Women in Elizabethan England

In Elizabethan England, men were considered to be the dominant figure.  Wives and daughters were expected to be submissive to their husbands and fathers, and were treated as property in this sense; marriage's were frequently arranged by the patriarch, with finances rather than feeling in mind.

In Romeo and Juliet, Juliet's father expects her to marry Paris, who is of well-breeding.  When Juliet expresses her discontent with this arrangement, her father becomes angry; it is the place of women in this society to be obedient.  Going against the social normality of the period, Juliet rebels against her father's wishes and marries Romeo in secrecy.


The painting above is “Romeo and Juliet”, and was created on September 29, 2009 by James Vilkus of Wilton Manors, FL. It represents a more modern depiction of a scene from Romeo and Juliet, but accurately represents Elizabethan feelings towards women.  
Juliet's body is exposed to the elements, while the chivalrous Romeo is offering his hand in assistance.  In a sense, I feel that the artist is labeling Juliet as promiscuous; in the play, she and Romeo have physical relations before being married.  If others had known of this act, Juliet's name would have been smeared, while Romeo would have felt little consequence.