The Reasons for the Death of Romeo and Juliet

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The Reasons for the Death of Romeo and Juliet

For hundreds of years people have argued over the reason for the death

of Romeo and Juliet. I think it has got something to do with fate,

chance, adolescent passion, feud and their fathers and a few other

factors.

There are many suggestions in the play that the deaths were destined

by fate. At the time the play was written people believed and praised

the stars just as people today use modern day horoscopes to predict

the outcome of their lives. At the beginning of the play the prologue

tells us that Romeo and Juliet are a pair of “star crossed lovers.”

Romeo believes what will happen will happen. “I fear too early for my

mind misgives, some consequence yet hanging in the stars.” Later on

when Romeo hears of Juliet’s death he cannot believe it and says,

“then I defy you stars.” Romeo says he feels his future is “hanging in

the stars” and he is “fortunes fool.”

Often in life things happen by chance. Throughout the play there are

many incidents that happen by chance. One of these is the accidental

meeting of Romeo and the illiterate servant Peter carrying the

Capulet’s invitation list. Romeo reads the guest list and finds out

that Rosaline, his true love, will be there. He decides to go to the

Capulet’s ball where he meets and falls in love with Juliet. If he had

never met Peter then he would never have gone to the ball and he would

have never met Juliet there. After the ball Romeo does not go home but

decides to hang about in the Capulet’s garden. By chance Juliet comes

out onto the balcony and starts speaking about the name Romeo. “O

Romeo, Romeo wherefore art thou Romeo?” and he answers from the

darkness. They talk about their love for each other. Juliet asks him

to marry her and she tells him to send a messenger next morning to

tell him the time and the place of the wedding.

The death of Mercutio is an unhappy chance happening.

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