... ... middle of paper ... ...meo’s death and Juliet’s awakening, fate also played a primary role in Paris’s ordained death. 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.
Fate in the play was how the 'grudge', premonition's, Friar's plan and parents all contributed to their death. Without them destined to die they could have avoided their death but because it was 'death-marked', meaning it was out of anyone's control. Shakespeare wrote in the prologue the reason for their death was fated, and their death was destined to 'bury their parents strife'. The main reason for their death was their fate.
In the prologue, Shakespeare makes it undoubtedly clear that Romeo and Juliet are subject to fate. The audience is first introduced to Shakespeare’s ideas of fate when he describes Romeo and Juliet as “star-cross’d lovers” (I. Prologue. l. 6). Shakespeare chooses to refer to the lovers as being “star-cross’d”, meaning that they are doomed from birth because of the position of the planets at that time. This conveys to the reader that no matter what actions Romeo and Juliet take during the course of the play, their destinies remain doomed.
In “Romeo and Juliet” there are many references to the stars and fate; this makes it clear that the play is a classical tragedy. Shakespeare uses the prologue to show the Elizabethan audience that fate is very much involved. The prologue introduces the Elizabethans to the play, it mentions that the ‘star-crossed lovers’ will die to settle the dispute between the Montagues and the Capulet families, from the start the play is foreshadowed and destined to end in death as this is already foreseen in the prologue. ‘Whose misadventur’d piteous overthrows doth with their death bury their parents’ strife,’ The word death foreshadows the play from the very being Through out the play Romeo and Juliet, experience many misfortunes due to fate. All though the audience may disagree at times, and believe that it is the characters, making their own decisions which is the reason for these unfortunate events, but fate is always linked to the characters as no matter what they decide fate always intervenes, In the opening scene, we learn of just how deep the hatred between th... ... middle of paper ... ...ars from a friend that Juliet has died.
It displays that fate will be a large factor in the story and the end will be tragic. The quote also shows that the two that are born to love are born into a bitter and hateful grudge between the two families. Their “star-crossed” destiny makes us as if fate has given them an unlucky place in life. All of these things allow us to believe that fate will determine the out-come of the play. Another reason why fate plays a role is that it is by fate that Romeo and Juliet meet.
Fate in Romeo and Juliet Essay Dictionary.com defines fate as, “the universal principle or ultimate agency by which the order of things is presumably prescribed or the decreed cause of events.” This view of fate is one of the most prominent themes in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. As early as the Prologue, the chorus speaks “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes/ A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life;” (Prologue 5-6), informing the audience that the fate of the couple is predetermined. Erin Reynolds in her essay “Defying the Stars” points out that Shakespeare presents the idea “that the two foes have fatal loins, a play on the word “fatal with its double meaning of lethal and concerning fate.” The chorus also states,” the fearful passage of their death-marked love/ And the continuance of their parents’ rage/which, but their children’s end, naught could/remove,” (prologue, 9-12). By this passage the idea that the families’ feud is fated to be ended only by the doomed love of their children. Throughout the play both Romeo and Juliet sense that their destiny is being controlled by forces too great to imagine.
It could be argued that, as well as Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet was in fact also a tragedy of fate, for many reasons. In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo, who acts too hastily and rushes into things before really thinking about them, could be seen as the “tragic hero”. For example, had he not have asked Juliet to marry him so suddenly, and thought more carefully before rushing back to Verona after hearing of Juliet’s death, the events which fell into place as consequences of his actions could have been very different. For example, had he not have acted so rashly when he saw Juliet lying on the bed, dead, he wouldn’t ended his life so drastically, and Juliet wouldn’t have committed suicide either. Although Romeo’s hasty decisions and rash changes do contr... ... middle of paper ... ...ng to be part of the ancient feud kept going only by their anger for one another.
William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet Within the play of Romeo and Juliet fate is very important and is often mentioned. The events that lead up to the deaths of the couple could either be seen as bad luck or a direct result of Romeo and Juliet's own personalities and actions. The prologue tells us the story in advance, allowing us to overview the actions of the couple. We know from this prologue that Romeo and Juliet are spoken of as 'star-crossed' and that fate is supposedly against them. The prologue tells us that the deaths of the 'star-crossed lovers' is the only way to end their 'parents rage.'
Even and early as the prologue, the words “A pair of star-cross’d lovers…” reveal Shakespeare’s intent in conveying the association of fate with this motif. Like stars, fate exists in the heavens. It is Romeo and Juliet’s misfortune that leads to the sorrowful and tragic ending of the play. Romeo and Juliet is a play plagued with timing and fate. Some actions are believed to happen by chance or destiny.
In Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, fate is the actual ruling force at work. Fate and free will is to blame for the deaths and destruction in the play. At the beginning of the play, the chorus tells the audience that an “ill-fated” couple will take their lives. “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes / A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life” ( Prologue 5-6 ) The audience now knows that these “star-crossed” lovers are destined to die and fate and free will is responsible for it. In the play, Shakespeare blames fate for their death.