Romeo and Juliet
Choose from a play a scene which significantly changes your view of a character.
Explain how the scene prompts this reappraisal and discuss how important it is to
your understanding of the character in the play as a whole.
I think this question is perfect to show the changes in Juliet’s character, particularly
the changes in her loyalty, from family to husband. The scene which best sums up this
shift is 4.3. At this part of the play, her husband has been banished, her father and
mother have told her to marry Paris or be disowned (a very big deal!) and her closest
confidant, the Nurse, has told her to forget Romeo. She is completely alone, yet shows
the courage and devotion to Romeo to take the most drastic action imaginable so that
they might be together. Here is how I might approach it…
Introduction and Summary
Act 4 Scene 3 is a scene from the play “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare in
which my view of the central character Juliet changes significantly. “Romeo and
Juliet” is the story of a pair of “star-crossed lovers,” who fall in love despite the
rivalry of their families. They secretly marry, but fate and the conflict between the
feuding families conspires against them. At this part of the play, her new husband,
Romeo – son of her family’s great enemy - has been banished. Her father and mother
have told her to marry Paris or be disowned and her closest confidant, the Nurse, has
told her to forget about Romeo, and proceed with the wishes of her family. She is
completely alone, yet shows the courage and devotion to Romeo to take the most
drastic action imaginable so that they might be together. Shakespeare’s expert
characterisation and use of dramatic techniques such as soliloquy clearly show the
significance of Juliet’s change at this crucial moment in the play.
Paragraph 1 – Key Scene 4.3
Early in the play, Juliet is shown to be the model daughter, loyal to her family and
respectful to her parents’ wishes for her. However, after she meets and marries
Romeo, Juliet’s loyalties become divided between her family and her new husband.
Until this part of the play, she has also been at the mercy of the decisions and actions
of other characters. In Act 4 Scene 3, however, we see her arguably become the
Romeo and Juliet
strongest and bravest character in the play. Juliet is advised by Friar Lawrence to go
along with the wedding to Paris while he gives her a potion which will mimic death
and give him the opportunity to reunite her with Romeo. Here she demonstrates her
strength of character and her absolute devotion to Romeo by draining a mystery
potion, the effects of which she can only hope and guess at, as she sits alone in her
chamber – separated from her husband, ostracized from her family and betrayed by
her closest ally.
“My dismal scene I needs must act alone. / Come vial. […] Romeo! Romeo!
Romeo! I drink to thee.”
Juliet’s soliloquy here cleary demonstrates to the audience the significant shift in her
character. His use of the word “alone” confirms the isolated situation Juliet, still a
very young girl, finds herself acting in. She has neither her husband nor her family to
support her, in fact, she is actually in this position because of the conflict between
them, forcing her to choose and act. The audience here sympathises fully with Juliet
as she is forced to take this drastic action because of the decisions and actions of
others. The repetition of “Romeo” shows that it is the strength of her devotion to her
husband that makes her go through with the plan, despite the many doubts she has.
This shows the bravery of her as a character that she has the strength to take this
poison on her own despite the consequences she has imagined. The audience here is
completely supportive of Juliet and the action she is taking so that she might be
reunited with Romeo. The viewer is in awe of her courage and strength of character
here, taking a potion she can at best hope to wake up from and lying a dagger beside
her to take her own life should the potion have no effect at all. This is a dramatic shift
in attitude for the viewer from seeing the meek and submissive Juliet of Act 1.
Act 1 Scene 3
 Juliet’s first appearance in the play shows her as wise and mature beyond her
years.
 She is also the devoted daughter, polite and obedient, willing to do what will
please her family.
Romeo and Juliet
 She is much more plainly spoken than Romeo and far more down to earth with her
feelings about love.
 “I’ll look to like, if looking liking move. / But no more deep will I endart mine eye
/ Than your consent gives strength to make it fly.”
 Juliet is clearly in control of her feelings and emotions and approaches the ideas of
love and marriage with unexpected maturity.
 “consent” – suggests an obedience and loyalty to her family and her parents – she
understands that it is the responsibility of her family to select a suitable husband
and she will respect and obey that decision.
