One of the many things that readers find intriguing about Shakespeare's masterpieces is the vibrant and unforgettable suite of characters that he created. With each story comes a new cast of lovers, enemies, heroes, and villains, all of whom are unique in their own way. The female characters in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet are no exception. They have their strengths and weaknesses which make it easier for people to relate to them. Juliet is the protagonist of the play. She is cunning, often childish, and extremely hasty. Juliet has her mother, Lady Capulet, and the Nurse taking care of her. These two women are almost polar opposites. The Nurse is helpful, entertaining, and obviously feels somewhat of a victim. Lady Capulet loves Juliet just as much as the Nurse does, but having such a contrasting personality to the Nurse, she shows it differently. Lady Capulet is vengeful, insensitive, and can be an irresponsible mother to Juliet at times. These three women help provide an interesting plot to the story with their often conflicting personalities. .
Juliet is cunning and sometimes plain dishonest with her parents throughout the play. She hides things such as her marriage to Romeo from them as well lying to them on different occasions. At one point, Lady Capulet calls to Juliet, who is in her room, and wishes her to go downstairs. Juliet answers, "Feeling so the loss,/ I cannot choose but ever weep the friend" (111.v.79-80). Juliet is weeping for Romeo in this scene, not Tybalt, by whose loss her mother thinks she is devastated. She is outright lying to her own mother. In her relationship with Romeo, Juliet is childish at times. This my be due to the fact that she is only 14, but on the other hand, if the girl feels that she is ready to be wed, she should abandon her immature ways. When she and Romeo are exchanging love vows, Romeo wishes to find something to vow upon. When he decides that the moon is a sufficient object to swear on, Juliet interrupts, "O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon,/ That monthly changes in her circled orb,/ Lest that thy love shall prove likewise variable" (11.
