The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

1229 Words3 Pages

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy mainly because of the downfall of the

main characters through weakness or misfortune, which lead to their

deaths but these flaws are not the only reasons for this tragedy, it

is possible that their fate was “written in the stars” as there are

many references made about these stars.

Fate (the fact that life is already planned out and is out of human

control) must be one of the key factors in causing the tragedy of the

“star-crossed lovers” Romeo and Juliet. It is possible that there was

“some consequence yet hanging in the stars”(I iv) that already had

their lives scripted down and no matter how much Romeo wanted to defy

them “I defy you stars”(I, vi) he could not. This must mean that

Romeo’s life was already planned out. But fate was not only

interpreted in the stars, somehow it seemed that some of the

characters foreshadowed their own fate, like Friar Lawrence

foreshadowed “love so gentle in [Romeo’s] view, should be so tyrannous

in proof”(I, I), this meaning that Romeo may see the love he has now,

as wonderful, but as it continues it causes trouble. The friar also

foreshadows the result of Romeo and Juliet’s love again when he

predicts that their “violent delights have violent ends” this again

hints the ending of Romeo and Juliet’s love. This is not the only

incident of foreshadowing more is done by Juliet when she predicts,

“[her] grave is like to be [her] wedding bed” this is an obvious hint

that Juliet will die soon after she is married. She doesn’t only

foretell her death; she also foretells Romeo’s death as well. She sees

Romeo “so low, as one in the bottom of a tomb”(III, v). The most

obvious foreshadowing is done by Romeo when he dreams that his “lady

came and found [him] dead… and breathed such life with kisses in [his]

lips” this foretells the end of the play when Juliet tries to kill her

Open Document