In Act IV, Scene 1 of William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, Juliet is forced to marry Paris and meets him in the church along with Friar Lawrence. It is after Paris leaves that Juliet reveals to Friar Laurence her plans to end her life if she can’t have Romeo. Friar Laurence offers to help Juliet fake her death so that she can run away with Romeo and be with him at last. In this scene, Shakespeare characterizes Juliet as immature through her close minded stubbornness and her desperate urge to be with Romeo. Juliet’s young, headstrong personality makes her extremely close minded and refuses to consider marrying Paris. Shakespeare indirectly characterizes Juliet through her conversation with Paris and that “If [she does] so [confess …show more content…
She tells Friar Laurence how “God join’d [her] heart and Romeo’s, thou [their] hands; and ere this hand, by thee to Romeo seal’d,”. Shakespeare used this monologue to illustrate Juliet’s distraught emotions towards the situation. This characterizes her as immature because teens are usually over dramatic and think that not being able to love someone is the end of the world. Juliet is also indirectly characterized when Friar Laurence says “If, rather than to marry County Paris, thou hast the strength of will to slay thyself,”. Juliet is characterized as being desperate because she is at the point where she would rather die than live a life without Romeo.
Shakespeare 's characterization of Juliet as immature is illustrated through her stubborn virtue and desperate impulses. During this scene, Juliet experiences a variety of emotions that lead to her agreeing to fake her death so is and Romeo can run away and be together at last. This contributes to her immaturity because she is unable to control her emotions and is at the point where she feels that death would be better than living a life without Romeo. This characterization is significant to this scene and the play itself because it foreshadows the death of Juliet and how her immaturity led to her fatal