Shakespeare wrote the play Romeo and Juliet in the 16th century, at a time when the role of women was not to be a whole person, but to be a wife to their husband and a mother to their children. Women have a specific place in society and are expected to conform to the expectations of their position. Women belonged to their husbands and had little or no freedom from their spouses or parents. In the play, Shakespeare depicts this situation through the character of Juliet, her relationships and her role in society, a young girl who meets the expectations of women of the time. The theme of this essay is to examine the role of women in 16th century society, i.e. Juliet, and compare it to the role of women today. Juliette's relationship with her parents is very different from what one might expect today. In the 16th century, it was common for wealthy parents to employ a nurse to raise their children, becoming what a mother figure is today. Juliette's relationship is typical of the period in which the play takes place: her wealthy parents employed the nurse. (who had given birth at the same time as Lady Capulet) to take care of their daughter when she was born and “wean” her. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original EssayA woman who had lost her own baby was an ideal source of milk for an upper-class infant whose mother preferred not to worry about it to do it yourself. This meant that Juliet had a stronger bond with her nurse than with her biological mother, a common situation in the Elizabethan era. However, this did not mean that the Nurse would have had any more say in Juliet's education than Capulet and Lady Capulet. Parents have a duty to make certain decisions for their children, as they did in the 16th century, but in those days a girl or woman almost never made her own decisions, these were made by her parents. In the play, Shakespeare places the character of Juliet in a situation typical of the time: arranged marriage. In those days, parents always chose a suitor for their daughter, regardless of her age and social class. At this point in the play, Juliette's mother inquires about her daughter's "disposition to marry." Here Juliet behaves in a very unusual Elizabethan manner, saying "It is an honor I do not dream of", avoiding the proposal and demonstrating independent thinking. Lady Capulet has already made the decision for her daughter and expects her to respond dutifully as a daughter would at that moment. Juliet says: “..I will not thrust my eye deeper than your consent to make it fly.” "She now appears to be a model daughter, but she still acts unusual as she did not give a clear answer to her mother, once again avoiding the subject. Arranged marriages still take place today, but they do not are not as common as in Elizabethan times. So even though girls are still placed in this situation, they are still expected to conform to tradition and obey their parents' decision. Here, Juliet seems to feel free. to withhold consent, which was certainly not a custom in the 16th century. In the Elizabethan era, men had more power, opportunities and influence over society than women had. not the same rights and were considered property and not people Just like a girl's parents controlled her decisions and her life, once the girl became a woman...