Similarities Between Romeo And Juliet And The House On Mango Street

In modern day culture, women are rarely expected to get married at 14 and have children immediately. In The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros and Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, the characters Esperanza and Juliet struggle to break these expectations. Shakespeare and Cisneros utilize tone to convey that one is only able to realize one’s true identity after defying the expectations of others. Juliet and Esperanza’s caretakers and cultures have expectations for them that they do not follow, leading to the realization of their identity.
In both The House on Mango Street and Romeo and Juliet, Juliet and Esperanza struggle to meet the expectations set for them. Juliet’s parents expect her to marry and have children at a young age. Juliet’s mom, Lady Capulet, tells her that there are younger children

Juliet defies her parents’ expectations when the nurse informs her that Romeo will marry her at Friar Lawrence’s cell and she exclaims, “Hie to high fortune!” (2. 6. 83). Her enthusiasm is an indication of defiance since her parents want her to marry Paris. Later on in the play, Juliet goes to Friar Lawrence for help, since Capulet is forcing her to marry Paris, without knowing she is already married to Romeo. The Friar gives her a potion meant to make her sleep for forty-two hours. Before Juliet takes the potion, she asserts independence over Tybalt and also expresses “—Nurse!—What should she do here?” (4. 3. 19). Finally, before she drinks, she gives her independence to Romeo over her family saying, “Here’s drink. I drink to thee” (4. 3. 59-60). Juliet asserting independence over her parents shows how she is trying to defy the expectations set for her. Using Juliet’s soliloquy and her unconsented marriage with Romeo, Shakespeare shows Juliet’s struggle to defy her parents’