“When two people are meant to be together, they will be together. It is fate” (Gruen 273). This is a quote that the author, Sara Gruen, stated in her book, “Water for Elephants”, which is also about a love story. This quote makes it evident that Romeo and Juliet were meant to be together, and they were together, but only eternally; that is why fate made them meet each other. There are several characters in William Shakespeare`s Romeo and Juliet whose fates were already predestined, especially the main characters themselves, Romeo and Juliet. The outcome of Romeo and Juliet was a result of the characters’ fate and not individual choices. It is fate that made Romeo and Juliet meet each other and fall in love, despite the fact that their families …show more content…
The prologue states that fate is against Romeo and Juliet’s love. It says that their love is "death-marked," and they have no control over what happens. It is their misfortune that leads to the catastrophic ending of the play.
Romeo and Juliet’s meeting was also because of fate. Capulet’s servant approached Romeo and Benvolio to read the names on a list of people invited to Capulet’s masque instead of anyone else. Romeo decided to got to Capulet’s masque. In addition, Romeo climbed over the wall of Capulet’s orchard and just happened to find himself right under Juliet’s balcony. He had overheard Juliet’s soliloquy: “O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? / Deny thy father and refuse thy name; / Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, / And I’ll no longer be a Capulet” (Shakespeare 2.2.33-36). Fate also had a role in the series of accidents that ruined Friar Laurence’s plan and the tragic timing of Romeo’s suicide and Juliet’s awakening. It cannot all be a coincidence that, out of everyone, the servant came to Romeo, Romeo was able to trespass into Capulet’s house and meet Juliet, and Romeo ended up right under Juliet’s balcony. Consequently, this leads to Romeo and Juliet falling in love. It has to be fate that predestined the meeting
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Juliet states that she will die if she cannot marry Romeo and, though she does not know it, she will die even if she does. The lines read literally, “My husband will be Death.” Death is mentioned many times in the play as Juliet’s ultimate lover. Also, Friar Laurence told Romeo: “These violent delights have violent ends” (Shakespeare 2.6.9). This can propose that something bad is going to happen in the future. It is an example of fate and foreshadowing. When Mercutio was in his final moments, he cursed the Montagues and Capulets, and said: “A plague O’ both your houses” (Shakespeare 3.1.105)! This can also be seen as foreshadowing, since later in the play, both the families are in grief for losing their children. Romeo tells Benvolio: “This day’s black fate on more days doth depend. / This but begins the woe others must end” (Shakespeare 3.1.118-119). These lines mean that the future will be affected by that day’s terrible events, including Romeo’s banishment. It was an ominous prediction. Upon hearing Juliet's refusal to marry Paris, Lady Capulet says her wishes "I would the fool were married to her grave” (Shakespeare 3.5.141)! The image of Juliet's grave as her wedding bed foresees her and Romeo’s tragic reunion in death. Romeo has a premonition in the form of a dream that he was dead and Juliet woke him up with a kiss. These lines also foreshadow the
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.
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.
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.
The play Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare tells the story of two very young lovers who die. It just appears that fate controlled the outcome of the story. But if you really study and interpret the story you will realize it is a series of a few simple coincidences, which made the outcome so tragic.
So it is likely that Shakespeare meant for fate to be the cause of Romeo and Juliet's death. I think that the family feud is the main cause for the death of Romeo and Juliet. If the families were not so hateful towards each other Romeo and Juliet would not have kept there love for each other a secret, and they would have no need for committing suicide. This also backs up the point that fate could be to blame for their deaths.
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?'
I think the story of Romeo and Juliet was based on fate and destiny as I have said no one can be that unlucky, everything that happened must have happened for a reason all of which added to their tragic fate. Every little thing contributed to the ending. I think it was down to fate and destiny it was not a coincidence. There are many ways that this could have been stopped if it wasn’t meant to happen. ‘ For never was a story of more woe Than this of her Juliet and her Romeo.’(5.3.309)
Some say fate can be changed through hard work and perseverance although in these novels, both characters believed that their fate could be changed by love. In the prologue, Shakespeare describes the plot with the statement; “a pair of star cross’d lovers take their life.” Although the affair between the two lovers had a tragic ending, there is also a sense that it was fated in the stars, as it finally ends the feud between the families. Juliet meets Romeo in an unusual way as a result of fate. If she had known Romeo was a Montague, she would have never pursued him. Fate also contributes to Juliet’s downfall. She and the Friar
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
Throughout the drama, Shakespeare foreshadows the imminent death that Romeo and Juliet will face and that the belief in love at first sight will leave the relationship entirely up to fate. As the lovers meet in private, they unknowingly mention their death as they speak words of love to each other. In Romeo’s conversation with Juliet he states that, “... life [were] better ended by their hate than death prorogued wanting of thy love” (II.ii.77-78) which foreshadows the underlying message that their love will eventually cause them to perish. As Shakespeare foreshadows the outcome of the two lovers, he displays references to modern society and fate’s ability to control a relationship purely based on love at first sight. Shakespeare suggests that love founded at first sight leaves no room for decisions on whether the relationship is viable therefore the lovers are no longer in control of the relationship, and it is fate that causes the relationship to continue or
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.
In regards to Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare chose fate to be a strong underlying theme which constructs the basis of the story line. Fate has the ability to control the characters’ lives and one minor change in the way it had acted would have changed the entire outcome. Through Romeo and Juliet’s spontaneous encounter, fate was largely responsible for love at first sight alongside controlling the misfortunate events that occur as a result of their love. Apart from love and misfortune, Shakespeare suggests that Romeo and Juliet were destined to die the way they did, despite the fact that it was their choice to end their lives. The outcome of the play was a direct result of fate, which to a notable extent was responsible for the many events which were destined to occur.
Just as the Friar says in the beginning of the Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliet, “Wisely and slowly, they stumble that run fast.” (II.iii.94). this was a sign of foreshadowing for for the death of the lovers, Romeo and Juliet. Even though fate was a factor that had contributed to a tragic end, there was also personal choice involved, and ultimately, the story may have had a different ending if it weren’t for the flaws of the lovers and their inability to have a grip on reality in dire circumstances. Over the course of the play, the lovers from the conflicting households have not matured and remain rather static in development. Furthermore, in this tragedy, the only son of the montages remains rather childlike, Juliet still seems immature and their relationship over all seems more like a play act on lover rather then something mature and sustainable. Overall, from start to finish, Romeo and Juliet were living in the moment, being absurd and silly rather then focusing on the future and trying to work problems out effectively.
Soulmates, made for each other, meant to be, written in the stars, crafted by destiny, a pure product of passion… fate plays it’s role as well, as it is virtually destiny’s sister. Romeo and Juliet are undeniably perfect for each other. Their creator, Shakespeare, ha...