romeo and juliet essay on fate

Exemplar Essay: Fate

How does Shakespeare present the theme of fate?

Read this extract from Act 5 Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet and then answer the question that follows. At this point in the play the Friar John has returned unsuccessfully from trying to deliver Friar Laurence’s letter to Romeo.

Going to find a bare-foot brother out

One of our order, to associate me,

Here in this city visiting the sick,

And finding him, the searchers of the town,

Suspecting that we both were in a house

Where the infectious pestilence did reign,

Seal'd up the doors, and would not let us forth;

So that my speed to Mantua there was stay'd.

FRIAR LAURENCE

Who bare my letter, then, to Romeo?

I could not send it,--here it is again,--

Nor get a messenger to bring it thee,

So fearful were they of infection.

Unhappy fortune! by my brotherhood,

The letter was not nice but full of charge

Of dear import, and the neglecting it

May do much danger. Friar John, go hence;

Get me an iron crow, and bring it straight

Unto my cell.

Starting with this extract, explore how Shakespeare presents fate as a force that controls the characters.

Write about:

• how Shakespeare presents fate in this extract.

• how Shakespeare presents fate in the play as a whole.

AO4 [4 marks]

Romeo and Juliet is about how strong emotions have tragic consequences. Through the theme of fate, Shakespeare invites his audience to question how far the characters’ tragic deaths were predetermined and how far they were decided by Romeo and Juliet’s impulsive actions. He also invites the audience to consider how far their future is decided by societal norms - not fate.

In the extract, Shakespeare implies that fate has prevented the letter from reaching Friar John. In lines 5-8, Shakespeare has Friar John state that he was unable to deliver the letter due to an ‘infectious pestilence’, which resulted in the doors of Mantua being ‘sealed’. While Shakespeare does not state explicitly that it is fate that has caused the plague to hit Mantua at the very moment that Friar John needs to deliver an important letter to Romeo, his Elizabethan audience, strong believers in the power of the stars and planets to predetermine our futures, would have seen this as more than an unhappy coincidence. It does therefore seem that fate is working against Romeo and Juliet.

In the extract, Shakespeare also suggests that Friar Laurence blames fate for this unfortunate event. In line 14, Shakespeare has Friar Laurence cry ‘unhappy fortune!’. In other words, Friar Laurence is stating that it is terribly bad luck that the letter has not reached Romeo. Shakespeare’s use of the word ‘fortune’ implies that Friar Laurence blames a higher power for this coincidence. Friar Laurence’s words could echo the Elizabethan audience’s fears that fate has already decided Romeo and Juliet are doomed. Shakespeare’s choice for the letter to be undelivered creates tension for the audience, as they begin to wonder if Romeo and Juliet are drawing ever-closer to their tragic deaths.

In the prologue, Shakespeare makes clear that Romeo and Juliet are doomed to die. The first time the audience is introduced to Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare describes their love as ‘death-marked’, which immediately tells the audience that the lovers will die tragically. An Elizabethan audience, who believed in fate, would have believed it possible for Romeo and Juliet’s fate to be decided from birth. By introducing Romeo and Juliet to the audience in this way, perhaps Shakespeare invites the audience to closely scrutinise the actions taken by all of the characters and decide for themselves how far fate is to blame for the tragic deaths.

However, in the play as a whole, Romeo acts impulsively, which contributes to his tragic downfall. The moment he meets Juliet, Romeo forgets Rosaline, his previous love, and asks ‘did my heart love till now?’. This surprising and impulsive change of mind is a stark example of the tragic flaw that leads Romeo towards his death, and is just the first of many similar actions: Romeo marries Juliet the day after meeting her; he murders Tybalt without thinking of the consequence threatened by Prince Escalus; he rushes to Verona with poison and takes it before Juliet wakes. Shakespeare’s presentation of Romeo in this way indicates that Romeo’s depth of passion and emotion are partly to blame for the speed at which he and Juliet are catapulted towards their deaths. If Romeo had been able to think more clearly and rationally rather than rushing to action before considering the consequences, perhaps some of the tragedy could have been avoided.

