Key learning points

1. In a patriarchal society, women’s choices were restricted and they were expected to marry and bear children.
2. Arguably, Shakespeare’s structuring of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ conforms to the notion that men had precedence over women.
3. Furthermore, Juliet’s interactions with her surroundings could represent the restricted nature of women’s lives.
4. Our first and last impression of Juliet is around her marriage which could imply that women were defined by marriage.
5. Considering agency is important because it allows us to consider the power dynamics in society.

Keywords

• Patriarchal - relating to or denoting a system of society or government controlled by men

• Agency - the capacity of an individual to act independently from others and to make their own free choices

• Precedence - the condition of being considered more important than someone or something else

• Subservient - less important; subordinate

Common misconception