Fate In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, is one of William Shakespeare’s most famous plays, published in 1597. It is a story about how, “A pair of star-cross’d lovers [Romeo and Juliet] take their lives…/The fearful passage of their death-mark’d love…” (Prologue of Romeo and Juliet, 6-9) as they are forbidden to be together due to a long lasting and ongoing feud between the Montague and Capulet families. Their deaths are the results of many characters’ actions and fate, and there is not one distinctive person that can be blam¬ed for the young lovers’ deaths. Friar Lawrence is not to blame for these deaths as fate played a major role in their demise, he warned Romeo of his impulsive and unwise decision making, and his intentions were to abolish the ongoing feud between the two families. Further examination will prove that Friar Lawrence is innocent and his intensions were far from the passing of the two lovers.

Fate is a concept many people believe is set right when you are born. In William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet he talks a lot about the concept of fate. My essay is about how significant events have no effect on a person’s fate. In the prologue it states this “ A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life,” (Prologue, Line 6). That is now telling us no matter what happens in their lives, they will die to end the fued between the Montagues and the Capulets.

Fate can be joyful and bring happiness to many. However, it can also bring destruction and sadness into many people’s lives. In the play, Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, fate is shown in a horrific way by numerous citizens dying including Romeo and Juliet. But fate is not the only cause of the two lover’s death; the two lovers themselves ultimately initiated their unfortunate passing. On the other hand, with Friar Laurence encouraging Romeo and Juliet to get married and planning a way for them to end up together is another reasoning that impacted their causality in countless ways. In Romeo and Juliet, it may not have been their parent’s feud that triggered the “star-crossed” lover’s death but fate, Friar Laurence

“Is it e'en so? Then I defy you, stars!”(Rom 5.1. 24). The characters in Romeo and Juliet believe that the stars, or fate is against them. Throughout the play the two protagonists rushed into decisions or did not think about the consequences. Romeo and Juliet’s actions caused their own troubles rather than the blamed fate.

The party Romeo attended to avoid his “fate” to feel alone but, it leads him to his real fate, death by love. Yet again, author William Shakespeare shows his fatalistic views because no matter what Romeo does fate maneuvers him into the same

(3.1.120-121). In this quote, Romeo is aware that the reason for this dark ending is because of his bad fate and that more grief and unhappy endings are to come because of this action. In Romeo and Juliet, it is evident that every action Romeo and Juliet commit leads to a tragic event or one that causes them to be despondent. The lovers are punished not only because because of flaws within their personalities but because fate is against them. There are many encounters where fate is involved such as when Peter runs into Benvolio on the street. It is the encounter that enables Romeo to read the list of Capulet's going to the party. If Romeo did not run into Peter, he would have not gone to the party, hence he would have never met Juliet, hence he would have not died such an untimely death and had such a unhappy ending. It is evident that fate has made this encounter possible. Another event that fate was involved in is before Romeo enters the Capulet's house, he says “I fear too early, for my mind

Friar Lawrence sends Friar John to deliver a message to Romeo about Juliet’s fake death. As Friar John reaches the end of the city and is stopped by fates work. The Black Plague has reigned havoc of the city of Verona and the rest of Europe stopping the messages progress indefinably.

He uses “star crossed” lovers to describe Romeo and Juliet, meaning that they will be ill fated. Moreover, William Shakespeare specifies the couple as “death marked,” meaning they were already destined to die. Furthermore, critic Marilyn Williamson writes, “Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy of fate, as implied by both the prologue and the concluding lines of the play.” By stating that both Romeo and Juliet will have a tragic ending together, and having many events that seem like the story will end happily, Shakespeare makes it evident that fate is like a prison for

In the play, Romeo and Juliet, the star-crossed lovers had a very tragic ending. They were always destined to die, however, their death was what put the life-long feud between the Montagues and Capulets, to an end, showing that whatever did happen, happened for a reason, no matter how tragic. The chorus in the beginning of the play states that “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes/A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life/. . ./Doth with their death bury their parents' strife” (Prologue.1-2,3). Evidently, this chorus illustrates that fate will play a huge role in Romeo and Juliet's tragedy.

In the prologue of the story, Shakespeare wrote “two star’d crossed lovers take their life”. This foreshadowing illustrates that fate shall outline the play. The compelling love of Romeo and Juliet is also a leading cause in the

Romeo and Juliet fell in love at first sight and the next morning they got married. Although they were fondly in love with each other their decision to get married does not reflect modern society as Romeo and Juliet were only about thirteen years old, which today, they should still be in high school. Also, one of the play’s theme focuses on fate. The prologue announces, using a metaphor, that “A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life”, which the audience at the time would connect to. When Romeo thought Juliet died, he yelled “I defy you, stars,” thus showing his anger at what fate had led them to.

The chorus informs the audience that Romeo and Juliet are “star cross’d lovers [that] take their life” (Prologue. 6). In other words, the chorus states that Romeo and Juliet are governed by fate, a force often linked to the movement of the stars. Another

His first mention of Romeo and Juliet was in the prologue, describing them as “star crossed lovers” who took their own life(1.Prologue.6). Mentioning the stars directly before their deaths suggested that their deaths were fate to occur. Being star crossed translates to being crossed, or opposed, by fate, which shows how Romeo and Juliet were fated for hardships as lovers with no chance for a happy story. Furthermore, by making his very first description of the two main characters star crossed lovers rather than their own names, it becomes more apparent that the characters are heavily influenced by fate and powers out of their control. Romeo himself foreshadows his death early in the play before going to the Capulet’s party and meeting Juliet, stating that he dreamt that “some consequence yet hanging in the stars” would eventually lead to his “untimely death” (1.4.14 , 1.4.18). He essentially predicts his death would come because he went to the party, but despite that, he still goes because he felt he had no control over his fate, describing its powers as having “steerage of [his] course”, and telling his fate to “direct [his] sail”(1.4.108-113). He refers to fate using a metaphor, comparing his life to a boat. Even if it is his own boat, fate is what sets its course, which strengthens the idea that it is fate, rather than his own choice, that controls his future. Shakespeare repeatedly

William Shakespeare’s, ‘the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet’ is a story full of unfortunate love. This is primarily because, both Romeo and Juliet are referred to as ‘star cross’d lovers’ due to the ill-fated chain of events that the young teenagers experience. From the beginning of the play in the prologue, the audience is already able to sense the tragedy that is inevitable. The destiny of the couple is shown through many ways, such as foreshadowing, chance and astrological concepts. Fate is almost seen as a powerful force drawing the lovers together, and is unquestionably the most responsible influence of the tragic outcome that Juliet and her Romeo must endure.

The belief of the greater power that guides the lives of men known as fate plays a large role in Romeo and Juliet. The topic of fate is infused throughout the story, so much that even some characters become aware of that. As their relationship progresses, Romeo and Juliet begin to realize that the stars were meant to keep the two apart. From the beginning of the lover’s relationship, Romeo falls in love with a girl at a party that he knows he should not have been attending. The girl whom he falls in love with, Juliet just happens to be the daughter of his family’s sworn enemy. Despite the feud of the families, love blossoms between the two. Romeo pushes the idea of marriage upon her out of love (or even possibly lust), and Juliet agrees