Also in the play as whole, Shakespeare explores how the restrictions of arranged marriage force Juliet closer to her tragic death. Unlike Romeo, whose impulsive actions are within his control as a man in the Elizabethan era, Juliet’s future is out of her hands. Before the audience meets Juliet in person, we witness a discussion about her between Lord Capulet and Paris. Although Lord Capulet is protective over Juliet, urging Paris to wait for two more years as Juliet is still a ‘stranger in the world’, he does consent to Paris wooing Juliet before asking Juliet’s views. It is clear, therefore, that Juliet has limited say in her future. The audience cannot help but wonder how the marriage between Romeo and Juliet can end happily, given that she has chosen her own suitor and has gone as far as to choose the son of her father’s arch-enemy. Later in the play, when Lord Capulet decides to speed up the marriage, Juliet is pressured to take action. Knowing that she will ‘hang, beg, starve, die in the streets’ if she refuses to marry Paris, Juliet feels she has no option but to consent, and plan an escape. Perhaps if Lord Capulet had not chosen to bring the marriage forward by two years, Juliet may have had an opportunity to be reunited with Romeo. Shakespeare could therefore be challenging traditional patriarchal attitudes to marriage, in which the daughter has limited say over her husband, because this is arguably a contributing factor in Juliet’s death.

In conclusion, it is clear that there are many references to fate within the play that indicate a higher power could be dictating Romeo and Juliet’s future but Shakespeare’s presentation of Romeo’s tragic flaw and arranged marriage certainly invite the audience to consider how far events may have played out differently if the characters had made different decisions.

In the extract, Shakespeare suggests that fate has prevented the letter from reaching Friar John. In lines 5-8, Shakespeare has Friar John state ‘Where the infectious pestilence did reign, Seal'd up the doors’. In other words, Friar John is saying that he couldn’t deliver the letter because he wasn’t allowed into Mantua dye to the plague. Although Shakespeare does not state that fate has stopped Friar John from delivering the letter, it is hinted at. His Elizabethan audience, who believed that the stars and planets could decide their futures, would have believed that fate stopped Friar John from delivering the letter. Therefore it does seem that fate is working against Romeo and Juliet.

In the extract, Shakespeare also suggests that Friar Laurence blames fate. In line 14, Shakespeare has Friar Laurence cry ‘unhappy fortune!’. In other words, Friar Laurence is stating that it is very bad luck that the letter has not reached Romeo. Shakespeare’s use of the word ‘fortune’ implies that Friar Laurence blames a higher power for this. The Elizabethan audience would have understood why Friar Laurence blames a higher power because they believed in fate. Shakespeare’s choice for the letter to be undelivered creates tension for the audience because they begin to wonder if Romeo and Juliet will soon die.

In the prologue, Shakespeare makes clear that Romeo and Juliet are doomed to die. The first time the audience is introduced to Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare describes their love as ‘death-marked’, which immediately tells the audience that the lovers will not lead long and happy lives. An Elizabethan audience, who believed in fate, would have believed it was possible for Romeo and Juliet’s fate to be decided from birth. Shakespeare could have described Romeo and Juliet as ‘death-marked’ because he wanted his audience to think very carefully about the actions the characters take and decide if it was fate or their own choices that caused them to die.

However, in the play as a whole, Romeo acts impulsively, which contributes to his death. When Romeo sees Juliet at the Capulet ball, Shakespeare has him ask ‘did my heart love till now?’. This question is very surprising because moments earlier Romeo was claiming to be madly in love with Rosaline. This reveals that Romeo is impulsive and quickly changes his mind. We also see that Romeo is impulsive when he kills Tybalt and when he takes the poison at Juliet’s tomb. Shakespeare presents Romeo as impulsive because he wants to show how dangerous it can be when you act quickly on your feelings without thinking about the consequences. It could be argued that Romeo’s impulsive actions are the cause of his death rather than fate.

Also in the play as whole, Shakespeare presents Juliet’s arranged marriage as a cause of her death. Unlike Romeo, Juliet is not able to choose who she marries. When Juliet refuses to marry Paris, Shakespeare has Lord Capulet order her to ‘hang, beg, starve, die in the streets’. Shakespeare’s use of violent language demonstrates how trapped Juliet is because, if she chooses not to marry Paris, she will be thrown out and left to die. As a result of Lord Capulet rushing the marriage, Juliet asks for Friar Laurence’s help to fake her own death. Because of her faking her own death and the letter not reaching Romeo, he thinks she is actually dead and kills himself. Maybe if Juliet hadn’t been told she was going to marry Paris straight away, she might have had time to reunite with Romeo properly, which could have stopped her death. Shakespeare could therefore be suggesting that Juliet’s arranged marriage caused her death, rather than fate. Perhaps he wanted to challenge traditional views towards marriage in the Elizabethan era.

