Model answer:
Both characters, Pip and Juliet, are in some ways destined to break their current situation due to their names. In ‘Romeo and Juliet’, Juliet’s name connotes beauty which demonstrates how her parents expected her to become an object to show off and to use as a commodity. In the Elizabethan era women were treated as possessions and business transactions to increase their family’s social standing and levels of dignity so Juliet fits the typical upper class female role (her name literally sounds like a jewel – and item that’s sole purpose is to look attractive and to be sold). Furthermore, Juliet’s name means “youth” which shows her naivety and this is illustrated in her reaction to Romeo’s manipulation at the party when he asks her to kiss him. It could also foreshadow her rebellion later against her parents, an act very unlikely for an Elizabethan girl who would know to follow her parents’ wishes. It could also suggest her growth into a woman, which occurs when she marries Romeo. An Elizabethan audience would therefore find her actions shocking, and the story would therefore be more exciting for them. The connotations of her name would further surprise the audience because her name would suggest a certain innocence, which juxtaposes her later actions. Perhaps Shakespeare intended to show the reality of the treatment of upper class women. Similarly Dickens shows us the poor treatment of working class (in particular orphans) through the use of the very simple