Fate, Character Flaws And Great Tragedy In Romeo And Juliet By William Shakespeare

Decisions and choices- an act of or need for making up one's mind, and the right, power, or opportunity to choose. Fate- a four letter word, a noun defined as the development of events beyond a person's control, regarded as being determined by a supernatural power. These are what many can believe as the most powerful forces that shape our future. The playwright, William Shakespeare, wrote a tragedy of two youngsters in love. This tale was filled with drama, mixed-emotions, laughs, heartbreaks, and affection. Written as a tragedy, the play had ended like other Shakespearean tragedies had ended; in death. The death was inevitable because of decisions and choices made fates were shaped and had played a part in the events that blossomed the love of two star-crossed lovers. As an illustration, picture two families at war with each other, a feud that everyone gets caught in the crossfire. For instance, when innocent citizens are tired of watching their supposed ‘peaceful’ streets get disturbed by the feud, and as the prologue states, “A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life.” (Prologue.6) The feud was poison for the city of Verona and its citizens. Besides crummy choices were made, therefore a cursed destiny was created for two naive lovers.

     Fate, for better or worse, interrupts everyone’s daily life, whether he/she chooses to acknowledge it or not. Thinking about fate conjures up different feelings for different people; some people believe strongly in it, some people think of fate as ridiculous, and some do not care one way or the other. However, in many instances, such as in William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, far too many coincidences occur to be strictly coincidental. Fate creates a powerful effect throughout the entire play, starting in the prologue, continuing as Romeo and Juliet meet and fall in love, and tragically ending in the lovers’ deaths.

The ideology that everything in the universe has a specific place and rank in order of their hierarchy importance created by God is known as the concept of The Great Chain of Being. The order of this concept consisted levels according to highest rank to the lowest accordingly: God, angels, humanity, animals, vegetation life, leading all the way down to crud. Within each category, more specific classification existed, placing these subcategories in a specific order. This concept was believed to be a way to keep the universe in order. As this was believed during Elizabethan times, William Shakespeare also believed in the Great Chain of Being, as many of his plays are prominently based on this concept. Some of his plays include characters that accept their place on the Chain, but others are not so complacent. By examining three different characters from Shakespeare’s tragedies, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, The Tragedy of Macbeth, and The Tragedy of King Lear, it is obvious to readers who is content with their place on the Chain and which characters have a difficult time accepting their place. Romeo and Juliet do not obey their parents’ orders, therefore suffer harsh consequences towards the end of the play. Macbeth is another Shakespearean character that violates the Chain, due to the committing of several murders, in order to gain the throne. In stark contrast, Cordelia, is content with her place on the Chain as she does not want anything greater in life, unlike her

In William Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet”, Shakespeare presents characters in difficult situations in Romeo and Juliet through various language techniques and structure. Romeo and Juliet were star-crossed lovers. Both Romeo and Juliet were from feuding families that would not approve of their marriage. In the play they are presented with many difficult circumstances. The play was set in the Elizabethan era; there was a significant change in religion, family and politics. Attitudes and key scenes highlight the theme of love in difficult circumstances and prepare the audience for Romeo and Juliet’s suicides at the end of the play. In this essay I will be exploring the ways Shakespeare presents characters in difficult situations.

In the play, Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare, is about two “star crossed” lovers who are destined to end in a tragic accident. Fate is the path that leads to the future and cannot be altered no matter the outcome. Set in Shakespearean time, fate was believed to be in control of people’s lives. The fact that Romeo and Juliet would never live a peaceful life, none of the tragedies would have not taken place if they had not met. In the prologue of the play, Shakespeare outlines that “two star’d crossed lovers take their life”. This foreshadowing creates the sense that fate shall claim superiority. The powerful nature of Romeo

In the play of ‘Romeo and Juliet’, William Shakespeare explores the idea of fate, through the characters experiences. The play was taken place during the Elizabethan Era where the social norms were completely different to those today and the idea of fate was well and truly believed by the society. Shakespeare incorporates this concept of fate in different ways, he makes references to celestial bodies, employs premonitions and orchestrates events where Romeo and Juliet have no prior knowledge off. He introduces the two young lovers as ‘star-crossed’, which means their relationship is destined to end in tragedy and this is supported by events that occur in the play. Specific events

