Final answer:
In 'Romeo and Juliet,' the girl's role in the marriage process is typically controlled by family and societal expectations, with Juliet's secret marriage to Romeo showcasing her limited autonomy and contributing to the play's tragedy.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the girl's role in the marriage process is significantly dictated by family decisions and societal norms of the Elizabethan era.
Girls typically married young, between fourteen and eighteen, often to older men, and were under their husband's legal control after marrying. Juliet's case reflects these customs as her parents attempt to marry her off to Paris, a match that promises social advancement, without her consent. The Nurse, a character in the play, supports Juliet's secretive marriage to Romeo, emphasizing the limited autonomy a girl like Juliet had in the marriage process of the time.
Marriage was viewed as a transaction that included a dowry, and while women from wealthier families might have some say because of their dowry, they were still largely subjected to the decisions of male relatives. Lower-class women were even more reliant on marriage to enhance their status since their value was often judged in relation to their husband's. Juliet's rebellion against this system by marrying Romeo without her family's consent ultimately contributes to the tragic outcomes of the play.