Introduction
The story of Romeo and Juliet asks the question "are our lives and destinies pre-determined?" While it’s possible to see the play as a series of coincidences, bad luck, and bad decisions, most readers see the story as an unfolding of events pre-determined by fate. Shakespeare uses foreshadowing in Romeo and Juliet to warn the reader that danger is near. It pre-determines the deaths of the two main characters in the play. Some people may not believe in fate, but fate really exists in the world, and is greatly shown in this play.
Body
Fate plays an important role in the play because it brings Romeo and Juliet together and eventually causes their death. The opening lines of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare allows the reader to kind of see his characters’ destiny. We learn early on in the play what is going to happen to the main characters: “a pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life.” Throughout the story, the reader is encouraged to think about fate and to what extent our actions and outcomes are predetermined. As stated in the text, before the Capulets' party, in Act 1 Scene 3, Romeo is already feeling that fate is planning his doom. He wonders if he should attend the party, as "my mind misgives/Some consequence yet hanging in the stars." This evidence shows that Romeo knew that going to this party would have bad
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This bloody scene in which characters are killed gives us a glimpse of what's to come, marking the beginning of Romeo and Juliet’s tragic downfall. This shows that fate shows all throughout the play that their lives will have a tragic ending. All throughout this play there is some kind of example of fate and how the two lovers fate will end tragically, and that’s how the readers know that the two main people will not live to see their love grow anymore than what they had though in the beginning of this
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.
Although fate and character traits play a key role in the play, ultimately Romeo and Juliet’s personal choices lead to their downfall. Fate originates all of the conflicts in Romeo and Juliet, from when they met until they die. Romeo is in love with Rosaline at the very beginning of the story and has just found out that she has taken the vow of chastity. Meanwhile, Lord Capulet has given County Paris Juliet’s hand in marriage if he can wait until she is sixteen. The Capulets have a party so that Juliet and the Count can meet and he can then woo her.
“It lies not in our power to love, or hate, for will in us is over-rul'd by fate.” In William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, it is clear that the leading theme is fate, as it is mentioned several times. Shakespeare allows the audience to see everything that happens “behind closed doors.” While some characters’ actions did affect the outcome of the play, fate is the ruling force.
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life. Whole misadventured piteous overthrows Do their deaths bury their parents' strife? -Chorus As these words echoed through the hall of the Globe theatre, little did William Shakespeare know that this tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, would be examined and admired by playwrights for decades to come. So does fate play a major part in this tragedy?
Mercutio, Romeo's kingsmen, invites Romeo to crash a Capulet party. Romeo at first passes on the offer, but then decides to go. The choice to attend the party made way for so many negative things to happen. The choice to attend the Capulet party gave him the opportunity to meet Juliet but also create more bad blood with the rival family. Essentially Romeo doomed himself right from the start.
Fate is talked about a lot too, which adds to the dramatic features of the play, so as the story evolves everything the characters say can relate back to the prologue in some way when we find out what is going to happen in the end. The quote ?From forth the fatal loins of these two foes? shows that nothing good will happen as fatal means almost deathly and both the families children end up dying at the end. Also in the prologue ?The fearful passage of their death-marked love? means they are fated to die because they are in love through a course of unfortunate events. Also at the Capulets? party when Romeo and Juliet first kiss the rest of the play is almost set out for you.
Death plays a key role in Romeo and Juliet. During the story, six deaths occur that fashion Shakespeare’s publication into the calamity that’s known around the world. Each death pushes the story forward continuously, leading to the finale where the two lovers die due to love and hate from both feuding families.
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
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?'
Another main explored theme in Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet was Fate, Chance and Freewill all vital factors in the eventual death of Romeo and Juliet. Already in the Prologue ‘A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life’ Act 1 Scene 1 Line 6, Shakespeare has established the inevitability of fate by using metadrama to communicate to the audience the ending and showing the audience that the events that occur in the play all led to the eventual downfall of the tragic hero who thinks he is defying fate but in reality he is simply following its course. This quote ‘O, I am fortune's fool.’ Act 3 Scene 3, line 127 explicitly showcases this theme by discreetly referencing the prologue. Romeo is finally aware that all of the actions
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
Although many believe that fate plays a large role in determining the death of Romeo and Juliet, a few characters in the play should be held accountable for the deaths of the lovers. Romeo and Juliet, a play written by William Shakespeare, is set in Verona, Italy. The play describes the life of two lovers, who are apart of rival families, which ultimately ends in the death of both lovers. Many readers throughout the time the play was published until now believe that fate plays a major role in the events leading to the suicide of Romeo and Juliet. However, simple decisions made by a few characters lead the couple to their miserable deaths. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare exemplifies how certain characters should be held responsible for
Romeo and Juliet made many choices out of their own free will, including an irreversible decision that ended in despair for all characters. “All are punished!”(5.3.305). In the play “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare, the actions of Romeo, the actions of Juliet, and the actions of others prove that free will is more paramount than fate in the plot of the play.
Romeo and Juliet is regarded as one of William Shakespeare’s most tragic love stories, which has its influence on many aspects of the entertainment industry. In the context of this play, there are uncertainties surrounding whether the fatalities occur as a result of free will or under the uncontrollable force of fate. Through Romeo and Juliet’s premeditated encounter, Shakespeare indicates that fate is primarily responsible for love at first sight. Simultaneously, Romeo and Juliet are also portrayed as victims of their own destiny which induces their misfortunes and deaths. Apart from being one of the major themes, fate is also a main contributor to the outcome of the play.
Shakespeare first establishes his stance on fate through foreshadowing. By referring to Romeo and Juliet as “star crossed lovers” he reveals that fate has