In Romeo and Juliet, is Juliet a good role model?

Even though Juliet is a thirteen-year-old girl who deceives her family and makes several questionable decisions, one could argue that certain aspects of her character make her a positive role model. Despite her young age, Juliet is a determined, confident girl. She thinks about her decisions and weighs her options carefully several times in the play. Unlike Romeo, Juliet is portrayed as mature and less capricious. Early in the play, Juliet is depicted as an obedient child and agrees to consider Paris as a possible husband to please her mother. After meeting Romeo at the Capulet ball, she contemplates the gravity of Romeo's identity, criticizes him for his rash decisions, and is thoughtful enough to not jump to conclusions. She follows her conscience and displays her individuality by eventually marrying the man she genuinely loves without her family's approval, which is an admirable thing to do. When she discovers that Romeo killed Tybalt, her cousin, she demonstrates loyalty toward her husband and forgives Romeo for his actions.
After making the bold decision to turn her back on her family to be with the man she loves, Juliet awakens to discover that her husband is dead. One could argue that Juliet does not commit suicide out of weakness or desperation but does so out of intense love for her deceased husband. Despite Juliet's questionable decisions, she could be considered a positive role model for demonstrating determination, expressing her individuality, and following her conscience.


Juliet is a very bad role model for young women today for several reasons.
First, her choice of romantic partners is terrible. Romeo was in love with another girl, went to the ball, saw Juliet, and decided he was in love with her on first sight. Immediately and without second thoughts or regrets, he loses interest in the girl he previously claimed to love. He is also attracted to Juliet mainly because of her physical appearance, something that does not bode well for a long-term relationship. This suggests he is by nature fickle, superficial, and untrustworthy—not ideal traits for a life partner. 
Second, Juliet is, at the time of the play, thirteen years old. By our standards, this would make Romeo a pedophile. Thirteen is far too young to marry or make other important life decisions. At thirteen, one has crushes, but these tend to be short-lived and superficial, even if they are intense. 
Finally, Juliet's agreeing to marry Romeo eventually leads to the deaths of Romeo, Juliet, and Paris and brings great suffering on their families and friends.

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