 This makes it more surprising when Juliet falls in love at first sight with Romeo,
given her apparent control over her feelings, but serves to confirm for the audience
her strength of feeling for Romeo.
Act 2 Scene 2
 Our attitude towards Juliet changes slightly as the lovers meet at her balcony.
 Instead of seeing her as submissive and obedient to her family, we see a young
woman begin to take control of her own life spurred on by her feelings for Romeo.
 Juliet demonstrates that she is the more mature and realistic of the two young
lovers, considering practical matters such as marriage and arranging meetings.
 “If that thy bent of love be honourable, /
Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow”
 “honourable” – suggests that Juliet still understands the required etiquette and
religious requirements of the relationship, even if it is illicit and against her
parents’ wishes.
 “marriage” – demonstrates the maturity of Juliet who, despite falling in love at first
sight, suggests that the couple fulfill their cultural obligations before continuing
their relationship.
 The audience here perceives Juliet as being mature beyond her years. However,
some of the rashness and impetuousness of youth can also be seen in her decision
to marry Romeo having only just met him. While we see evidence of the devotion
Romeo and Juliet
to reappear later in the play, we also see the rash decisions that speed them to their
fate.
Act 3 Scene 2
 Immediately following Juliet’s marriage to Romeo, the conflict between the
families intervenes in the happiness of the young lovers. A street brawl results in
the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt, and the banishment of Romeo.
 Juliet is informed of the street brawl and at first, misunderstands and believes
Romeo has been killed.
 She then discovers it is her cousin who has died and is conflicted over what she
should feel – joy that her husband is alive, or sorrow that he has killed her cousin.
 “Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband? / […] My husband lives, that Tybalt
would have slain, / And Tybalt’s dead that would have slain my husband.”
 Juliet’s steadfast defence of Romeo highlights a major shift in her character.
 Before the audience sees her as a loyal and devoted daughter whose priority is to
her family.
 Now, however, her priorities have changed and her loyalty is to her husband,
Romeo.
 This is emphasized by the use of inverted syntax in these lines, but both clearly
state that she is happy that Romeo is alive, even if that meant he had to kill Tybalt.
 This is another subtle shift in the audiences perception of Juliet’s character leading
to 4.3. It is ultimately this devotion to Romeo that leads her to take the Friar’s
potion.
 The audience here is impressed that Juliet is beginning to escape from the
overbearing control of her family.
Act 5 Scene 3
 Juliet’s brave decision to drink the Friar’s potion leads directly to the tragic climax
of the play.
Romeo and Juliet
 Just as the Friar had intended, Juliet is presumed dead and buried in the Capulet
vault.
 However, in the final twist of misfortune, Romeo does not hear of the plan and
kills himself thinking Juliet is dead.
 Juliet awakes with Friar Lawrence and discovers that Romeo has killed himself.
 Realising that their plan has failed, she too decides to stay with him and kills
herself too.
 This confirms for the audience the change in her character from meek and obedient
daughter to devoted wife.
 “Go get thee hence, for I will not away […]
O happy dagger! / This is thy sheath; there rest, and let me die.”
 “happy dagger” – paradox of the cheerful emotion with a weapon that causes
death. Suggests that Juliet can now only be happy in death as Romeo is gone.
 Juliet’s commitment to Romeo is confirmed as she too would rather kill herself
than live without him.
 This demonstrates the love between the two and the strength of their devotion to
each other and the tragic conclusion of their love elicits huge sympathy from the
audience for the couple.
 The viewer is struck also by Juliet’s strength of character and courage of
conviction as she would rather die with her husband than live alone without him.
Conclusion
The audience’s attitude towards Juliet in William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
changes throughout the play as the character herself matures and develops. However,
our view of her changes most significantly when she is at her lowest ebb in the action.
Separated from her husband, ostracised from her family, the viewer appreciates fully
the solitude and fear Juliet experiences as she makes a last desperate attempt to be
reunited with Romeo, and escape the conflict and rivalry of their families. Our
appreciation for her bravery and courage, as well as her maturity and devotion has
been built through the play by Shakespeare’s expert characterisation so that we are
devastated by the tragic climax and the death of the lovers.