Juliet Capulet

Juliet Capulet appears to be a shy and innocent girl at the beginning of Shakespeare's play, but the depth of her character shows as she meets Romeo, defies her father, marries Romeo, and ultimately commits suicide.

While appearing quiet and obedient, Juliet displays inner strength, intelligence, bravery, wit, and independence. It is, in fact, Juliet who asks Romeo to marry her. Juliet continues to dispel the notion of shyness in scenes where she speaks just as much as Romeo and with the same degree of confidence.

Juliet also shows her inner strength and independent nature in her decision to die rather than marry Paris: "If all else fail, myself have power to die." By so doing, she takes control of her own destiny instead of allowing her life to be controlled by others, as so many young women in her circumstances at that time would.