Count Paris - Historical Context

Historical Context

The earliest versions of the text (First Quarto, Second Quarto and First Folio) all call him "Countie Paris". Some versions of the text call him "County Paris". "County" was in common usage at the time of writing, and Shakespeare's choice was dictated by the needs of the metre.

As a father, the chief role Capulet plays in Juliet's life is that of matchmaker. He has raised and cared for Juliet for nearly fourteen years, but he must find a suitable husband who will care for her for the remainder of her life. Juliet, as a young woman and as an aristocrat in general, cannot support herself in the society of her day, with the only available career choices for her being either wife or nun. Thus it falls upon her father and her husband to support her.

Count Paris would be an excellent match for Juliet. He, too, is an aristocrat, and of a higher social order. He is a well-established and wealthy business/government person who could support and provide for Juliet rather well. He is also, most probably, well connected politically, making him a good family contact for Capulet and his wife. This probably means that he is quite mature being at least twenty-five years old, while Juliet has not yet turned fourteen. Nevertheless, within the historical context of the play, there is nothing peculiar in their age difference at all. Though the typical age of marriage for Italian men in this period was 29 and women was about 25, for the higher class including the aristocracy and wealthy merchant class arranged marriage was common during the teenage years.