Marriage is an important theme in the play. Actually, in the Shakespearean era, for a girl marriage signifies security and guarantee of a worthy life afterwards, whereas for the man (who gets married late), it means continuation of the family line. Through marriage, the name of the family is carried forward as a heir is born out of wedlock.
In the same vein, Juliet sees marriage as the fittest conclusion of her love with Romeo. She tells the latter that he has to consider marriage, if he thinks of continuing any emotion with her. She is the kind of girl, who wants to be pursued only for fun, or seen as an object of sexual satisfaction. The righteous continuance of a romance has to be marriage. Her education and the way she has been brought up make her see herself as a married woman to be suitable for her future, because girls of noble background do not play with the reputation of their family. Moreover, her mother has been preaching to her that when she has been of her age, she has been already married and a mother.
For Juliet,thus, marriage is a must. Additionally, her parents have also put before her the proposal of Count Paris. The latter is considered to be an aristocrat but also a prized suitor. He represents all the social attributes expected from a potential husband: he is handsome, rich, comes from a bourgeois family and is also a proficient swordsman. Therefore, a girl’s family searches for suitors like Count Paris as they stand for permanence in the security of their daughter’s future.
From the perspective of Romeo, he has not yet given marriage a thought. He is taken aback when Juliet speaks of matrimony. For a lad of 17 yrs, falling in love is normal and Romeo is,indeed, falling in and out of love. Firstly, there has been his serious sentiments for Rosalind which have been leading him to depression. Then, on seeing Juliet, he becomes so enthralled that he altogether forgets Rosalind. In all these processes of being in and out of love, Romeo has never uttered the word ‘marriage’. For Romeo, a girl’s approval of reciprocal feelings has been essential, rather than giving a serious tone to his relationship. Juliet is not as immature as Romeo. She makes him face the music: love leads to marriage.
Even if they come from enemy families,it does not matter to her. She finds it to be a secondary concern. What is imminent to her is her reputation and social responsibility. She will not tarnish her conscience as Juliet is also a fervent believer in God and will not deny her Christian responsibilities. She,therefore, teaches to both Romeo and the audience that maturity is not acquired with age, but comes from rational thinking,which Romeo does not have.
Marriage is thus the stamp of being right. It will allow Juliet to live her love properly,without any embarrassment. She even makes Romeo realise that love is not a toy,but a responsibility which is accompanied by respect. Matrimony will bring her this respect which Romeo is denying her with his nightly pursuits.
