Character Analysis: Juliet

Juliet is a fourteen-year-old youth who is born into the Capulet family, enemies of the Montagues, in the city of Verona. She is seen to be close to the Nurse to an extent that she is more close to the Nurse than her own biological mother, but later feels alone when the Nurse betrays her about how Romeo’s banishment make Romeo and “useless” man and that Juliet should marry Paris.

In the play, Juliet experiences her first ever love for someone. Which turns out that the lucky man is Romeo. Where both love passionately but both find it hard to be together because they are on opposing sides.

Juliet is seen to be quite close with her cousin Tybalt, but cries at Romeo’s exile over Tybalt’s death. She is also close to her parents but only before she was abused by her parents when she told them that she didn’t want to marry Paris and like another man, Romeo.

Juliet also has the tendency to talk in soliloquies about her love with Romeo or other issues revolving around her. The soliloquies tend to show what Juliet’s thought are.

Like Romeo, William Shakespeare has to appeal to all the classes in English Hierarchy and in the play Romeo and Juliet, Juliet represents the higher, noble class of the Hierarchy.

Character Analysis: Romeo

Being the protagonist of Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is a youth, whose parents are Lord and Lady Capulet, the heads of the powerful Montague family, enemies of the Capulet, in the city of Verona. In this play, although not directly stated, Romeo’s age is to be around 15-18 years of age. Romeo is seen to be extremely popular in the Montague family, but that is possibly because he is the son of Lord Montague.

Romeo is also seen as a passionate lover, because when he loves, he loves passionately. This is seen when he falls in love with not only Juliet, but also Rosaline. Romeo is also seen to have extremely faithful friends, such as Mercuito and Benvolio, who tells Romeo to forget Rosaline because there are more beautiful girls out there in the world.

Throughout the play, Romeo never communicated with his parents, which makes you assume that Romeo either dislikes his parents or his parents are just too busy. He also seems to tell his inner feelings to Friar Lawrence, which makes the Friar not only a fatherly figure, but also solution for any trouble he has, such as when he loves Juliet but doesn’t know what to do.

Because William Shakespeare has to appeal to all the classes in English Hierarchy, in the play Romeo and Juliet, Romeo represents the higher, noble class of the Hierarchy.

Character Analysis: Nurse

The Nurse is one of the major characters in Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, officially she is the personal servant and nurse to Juliet, her real role in the play is being Juliet’s confidante and bridge of communication to Romeo. She is one of the few people who were aware of Romeo and Juliet’s romance before their deaths.
The Nurse’s past is very vague, as her history outside of the Capulet house is unknown. Although we do know that the Nurse had baby daughter at the same time as Juliet’s birth, who we know is deceased. Throughout the play Juliet is closer towards the nurse rather than her biological mother, as it was the nurse who weaned her as a child it is fair to say that the Nurse acts as Juliet’s “surrogate” mother.
The Nurse’s other main purpose in the play, is acting as the role of communication between Romeo and Juliet. When Romeo and Juliet cannot be together, it is the Nurse’s role to bring news to both sides. Not only does she act as a communication she also is the “bringer” of news (informing Juliet of Romeo’s banishment).
While most characters in the play speak with a formal tone, the nurse speaks in a blank verse form which is similar to colloquial language. She has a foolish and gossipy nature, one which at times is a source of annoyance to Juliet, but she tries to do what she thinks she is right in most situations. In this play Shakespeare uses the nurse to represent the working class in society, to relate with the audience.

Abel

Character Analysis: Friar Lawrence

Friar Lawrence plays a pivotal role in the play Romeo and Juliet, the friar acts as an adviser Romeo and later also Juliet and also aids the major plot developments. He is kind, civil minded and always ready with a backup plan. While also being a holy man Friar Lawrence also has vast knowledge of herbs and potions.
In the beginning of the play Friar Lawrence is the sole bridge to adults to Romeo, being the only adult who Romeo trusts as a friend and confidant. Romeo and Juliet both seek comfort and counselling from Friar Lawrence who they would entrust their lives to.
Friar Lawrence aids most of the major plot developments, including the marriage of Romeo and Juliet and the plan involving “distilled liquor” which eventually led to both Romeo and Juliet’s deaths. Although the nature of the friar is necessarily evil, his personality did indirectly lead to the tragedy of the young couple. While he appears to be “wise” Friar Lawrence is in fact rather childish, as he is of a cowardly and irrational nature. While he believes childishly that unifying Romeo and Juliet will end the age-old feud between the Capulets and the Montagues, he is afraid to act when anything goes wrong.
While the Friar may have been indirectly the cause of Romeo and Juliet’s deaths, we know that the tragedy was an accident and not the Friar Lawrence’s intentions. He is quick to act and always with an elaborate plan but in this occasion it resulted in failure.

Abel