The Portrayal of Fate in “Romeo and Juliet” Essay

Introduction.

Romeo and Juliet are unquestionably the most famous pair of lovers in world literature. Since the play’s inception in the 16th century, they have fallen in love and died in each other’s arms innumerable times. Just as the actors performing the play are bound by Shakespeare’s script, the actions of the characters within it have been predetermined by the hand of fate. There are repeated references to destiny, fortune, and the futility of trying to escape or subvert them. Thus, the play Romeo and Juliet demonstrates that fate is the invisible, unavoidable force behind the entirety of the human experience.

Firstly, the inevitability of fate is coded into the main plot of Romeo and Juliet. The Capulets and Montague have been embroiled in a blood feud with no other reason given than an “ancient grudge” (Shakespeare Prologue 3). The origins of the conflict are inexplicable but accepted as an unavoidable fact by all the characters. Similarly, humans submit to the workings of fate even if it remains inscrutable to them. Romeo and Juliet fail and die in their attempt to escape the family feud; the same tragic ending awaits any person who cannot accept their fate. Therefore, the main characters’ failure to escape the age-old vendetta between their families is reflective of the human inability to subvert destiny.

Secondly, the prologue establishes that the events of the play have been predetermined not just by the author, but supernatural forces. The main characters have sprung from “the fatal loins” of the two rival families, and nothing but their death can put an end to the conflict (Shakespeare Prologue 5). They are a “star-crossed” couple, consumed by love that is “death-marked” (Shakespeare Prologue 6, 9). Thus the atmosphere of the play is imbued with the inevitability of tragedy. The following events, from Romeo’s fight with Tybalt to the lovers’ double suicide, are not just the result of bad luck and coincidence. The prologue has dictated the action from the very beginning. Fate is playing a chess game and slowly pushing all the players into the correct positions. The prologue divests humans of their free will and presents them as ignorant pawns in a larger cosmic scheme.

Thirdly, the characters themselves are preoccupied with the rule of fate over their lives. They do not remain blind to its machinations but verbally acknowledge their fears about its callousness. Juliet laments that “heaven should practice stratagems upon so soft a subject as myself” (Shakespeare 3.5.209-210). Romeo sighs that he is made a “fortune’s fool” after Tybalt is slain (Shakespeare 3.1.127). Both Romeo and Juliet recognize their lack of autonomy and long to flout the decrees of heaven. Once Romeo learns of Juliet’s death, he declares that he wishes to “defy you, stars,” and later “shake the yoke of inauspicious stars” (Shakespeare 5.1.25, 5.3.111). Romeo and Juliet believe that they are choosing to die for their love as a final assertion of personal will. However, the prologue hints that even this decision was predestined in order to finally heal the rift between the Capulets and Montagues. The constant references to the stars and fortune display that humans are cognizant of fate’s power, but that does not save them from falling prey to it.

Fourthly, the characters do not simply fear the possibility of doom but experience direct premonitions of the tragic fate that awaits them. Romeo fears that “some consequence [is] yet hanging in the stars” upon entering the Capulet ball (Shakespeare 1.5.107). Before even discovering his family name, Juliet looks at Romeo and predicts that her “grave is like to be [her] wedding bed” (Shakespeare 1.5.134). On the balcony, she exclaims that she has an “ill-divining soul” and sees Romeo “as one dead in the bottom of a tomb” (Shakespeare 3.5.54-56). Fate in Romeo and Juliet is not just a retroactive justification of the characters’ impulses or ignorance. They predict that their end will be unhappy even before learning that they come from rival families. Therefore, fate is not a rationalization for human foolishness but an active, supernatural force that puppeteers the characters and leads them to their deaths.

In conclusion, the central tension in Romeo and Juliet is not between the lovers and their families but between free will and fate. Shakespeare demonstrates that destiny is an omnipotent force that humans can neither comprehend nor resist. The futility of subversion is coded into the play’s central plot; Romeo and Juliet’s failure to overcome the family feud is reflective of the human inability to deny destiny. The prologue establishes humans as pawns in a cosmic chess game that they cannot escape even if they acknowledge their role. The characters predict their death even before they learn each other’s names, proving that fate is not simply an excuse but an active force. The self in modern Western culture is understood as a self-contained, self-determining, independent unit. However, a story about the calamitous consequences of attempting to defy destiny still retains a strong hold over the Western imagination.

