You could see this quote as foreshadowing (warning about the future). Juliet may be warning of the terrible consequences they will face because of how quickly they fall in love and marry.
Weak points

Weak points

  • But Juliet still falls in love with Romeo. They continue to plan their life together and say they love each other.
  • By the end of A2 S2, it is actually Juliet who suggests marriage. She asks Romeo to send a message to her if 'thy bent of love be honourable, thy purpose marriage'.
  • In Act 3, Juliet is still quite naïve (shows her lack of experience and wisdom) at the beginning. She obsesses over her love for Romeo and ignores the potential consequences of their families finding out that they are married.
Sexual maturity

Sexual maturity

  • Juliet also shows a growing sense of sexual maturity.
  • She waits for Romeo to return so they can enjoy their wedding night together – 'I have bought the mansion of a love, but not possess’d it'.
Jump to other topics
1

Context

1.1

Context

1.1.1Tragedy & Setting1.1.2Relationships1.1.3Religion & Fate1.1.4End of Topic Test - Context1.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Era1.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Location
2

Plot Summary

2.1

Prologue

2.1.1Prologue
2.2

Act 1

2.2.1Scene 12.2.2Scene 1 Quotes2.2.3Scene 22.2.4Scene 32.2.5Scene 42.2.6Scene 52.2.7End of Topic Test - Prologue & Act 1
2.3

Act 2

2.3.1Scenes 1-22.3.2Scene 32.3.3Scene 42.3.4Scenes 5-62.3.5End of Topic Test - Act 2
2.4

Act 3

2.4.1Scene 12.4.2Scene 22.4.3Scenes 3-42.4.4Scene 52.4.5End of Topic Test - Act 3
2.5

Act 4

2.5.1Scene 12.5.2Scenes 2-32.5.3Scenes 4-5
2.6

Act 5

2.6.1Scene 12.6.2Scene 22.6.3Scene 32.6.4Scene 3 - Quotes2.6.5End of Topic Test - Acts 4 & 52.6.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Drugs2.6.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Knowing about the Wed2.6.8Diagnostic Misconceptions - Order of Deaths
3

Key Characters

3.1

Romeo

3.1.1First Impressions & Juliet's Effect3.1.2Character Development3.1.3Reactions & Key Quotes3.1.4Diagnostic Misconceptions - Age3.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Banishment3.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Naivety
3.2

Juliet

3.2.1First Impressions & Character Development3.2.2Tragic Character3.2.3Key Quotes3.2.4End of Topic Test - Romeo & Juliet3.2.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Real People?3.2.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Montagues vs Capulets
3.3

Mercutio

3.3.1Characterisation3.3.2Key Quotes
3.4

The Nurse, Benvolio & Tybalt

3.4.1The Nurse3.4.2Benvolio3.4.3Tybalt
3.5

Friar Laurence

3.5.1Characterisation3.5.2Key Quotes3.5.3End of Topic Test- Mercutio, Nurse & Benvolio3.5.4End of Topic Test - Tybalt & Friar Laurence3.5.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - What is a Friar?
3.6

Grade 9 - Key Characters

3.6.1Grade 9 - Key Characters3.6.2Grade 9 - Key Characters: Extract Analysis
4

Key Themes & Concepts

4.1

Power & Danger of Love

4.1.1Romeo's Loves4.1.2Friendship & Family4.1.3Violent Love4.1.4End of Topic Test - Love
4.2

Violence, Fate & Gender

4.2.1Violence, Conflict & Suicide4.2.2Exam-Style Questions - Violence & Death4.2.3Fate & Destiny4.2.4Gender4.2.5End of Topic Test - Violence, Fate & Gender4.2.6Grade 9 - Key Themes4.2.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Type of Play
5

Writing Techniques

5.1

Writing Techniques

5.1.1Language, Rhythm & Rhyme5.1.2Symbolism & Imagery5.1.3Dramatic Irony & Soliloquys5.1.4End of Topic Test - Writing Techniques5.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Wherefore
6

Recap: Main Quotes

6.1

Main Quotes by Act

6.1.1Act 16.1.2Act 26.1.3Act 36.1.4Act 46.1.5Act 5
6.2

Main Quotes by Character

6.2.1Romeo6.2.2Juliet6.2.3Mercutio6.2.4Friar Laurence6.2.5Nurse6.2.6Benvolio6.2.7Tybalt

Practice questions on First Impressions & Character Development

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    Impressions of Juliet at the start of the play:True / false
  2. 2
    Why does Lady Capulet want Juliet to marry Paris?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    What does Juliet's response to Lady Capulet's suggestion that she marry Paris (_'I’ll look to like, if looking liking move'_) show about her?Fill in the list
  4. 4
    What does Juliet swear she will do if Romeo cannot stop being a Montague?Multiple choice
  5. 5
    How does Juliet disobey her parents?Fill in the list
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Diagnostic Misconceptions - Naivety

Tragic Character