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Confined Entrapment Essay

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Confined Entrapment

"Women have been taught that, for us, the earth is flat, and that if we venture out, we will fall off the edge." This particular feminist's belief, exposes a typical attitude that many women during the Elizabethan Era felt: restricted, dominated, and suppressed. John Knox stated in 1958 that a "Woman in her greatest perfection was made to serve and obey man", thus defining the term patriarchy. In a patriarchal society, the "authority in the family is vested in males through whom descent and inheritance are traced" (Ivan 00), and women are expected to conform to the social restrictions by demonstrating reverence and obedience to the males in their lives; they are merely commodities and dealt with as possessions. …show more content…

Juliet is introduced into the play in act one scene three, as an innocent, obedient, and respectful adolescent. Her polite response to her mother, "Madam, I am here, What is your will?" (1.3.7), establishes an optimistic sentiment that assures the audience of her acquiescent nature. She further demonstrates her eloquence in response to her mother's proposal to consider marriage as she sensibly and astutely replies, "It is an honour that I dream not of" (1.3.68). Her response is genuinely reverential, thus confirming she understands her responsibility as a daughter, and her place in a male-dominate world; she continues showing such submission, grace, and maturity throughout the entire scene, especially when she decides to agree to "look to like, if looking liking move" (1.3.99), then acknowledging that the parental "consent" (1.3.101) is imperative. This is the only scene where Juliet is depicted this innocent, for when she meets Romeo in act one scene five, she begins transforming from a yielding child into a focused woman in love, however, she still sustains the same element of grace in her presence.

Meeting Romeo drastically changes Juliet; not only does she begin to exhibit a new sense of maturity, she is automatically willing

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