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Edited by G. Blakemore Evans, Cambridge University Press, 2003.

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The role of fate in Romeo and Juliet

Table of Contents

Introduction

Fate is an unseeable and inescapable thing. It can create many fatal events in human lives. In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, fate is an integral element of the plot that connects Romeo and Juliet’s lives. Fate is shown in Romeo’s communication with the illiterate servant, the apothecary and finally Romeo and Juliet’s trying to intervene in their fate.

How does fate play a role in Romeo and Juliet

The meeting of the two main characters was not an accident at first. From the beginning of the story, when the servant of the Capulet mansion encounters Benvolio and Romeo, he asks for their help with the guest list, not knowing that they are Montagues.  “My master is the great rich Capulet, and, if you be not/of the house of Montagues, I pray come and crush a / cup of wine.” (Rom. I II, 81-84). It is no coincidence that the servant ran into the two Montagues. This case was definitely the will of fate. Also, Romeo’s melancholic behavior and unrequited love for Rosaline is timed perfectly with the event of the Capulet ball. Romeo’s great desire to see Rosaline at the ball was the main reason for his arrival. “Sips the fair Rosaline whom thou so loves, With all the admired beauties of Verona:” (I ii, 85-86). Shakespeare, through plot manipulations, shows the main role of fate in changing events in both Romeo and Juliet’s lives.

Also, throughout the play, various characters influence the fate of Romeo and Juliet. For instance, the Apothecary in act five played a significant part in identifying Romeo and Juliet’s fate.“Come hither, man I see that thou art poor. / A dram of poison, such soon-speeding gear as will disperse itself through all the veins.”(V.I.59-61).  Shakespeare used this character to develop the plot leading the lovers to their untimely death. The Apothecary plays an important role in making the fatal decision to give Romeo the poison he needed to commit suicide. On his way to the Apothecary, Romeo depicts the physical condition of the Apothecary, both of the man and the store. Figuratively, these depictions are describing the Apothecary, but they also give us an insight into Romeo’s mental state. The moment when Romeo is so depressed that he even can’t have the strength to survive Juliet’s death shows how much fate affects the further development of events.   Romeo, not realizing his actions, falls into the trap of fate and takes his part. Also, the fake death of Juliet by the will of fate is intertwined with the Apothecary’s poverty and his desperate desire for wealth. Romeo’s journey along with his meeting of the foolhardy Apothecary were all timed by fate. The life paths of the star-crossed lovers are weaved by fate, eventually bringing the lovers to their tragic end.

In the play Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare determines the importance of fate from the very beginning. “A pair of star-crossed lovers.” (Prologue. 6-7) The quote makes it clear that lovers are not meant to be together. Shakespeare skillfully plays the fate of lovers, and in many instances, characters realize their fate. Throughout the story, Romeo and Juliet try to defy their fate as star-crossed lovers and desperately want to be together for the rest of their lives. In act three scene four Romeo asks Juliet to marry him. The two characters try their hardest to build their love even despite the fact they belong to warring families. Romeo and Juliet realize that their couple will never be accepted due to years of conflicts and hostility between their families. Indeed, Juliet tries to fight her fate by acting without her parents’ knowledge and breaking traditions.

Moreover, Juliet cabals with the Friar to avoid her parents and her arranged marriage to Paris. Unaware of her actions, Juliet sets in motion a chain of events that ultimately lead to Romeo’s death. Romeo, deciding that Juliet is dead, cannot live without her and makes the fateful decision to commit suicide. Juliet awakens to find her lover dead and as Romeo believed she knows they can only indeed be together eternally through death. In the end, the two families realized the misery their feud had led to and made peace.

In summary, fate is shown in many areas of the play including Romeo’s contact with the illiterate servant, the apothecary and Romeo and Juliet’s attempts to thwart fate. From the beginning of the play, the role of fate in the lives of the two lovers was obvious. In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, fate played a significant role in controlling Romeo and Juliet’s lives and finally led them to their deaths. There is no reason for their hate. It led to the two stubborn families; unfortunately, having to lose their children to realize what a great mistake it is to be hateful. Fate ultimately teaches the families the lesson not to hate.

• Shakespeare, W. (1993). Romeo and Juliet. Dover Publications.
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The Role Of Fate In Romeo And Juliet

Introduction.

