In the trilogy of stories about Juliet (“Chance,” “Soon,” and “Silence”), the motif of classical studies is a powerful symbol of Juliet’s intelligence, ambition, and eventual isolation. From the outset, Juliet’s commitment to the classics marks her as a figure of defiance. At college, she studies Greek and Latin despite repeated warnings from professors that her work won’t be taken seriously because she’s a woman. Rather than deterring her, this inspires Juliet to persist, driven by her fascination with the ancient world and her determination to establish herself as an intellectual. This education becomes the foundation of her identity as a teacher and scholar, proof of her ability to resist social expectations and follow her desires. However, the story frames classical studies as more than a measure of Juliet’s intellect: They symbolize her misplaced naivete. Knowledge of Greek authors doesn’t equip her to navigate the complexities of adult life. During her first encounter with Eric, for instance, Juliet acutely feels her immaturity and attempts to compensate by displaying her classical learning, explaining to him the myths behind the constellations. Nevertheless, her education doesn’t protect her from vulnerability or youthful insecurity. Here, the classics embody the gap between learning and maturity, demonstrating that scholarship alone can’t prepare Juliet for the challenges of intimacy and human connection.

Beyond marking Juliet’s youthful defiance and naivete, classical studies shape her understanding of fate and agency. In the Greek world she admires, human lives are deeply entangled with destiny. Characters in epics and tragedies often strive to control their futures but discover that divine will has already sealed their fates. Juliet, steeped in these stories, interprets her own life through a similar lens. Her pursuit of romance with Eric feels imbued with inevitability, as though their meeting on the train in “Chance” was a matter of destiny rather than circumstance. The classics thus symbolize the tension in Juliet’s life between agency and resignation. On one hand, her mastery of classical literature reflects her determination to defy social conventions and assert independence. On the other hand, her belief in fate reflects her susceptibility to surrender, to accept events as inevitable rather than shaped by her own choices. This dual symbolism helps explain Juliet’s oscillation between moments of bold assertion and periods of passive acceptance. Like a tragic heroine, she seeks control yet often finds herself submitting to what feels preordained.

As the trilogy progresses, the presence and absence of classical studies signal Juliet’s changing circumstances. In “Soon,” where she returns home with her infant daughter, the classics have almost disappeared from her life. Motherhood occupies her time and energy, leaving no room for the subjects that once defined her. This absence symbolizes her altered identity. The erasure of the classics reflects her sense of displacement: Domestic obligations have eclipsed her studies, once central in her life. In “Silence,” Juliet returns to classical studies, but in a radically different context. After Penelope disappears from her life, Juliet reacquaints herself with the world of Greek texts, working toward her thesis and rediscovering forgotten authors. Her studies now represent her attempt to reassert agency in a life shattered by loss. The stories of fate, exile, and return resonate with her own experience, offering a framework for making sense of Penelope’s abandonment.