PERSONAL ANECDOTE I have always been fascinated with the idea of fate vs. chance ever since the first time I saw my favorite movie-Serendipity. The film essentially explores the idea of fate vs. chance when it comes to true love. For a an impressionable young girl this film gave me high expectations and even more dissapointments. Not only did this film ignite a lifelong interest in fate, it also gave me extremely unrealistic romanitic expectations. This catalyst led me down the path of a love obssesed preteen. I always thought the events that happen in movies happen identically in reality. I always awaited some kind of meet-cute, a boy with amazing hair and even better a romantic. Its safe to say my romantic endeavors have never been succesful, …show more content…
This play stands out because of the charcaters inner turmoil as they struggle with the outcomes and the consequences of their forbidden love. From the beginng Shakespeare makes the audience aware that the pair is destined to die. Upon the night where Romeo goes to the ball he has a premonition of “some consequence yet hanging in the stars”, Romeo knows that something radical is going to happen on that night because it was destined to (Shakespeare Act 1 Scene 4). Romeo’s blind trust in fate and desiny is apparent from the beginning, Shakespeare uses this against not only Romeo but also Juliet. It is almost as if fate is the greatest villian in the narrative. In the same scene Romeo even goes as far to foreshadow his own death, “by some vile forfeit of untimely death” (Shakespeare Act 1 Scene 4). Shakespreare enlists irony to bring another satirical level to his story that adds incredible dimension to not only his characters, but also the plot. Shakespeare uses fate vs. chance to further the narrative- a satirical spin on the idea of young forbidden love. From their chance meeting to their love at first sight, the use of satire changes the reader's perception of what true love is and how despite our best attempts it doesn’t always go well. The characters are very much aware of fate, Romeo refrences fate when he claims he is “Fortune’s Fool” or when Juliet calls Fortune fickle (Shakespeare Act 3 Scene 1). The charcters often talk to fate as if it were a person, in times of need and struggle they turn to fortune. To Romeo Fortune is a scape goat, something to blame for the death of Tybalt, so he can escape his own guilt. To Juliet Fortune is an all knowing power that she enlists to watch over her one true love despite acknowldignly just how unpredicatible Fortune is. To the reader Fortune is nothing more than a ploy to distract from the fact that the main
Since the beginning of the play, the existence of fate has been leading Romeo and Juliet to their deaths. This is first evident in the play’s dialogue when the Serving man asks Romeo to help him read the guest list for Capulet’s party. Shakespeare writes, “God’I’ good e’en. I pray, sir, can you read?/ Ay, mine own fortune in my misery” (I,ii,58-59). This demonstrates the theme of fate because Verona is a large city and the Serving man can be in any street in Verona asking any individual to help him read, but he coincidentally encounters
In efforts to overcome such hindrances to their love, Juliet feigns her death as planned. However, as a result of miscommunication, Romeo takes the news seriously, and thus, being propelled by zealous devotion, both use death as the key to unity. A variety of themes are implicated throughout the play. Fate, in particular, is well demonstrated. By using the motif of stars and characters such as Friar Lawrence, Juliet, and Romeo, Shakespeare truly and masterfully conveys that fate is the inevitable, unalterable and omnipotent force that controls all actions unto their consequences.
At the end of the fight when Romeo kills Tybalt and then realizes what he has done he yells out, “O, I am Fortune’s fool!” (Shakespeare.3.1.143). And he and Juliet both are little toys for fate. But, they never give up on their love.Romeo and Juliet’s traits cause them to go along with their fate and contributes to their downfall.
In the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, all the choices made by the star crossed lovers have consequences. The two lovers blame fate for their misfortune. They refuse to believe that fate does not determine the end result, only that they can do that. At the beginning of the play, Romeo is presented with a plethora of choices. The audience is introduced to Romeo as he sulks over his lover Rosaline.
Some people may not believe that fate is something that truthfully exists in the world. This portion of the population doubts that there is anything that is actually meant to be or supposed to happen thinking that there is always a way around troubling predicaments, knowing that it isn't necessary to turn out just one certain way. They trust that whatever occurs in their lives comes as a result of the decisions that they make with their own free will. Others, however, believe that whatever happens during the course of their lives is inevitable and every event predestined and laid out before them like a roadmap to life; in other words, fate. William Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet has fate as an exceptionally crucial force, pulling the characters into a more animated state. Because of fate, the play becomes tremendously thrilling and it is exactly what manages the two young lovers to meet each other in the first place. The moment that Romeo and Juliet meet is the exact incident that leads to their death, however unaware these "star-crossed lovers" are to that fact. Thus, fate is undoubtedly the most responsible influence for the couple's heartbreaking tragedy.
