Gender Roles In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

Romeo and juliet is a tragedy written by shakespeare about the conflict of two rival families and two teenagers, one from each family falling in love. This love is cut short by the untimely death of both adolescents by way of suicide. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses character to reveal that society determines gender roles that depict peoples actions. These gender roles apply to Juliets life through her marraige choices. Lady capulet talks to her daughter about this topic and that she was already a mother at that age. “Well, think of marriage now. Younger than you, here in Verona, ladies of esteem, Are made already mothers. By my count, I was your mother much upon these years”(1.3.70-74). Her mother is advising her to think about marriage now because society will look down upon her if she doesn't marry and think of her as someone who just walks the streets. This would make a bad image onn their family and her mother and father wouldnt stand for that. In Juliets case societal rules effect her life and even who she marries.

This is a major problem considering she is in love with one. Along with her sworn secrecy to her marraige with Romeo, Juliet is forced to marry someone her father chooses and someone she does not love. As daughters are treated more as property than people by their fathers, she doesn't have a say in opposing. She tried to get out of it by means argueing but this only resulted in threats by her father to kick her out of the house with no money. “Graze where you will, you shall not house with me… An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets” (3.5.89-94). The societal guidelines ensure that Juliet must obey her father and she must marry paris. These rules can dictate how people act as well as determine their lives or