How Did Shakespeare Overcome Their Destinies In Romeo And Juliet

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When I was younger, I would often wonder how my life would play out. Is it my control? Or was I most affected by the things that happened to me? Charlotte Bronte and William Shakespeare are well known authors, who explore this very idea in their writings, despite creating their works years apart, they ponder the natural human question: how and why our destinies are decided in the way they are. Shakespeare does this in possibly his most renowned play, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliete. This well-known play follows Romeo Montigue and Juliet Capulet as they fall deeply in love with each other, but struggle to overcome their constantly fighting families, resulting in their untimely deaths. Bronte, on the other hand, does this through her esteemed …show more content…

This can first be seen in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare, or more specifically, his characters in the play, repeatedly bring up the role supposed fate plays in their lives, despite making obvious choices in spite of it. Oftentimes characters predict or blame an inevitable outcome on “the stars.” Romeo himself is accidentally invited to a party being held by his family’s rivals, the Capulets. On the way to this party, Romeo states “my mind misgives/Some consequence yet hangs in the stars” (Acts 1, Scene 3, 13-14). Romeo is quick to claim fate, something he simply can't control, which will lead to an unfortunate end of the night. Despite this feeling of impending doom, he continues to the party he’s not even allowed to. This thoughtless decision can be attributed largely to Romeo's lack of self control, and to his ability to be influenced. It's important to note that Romeo's close friend and family member, Benvolio Montague, is present at the moment, and pushes Romeo to attend the …show more content…

Even Romeo knows this to some degree, after his aforementioned fight with Juliet's cousin Tybalt, he is banished from his home. When he hears the news of Juliet's death, which he doesn't yet know is fake, his immediate impulse is to attempt to take control for his lover. As soon as he hears of the tragedy, he shouts “Then I defy you, stars!—/.../...I will hence tonight.” (Act 5, Scene 1, 25-27) Romeo acts quickly in spite of his fate because of the decisions Juliet made. This provides a prime example of him pushing back fate, even if it does lead him to do unfortunate things, as he does later that night when, upon seeing Juliet lying “dead” in her tomb, he ends his own life. Jane Eyre, on the other hand, defies fate with her own values and strong will. She is willing to make difficult decisions when faced with an unfortunate fate, and while these decisions are based largely around others, they are still well thought out and done for the best. This is exactly why, after it has been revealed that Rochester was married to Jane, she reacts in the way she

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