Juliet Flashcards
Act 1
‘For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch’
• Both Romeo and Juliet use religious imagery to describe each other, this exchange displays their
compatibility.
• Juliet also uses an ABAB rhyme scheme, which is the same as Romeo which further reinforces how they are
supposed to be together
Act 1
‘My grave is like to be my wedding bed’
• Foreshadowing what will happen, fate or free will
• This is a demonstration of dramatic irony
• Juxtaposition of love and hate
Act 2
“It is too rash, too unadvis’d, too sudden”
• Shows Juliet’s pragmatism as she is able to recognise that the relationship is moving quickly therefore may
not be sincere
• She originally suggests that they allow the relationship to blossom at its own pace, however the audience
know that this ends up not being the case
• Foreshadows how their demise will be things happening too quickly and not taking enough time
Act 2
“Sweet, sweet, sweet Nurse, tell me what says my love?”
• Uses flattery and loving terms towards the nurse in order to extract information quickly, this shows her level of insight as she knows her way around getting what she wants
• Refers to Romeo as her love despite him not being present, this proves that her love for him is genuine and not just for show
Act 3
‘It best agrees with night. Come, civil Night’
• through the soliloquy, we see Juliet’s inner feelings and monologue.
• Links back to ‘artificial night’ and calls on the darkness as this will allow the couple to be together which
upholds the level of secrecy they must maintain.
• Repeated use of theme of ‘darkness’ displays the extent of her impatience to be with him and provides the moment as if it’s sober suited matron.
‘Take him and cut him out in little stars, and he will make the face of heaven so fine’.
• compares him to be greater than ‘Heaven’ as a beacon of light and hope which shows how highly she
respects and idolises him.
• This is reciprocated by R which highlights their compatibility as a couple: the mirror each other acts despite being far away.
• The noun ‘stars’ also links to ‘star crossed lovers’ from the prologue as a way to foreshadow their death
through dramatic irony.
• Shows her infatuated and besotted persona.
Act 3
Why followed not, when she said, ‘Tybalt’s dead’, ‘Thy father’ or ‘Thy Mother’ nay or both’.
• explicitly would rather have her parents dead than Romeo to be banished.
• As an audience however one would be taken aback by her approach where her relationship and allegiance
with R is distant.
• She subverts stereotypical views of her family as she supports the lobe interest who she has married for a
meagre number of hours.
• Shows her deep passion of love for R and how this has pushed her against from family.
Act 3 scene 5 ‘With R, till I behold him - dead- is more poor heart, so for a kinsmen vexed’.
• pretends to be mourning on T’s loss and acts witty to deceive her parents.
• Indicates how she uses masterful diction to maintain control, however these changes as the play progresses
in order to signal her frantic state of mind without her lover.
• Verbal irony in conflicting ideas that ‘she’ll never be satisfied’ and starts to subtly direct the speech about T
which has a double meaning as she mentions R.
• Makes mother believe that J wants R dead but for us uses dramatic irony as we know they both will die.
Act 4
“And with this knife I’ll help it presently” (line 54)
• Highlights the extent of Juliet’s grief and confusion as she resorts to excessive shows of violence.
• She repeats the noun “knife” to convey that violence is on the forefront of her mind as she cannot think of
any other solution due to panic.
• She is willing to kill herself to help her fate, similar to Romeo’s initial reaction to his banishment however
Juliet is more pragmatic than Romeo as she does not immediately try to kill herself.
• Her grief is a consequence of her overwhelming love for Romeo, shows that love and pain are intertwined,
and love is a transformative force.
“Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here’s drink - I drink to thee.”
• Juliet repeats Romeo’s name three times as he is her last thought, which shows her allegiance to Romeo,
presenting her as besotted.
• In her final moments, she is honouring Romeo. This mirrors how Romeo honours Juliet in his last moments.
Their similar behaviour highlights their compatibility.
Act 5
‘O comfortable Friar, where is my lord?’
- Juliet employs positive language when referring to the friar through the use of ‘comfortable’—> describes
how Friars are supposed to provide spiritual comfort and Juliet seeks comfort that Romeo is ok. - Juliet refers to Romeo as ‘my lord’ showing how she is besotted to Romeo and elevates him above herself as
a show of her love. - This is reinforced by the fact that Romeo is the first thing she asks about, demonstrating that he is on the
forefront of her mind.
‘I will kiss thy lips…To make me die with a restorative’.
- Juliet intends to kiss Romeo and use the remaining poison on his lips to end her life as well.
- The scene is very poignant (emotionally charged) —> Juliet wakes up only to find her husband dead and
plans to join him in death after a final kiss. - Links back to the balcony scene when Romeo stated ‘Thus from my lips. By thine, my sin is purge’d’.
- Cyclical structure as their relationship started with a kiss and ended with one as well.
- Demonstrates how besotted she is to Romeo as she would rather die than not be with him.
What purpose does this character serve?
Shakespeare uses the character of Juliet to bring attention to the dangers of love, especially when pursued with such haste. Initially, Juliet adopts a measured approach which exceeds that of her age. She appears insightful in her observations but quickly becomes besotted by Romeo which results in her increasingly reckless behaviour.
