Discussion Topic

Quotes supporting feminist literary criticism in Romeo and Juliet

Summary:

In Romeo and Juliet, feminist literary criticism can be supported by quotes highlighting the limited agency of female characters. For instance, Juliet's lament "O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?" reveals her helplessness in defying family expectations. Additionally, Lady Capulet's line "I was your mother much upon these years" underscores societal pressures on women to marry and bear children at a young age.

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What are two quotes supporting feminist criticism in Romeo and Juliet from act 1 to 3.1?

Feminist criticism allows us to examine works from a feminist point of view. This perspective could shed new light on how these works deal with women's issues. Some questions that enotes provides in the article on feminist literary criticism:

How does literature represent women and define gender relations? Why has literary criticism ignored or devalued women’s writing? How does one’s gender alter the way in which one reads literature? Is there a feminine mode of writing?

When looking through Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, we should look for quotes with those questions in the back of our minds. Since the play was written by a man, we're mostly focusing on the text represents women, how it might define gender relations, and how the text might be read by different genders.

In act 2, scene 2, Juliet tells Romeo not to swear his love because she worries it is too soon:

Well, do not swear. Although I joy in thee,
I have no joy of this contract tonight.
It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden,
Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be
Ere one can say 'It lightens.' Sweet, good night.
This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath,
May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.
Good night, good night. As sweet repose and rest
Come to thy heart as that within my breast.

We can use Juliet's thoughts and contrast them to Romeo. They are in love, but Juliet does not want to be too rash. Meanwhile, at the start of the play Romeo is pining for Rosaline. He claims he loves her, but then forgets all about her once he meets Juliet. Romeo even goes to Juliet's balcony to talk to her again, under risk that he will be caught.

What does Juliet's balcony speech say about women?

'Tis but thy name that is my enemy:
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? It is nor hand nor foot,
Nor arm nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O be some other name!
What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
and for thy name, which is no part of thee,
Take all myself.

Juliet is young but she is smart. She ponders on the significance of names and labels. She desires Romeo, despite his name. While Juliet does not want to be too rash, she does acknowledge her affection for Romeo. She believes she is alone when she says this famous monologue, and is able to talk about and acknowledge her own desires.

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Are you looking for quotes that show criticism of women?  Or criticism of feminism?  Or criticism that might come from feminists as they read Romeo and Juliet?  If you could clarify what you are looking for I might be able to offer a better answer.

From Act 1:

"True; and therefore women, being the weaker vessels, are ... ever thrust to the wall: therefore I will push Montague's men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall."

Sex is equated with violence in this section.  Manliness is asserted through violence.

CAPULET
[…]
My child is yet a stranger in ... the world;
She hath not seen the change of fourteen years,
Let two more summers wither in their pride,
Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.
PARIS
Younger than she are happy mothers made.
CAPULET
And too soon marr'd are those so early made.
The earth hath swallow'd all my hopes but she,
She is the hopeful lady of my earth:
But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart,
My will to her consent is but a part;
An she agree, within her scopeof choice
Lies my consent and fair according voice.

Juliet's marriage is being discussed, but she is not involved in the conversation. Marriage was set up between men, with the brides to be having little say in what would happen in their lives.

ROMEO
This gentleman, the prince's near ally,
My very ... friend, hath got his mortal hurt
In my behalf; my reputation stain'd
With Tybalt's slander,--Tybalt, that an hour
Hath been my kinsman! O sweet Juliet,
Thy beauty hath mademe effeminate
And in my temper soften'd valour's steel!

Romeo essentially says here that being in love has stripped him of his manliness.  The statement defines gender.

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Which quotes from Romeo and Juliet support a feminist literary criticism?

Feminist literary criticism examines ways in which literature portrays the oppression of women, particularly the "economic, political, social, and psychological oppression of women" ("Feminist Criticism 1960s-present"). Therefore, if we are looking for things in Romeo and Juliet that can be interpreted through feminist criticism, we would be looking for ways in which women are shown to be oppressed. There are certainly several examples in which Juliet is oppressed.

We see Juliet, as well as most noble class women in this time period, being oppressed in the very first scene. Most, although not all, upper class marriages in this time period were arranged marriages. Scholars point out that the peasant class did not have arranged marriages ("Oh Grow up!: About Arranged Marriages"). The purposes of arranged marriages were for political and economic gain. For example, if Juliet had married Count Paris, because he is a count and of higher social standing than her father who is only a Lord, Juliet's family would have gained in both wealth and social standing. In Act 1, Scene 3 in which we first meet Juliet, we see that her mother feels very strongly about seeing Juliet married to Count Paris. Her mother is even more enthusiastic than her father who had just told Paris in the previous scene to wait two more years. Regardless of what her father told Paris, being eager for the match, Lady Capulet comes to Juliet and tries to persuade her to think of marrying Paris. One could view Lady Capulet's attempt to persuade Juliet as an example of oppression because Juliet clearly states that she does not feel ready for marriage, as we see in her line, "It is an honour that I dream not of" (I.iii.70). Therefore, since Juliet is being persuaded against her will, this line can be interpreted as portraying an example of oppression and interpreting it in that way would be an example of feminist criticism.

A second clearer example of how we can apply feminist criticism to Juliet can be seen later on when her father decides so adamantly that marrying Paris now is the best thing for her. This is a perfect example of oppression because suddenly Juliet's marriage is no longer just an arranged marriage, but a forced arranged marriage, and scholars point out that arranged marriages could not be forced because "force and fear" was a legal reason for a divorce ("Oh Grow Up!"). We especially hear the oppression in Juliet's voice when she begs her father to listen to her reasons against the marriage, as we see in her lines, "Good father, I beseech you on my knees, / Hear me with patience but to speak a word" (III.v.162-63). Hence, these lines, as well as her parents' treatment of Juliet, can be interpreted as examples of oppression through feminist criticism.

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