Review of Shakespeare’S Passionate Characters: a Study of Ophelia

The turning point of Juliet’s unusual behaviour occurs when the nurse begins to condemn Romeo because of the murder he has been accused of. Consequently, to demonstrate her commitment to Romeo, Juliet returns to her own way of speaking because she can not stand this condemnation; she defies and she defends the lover. Furthermore, she proves the limitless devotion to Romeo by forgiving him the murder of her beloved cousin. Through the character of Juliet, the author proves his notable skills for the introduction of vague and ambiguous language into the tragedy. Juliet manages to speak in the ambiguous manner with the Nurse in the fifth scene of the third act when lady Capulet is convinced that her daughter mourns for the death of the beloved cousin Tybalt. On closer examination of the scene, it is obvious that Juliet talks about Romeo’s expulsion from Verona.

JULIET:

Indeed I never shall be satisfied With Romeo till I behold him— dead — Is my poor heart so for a kinsman vex'd. Madam, if you could find out but a man To bear a poison, I would temper it; That Romeo should, upon receipt thereof, Soon sleep in quiet. O, how my heart abhors To hear him nam'd and cannot come to him, To wreak the love I bore my cousin Tybalt Upon his body that hath slaughter'd him!

(III.5. 96-105)

TRAGIC VICTIMS OF DESTINY

There is no doubt that Romeo loves Juliet. However, to make such a serious decision of committing suicide is the most extreme proof of love not very common for the man’s character. Juliet’s inner emotions justify her choice to kill herself as the highest representation of her feelings. Only the death can assure the preservation of their love. As the audience sees this immense love from Juliet’s point of view, they also must see the irony in her depiction of their relationship which she rejects to describe.

JULIET:

Conceit, more rich in matter than in words, Brags of his substance, not of ornament. They are but beggars that can count their worth; But my true love is grown to such excess, It is not possible to explain their deep love in words. While Juliet represents the passion and imagination, Romeo stands for the action in the play. In other words, the role of Romeo acts according to Juliet’s initiation.

IMPORTANCE OF JULIET IN THE TRAGEDY

Juliet represents the most important character in the tragedy. Consciously or unconsciously, it is her who stands for the determiner of events in the play, not Romeo. Through her temper and happiness Romeo emerges from a dream world he has been living in. She saves his soul from being imprisoned under the influence of counterfeit feelings and emotions. Her simulated death incites him to kill himself and shortly afterwards their death results in a reconciliation of the warring families.

CONCLUSION

In the course of history, love has driven men and women to strange extremes. In this tragedy it is the love and passion that help Juliet to attain her womanhood. She does not want to be dependent on parents any more. Being prepared to take full responsibility for her actions, she expresses a desire to make decisions about her own life and to emerge from unconditional subordination to the parents. To prove her inner strength and devotion, she allows Romeo to leave Verona because otherwise, he would be arrested and convicted. Romeo’s love is the most important thing in the world for her. At the end, she commits suicide, which is from a religious point of view one of the most serious crimes, rather then to live without him.

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