In Romeo and Juliet fate is evidently a major theme occurring in the play. For instance, people believed the future was written in the stars. In its first address to the audience, the Chorus states that Romeo and Juliet are “star-crossed lovers”, that is to say that fate (meaning a power often vested in the movements of the stars) controls them. This sense of fate permeates the play, and not just for
Fate can be defined as being “a power that determines and controls everything that is or happens,” (Newfeldt (Ed.) p.431) while destiny can be described as “what is predetermined to happen in spite of all efforts to change or prevent it.” (Newfeldt (Ed.) p.321) Therefore, fate is the entity that decides all that will occur, and destiny is the decision made by fate. Tragedy can be defined as the dramatic representation of serious and important actions that turn out disastrously for the main character. This indicates that the tragedies in Romeo and Juliet were the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, and to say fate and destiny were not responsible for these tragedies, is to say the characters of the play, rather than some intangible force, were aware and in control of the actions that caused Romeo’s and Juliet’s
From the beginning of the play it is clear that Romeo and Juliet are doomed to die, They are considered victims of circumstance but the question is did they have responsibility for their fate? Could things have been different? Was it a bad series of events, was it a coincidence that fate was against them, were outside forces against them, It is not just a coincidence the language used in the prologue 'star-crossed lovers' and 'death-marked love' shows that it was all meant to happen from the beginning of the play, the words 'star-crossed' refers to an astrological outlook on destiny that was widely accepted in the period the play was written in, reference to this so early in the play creates a sense of anticipation for the audience and from the start they know what is going to be the outcome of the play but the question left on their minds is 'Why?' and 'How?'
Romeo has taken the poison, which caused instant death, and Juliet had awoke and seen Romeo, she took his dagger and killed her self. I believe that Shakespeare wanted the audience to believe that fate was to blame and no matter what choices the characters made fate would always have intervened and the outcome would have been just as tragic. This is because this fits in with the major influence of the time, during the Elizabethan period the theme of fate and Greece god’s where what they believed and where influenced by.
Throughout the play, it is clearly shown that fate has a huge role in the “star-crossed lovers” dire downfall. This is written in the prologue to foreshadow the ending. The prologue provides the audience with Romeos thought provoking promotion further warming the reader of the omnipresent force of fate which is looking over him, “Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars.” Here Shakespeare use literary techniques such as a metaphor to demonstrates that there is a deathly consequence written in fate for Romeo. Overall this provides the reader with the knowledge of what Romeo is thinking and foreshadows the end of the story. Shakespeare uses clever diction to imply that Juliet’s death is inevitable, "If all else fail, myself have power to die.” This clearly illustrates that fate is involved in the upcoming disaster. Not only have the lovers realized that there is a greater fore involved, but Friar Lawrence has too realized, “a greater power than we can contradict, hath thwarted our intents.” This shows that fate is a subjugate factor in the lover’s untimely
Both Romeo and Juliet speak of the role of fate and chance, it plays a
When Romeo and Mercutio go to the to the Capulet’s ball, he says”My mind misgives Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars, Shall bitterly begin his fearful date With this night’s revels and expire the term Of a despised life, closed in my breast, By some vile forfeit of untimely death”(shakespeare which he's basically saying i will wait and see what fate has in store for me,also he saying he's destined to die. I think romeo believes in fate to much that he thinks that everything revolves around fate, even though some of it could've been his fault and other peoples faults.like when mercutio died (shakespeare act 3 scene 1) tybalt caused the fight not fate he could of just let it go but he persisted on fighting which caused the death of mercutio. like he had to follow code. As a result it got him into bad situations,in turn caused his own demise. If Romeo believed in fate so much than he should of realized that him and Juliet weren't meant to be.
Two lovers lay dead on the ground. One with a wisp of poison on his breath, and the other with a dagger inside her. In the prologue, Shakespeare reveals to us that two star-crossed lovers die because of their families’ ongoing feud. When the two families discover what has happened and how they caused it, the families agree to end the feud and no longer quarrel. Was Romeo’s and Juliet’s death at the hand of the family in the form of fate, or did their choices cause this tragedy? In the play, Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, free will is more dominant than fate in the outcome of the play and is shown by Juliet’s actions, Romeo’s actions, and the actions of others.
To a great extent, the misfortunes in Romeo and Juliet occur as a consequence of fate, which controls both luck and disaster. ...
Some people may not believe that destiny is something that truthfully exists in the world. These people doubt that there is anything that is actually meant to be, or supposed to happen, thinking that there is always a way around troubling predicaments, knowing that it is not necessary to turn out just one certain way. They trust that whatever occurs in their lives comes as a result of the decisions that they make with their own free will. Others believe that whatever happens during the course of their lives is inevitable and every event is laid out before them like a road map to life, in other words, fate. William Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet has fate as an exceptionally crucial element which makes fate as important as any character in the production. The events leading up to and during the party were definitely caused by fate. The moment that Romeo and Juliet meet is the exact incident that leads to their death, however unaware these "star-crossed lovers" are to that fact. Thus, fate is undoubtedly the most responsible influence for the couple's tragedy.