It was not uncommon for women to be expected to marry; this notion even extended to Queen Elizabeth I, "The Virgin Queen". Despite common derogatory opinions on the subject, the queen remained unmarried to her death, even though she was courted strenuously by many. Based on the male dominated society in which she lived, she likely made this decision to stay in power; if she married, her abilities would be limited by her husband.
Erik of Sweden proposed to her many times, and in a 1560 letter, she politely declined him again, saying that she does not wish to take a husband; any husband. Even though Queen Elizabeth rejected the man on several occasions over a long period of time, it was likely that he was so shocked by her behavior that he just kept trying; he couldn't make sense of it.
Juliet's behavior in denying marriage to Paris can be seen similarly; even though she knew her contrary attitude wouldn't be accepted, she stated her opinion on the matter anyway. However, Juliet wasn't in a place of power to be making these treacherous decisions; unlike the queen, she had male family members who would be able to control her. Thus, the outcome of Juliet's situation was very different than the queen's.
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