William Shakespeare is widely known for all of his literary works; one of his most famous love tragedies being 'Romeo and Juliet'. A Shakespearean definition of tragedy exemplifies the sense that human beings are inevitably doomed through their own failures or errors, the ironic action of their virtues, or even through the nature of fate and destiny (Sayour, Susan, 2007). Romeo and Juliet is a tragic tale based on two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. Throughout the play, Shakespeare intentionally draws on text structures and language features in order to replicate the attitudes, values and beliefs of Elizabethan audiences and intertwine it into his

There are many different types of trees, each one just a little different to the next. Some are ugly, some are tall, some do not contain any leaves at all. The human personality also holds many branches that live, each dissimilar from the next, each with a separate function that it gives. When all of the leaves are viewed from afar, the combined image is spectacular, but when observed from up close, the flaws are gaping, and even gross. The human personality works the same, for at first glance people are flawless, but when examined deeper and more personally, it can be seen how these flaws define who a person really happens to be for the worst. One sickly imperfection can slowly kill a whole tree, just like one hideous trait can ruin a

Throughout the existence of humanity, there have been many notable authors whose works are studied and admired. From the works of Aristotle, all the way to Stephen King, many famous and skillful writers have wrote beloved masterpieces that people still love to this day. However, none may be as notable as William Shakespeare is, and The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is perhaps Shakespeare’s most admired, referenced, and beloved work. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is a fateful love story between two teens who are repelled away from each other due to a feud between their families, the story takes place in Verona, an Italian city. The story is centered around a feud between two families, the Montagues, Romeo’s family, and Capulets, Juliet’s family.

Fate is defined as, ‘the development of events outside a person’s control, regarded as predetermined by a supernatural power’. In the time in which ‘Romeo and Juliet’ was written, many people were strong believers of fate and it was a common belief in society. William Shakespeare was a famous poet who is recognised for his powerful writing and contribution to the English language. One of William Shakespeare’s highly recognised plays is ‘Romeo and Juliet’ written in the late 1500’s. It is a play about two star-crossed lovers alongside fate who by their death end the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets. In ‘Romeo and Juliet’, Friar Laurence is not to blame for the tragic events which occurs in the play due to the fact that other

William Shakespeare is an English poet and play right. His plays mainly consisted of comedies, history, and tragedies. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is a play written by William Shakespeare. For a play to be a tragedy there must be a tragic hero. In Shakespeare plays, tragedy is identified as a story that ends unhappily due to the fall of the protagonist, which is the tragic. In this play there are two tragic heroes. Romeo and Juliet are both the tragic heroes. To be a tragic hero they must be from a high estate, have a tragic flaw, and the tragic flaw is the cause of their downfall.

Romeo and Juliet was written by the well known William Shakespeare; as he shares a love story between two main characters. Throughout the play the readers will embark on a journey through theses two young characters lives as they experience love, heartbreak, and unfortunately a tragic death. Many believe destiny plays a factor in the tragic outcome, but in fact the choices that they made brought them to a rash, impulsive decision to take there own lives.

One of William Shakespeare's main theme in Romeo and Juliet was the inevitability of fate. A good example is seen when before Romeo attends the Capulet’s party, he felt that fate will plan his doom by his mind misgiving which foreshadows the consequence that is later effected. As Romeo enters he sights Juliet and immediately falls in love, despite that he is a Montague and she as a Capulet, but finds out after they kissed. Their families hate one another, causing chaos of Romeo and Juliet together. For example, when the play begins, it states, “A pair of star-cross’d lovers that their life...the fearful passage of their death-mark’d love” (prologue).

the Capulets Ball. In Act 1, scene 5, Romeo happens to have a sense of

The play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare explores the concept of fate to allow the audience to query whether the tragedy was inevitable or not. Throughout the play Shakespeare alludes to the concept of fate controlling the events that occur. An example of the presence of fate, is displayed at the end of Act 1, Scene 4 when Romeo states “ Some consequence yet hanging in the stars shall bitterly begin this fearful date with the night's revels; by some vile forfeit of untimely death.” This quote uses the literary device of foreshadowing to verbally display the tragedy that is about to occur, to which the audience has already been informed of.