Fate is one of the biggest themes in Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare plays with the idea that it is fate and not decision that determines the lives and the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. The idea of fate is given in the opening sonnet showing the audience that fate is something to be examined throughout the play and there is nothing that Romeo and Juliet can do other than to follow their fate.

FATE AND THE OPENING OF ROMEO AND JULIET

Shakespeare opens the play with a sonnet describing Romeo and Juliet as ‘Star-crossed lovers’ suggesting that the roles have already begun to take shape even before they meet. He then continues with the idea of fate showing the audience what the outcome will be even before the play begins by describing how death is the outcome by describing Romeo and Juliet as ‘death-marked’.

FATE AND THE CHARACTERS IN ROMEO AND JULIET

Romeo and Juliet also seem very aware that their lives are governed by fate and not by decision alone as both refer to the idea of fate throughout the play. Romeo refers to fate intervention as he claims ‘hanging in the stars’. Romeo is not alone in believing fate is playing a part in their live because Juliet also refers to fate as she claims ‘This is far more mysterious for us’.

All these references to fate would not have gone un-noticed by the audience of Shakespeare’s plays. People of the time were known to be superstitious and believers in fate. It was this fear of superstition that led to the Witch trials and executions later in Shakespeare’s life and beyond.

INTERVENTION OF FATE THROUGHOUT ROMEO AND JULIET

There are many examples throughout Romeo and Juliet of fate intervening in the lives of Romeo and Juliet. Right from the beginning, fate places Romeo at a party he should not be at where he meets Juliet for the first time. Fate also intervenes as the woman Romeo falls in love with happens to be the daughter of his father’s enemy.

Fate does not stop at the lovers meeting and also plays a part as Romeo misses the messenger Balthasar. This one incident alone leads to Romeo believing Juliet is dead and drives him to his own suicide.

Fate is a main theme throughout Romeo and Juliet as this is seen to drive their lives from meeting to the final double tragedy at the end. Fate in Romeo and Juliet is seen to be a cruel device leading to a conclusion of how the feuding families need to be taught a lesson to end their fighting.

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• Romeo And Juliet

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Romeo and Juliet was the timeless classic that redefined love, tragedy and forbidden romance. The story starts with Romeo and Juliet, two strangers from opposing families at war meeting at a party and falling in love at first sight. They decide to keep their love a secret and get married the next day. But when Romeo is banished for killing Juliet’s cousin Tybalt, Friar Laurence and Juliet, create a plan to fake Juliet’s death so that she can join Romeo in Mantua, and they can run away together. But the plan begins to fall apart when Lord Capulet forces Juliet to marry Paris and changes the marriage date. Friar Laurence cannot get the plan to Romeo and he thinks Juliet is dead. He kills himself with poison and when Juliet finds his dead body, she kills herself with Romeo’s knife. The big question that is left standing after the play is, what are the causes of Romeo and Juliet’s death and all the events that lead up to it. There are many factors that lead up to Romeo and Juliet’s death and played major roles, but Fate, the family feud, and Romeo and Juliet’s decisions are for causing their deaths. While the family grudge and Romeo and Juliet are partially responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s deaths, Fate was most to blame.

The family feud was one of the major causes of Romeo and Juliet’s deaths

It is an honor that I dream of she thoroughly expressed her lack of interest in marrying Paris, and, instead, of asking her why she didn’t want to marry, they called her baggage and a disobedient wretch and threatened to disown her and dump her on the streets. And even after she had begged them to give her some of the time, they refused. Lady Capulet is Juliet’s mother, but she doesn’t play the mother role in her life, and instead, her nurse is the mother figure, caring for her since birth. Because of this, they don’t have a close relationship. When Lord Capulet yelled and got angry at Juliet, Lady Capulet never stepped in and said maybe you should give her some time. Instead, all she says is Fie, fie! What, are you mad? in response to Lord Capulet’s threat to disowning and kicking his daughter out of the house with only the clothes on her back. Juliet was under a lot of pressure from her family. Her mother wanted her to be married and have a child. She was for the time, getting too old to be a mother. Ladies of esteem Are already made mothers: by my count Lady Capulet was upset that Juliet had not yet married and had made an heir, she was past the normal age to have a child and get married. Juliet without am a child and husband gave the family a bad name and Lady Capulet was worried that Juliet would forever remain unmarried and a virgin.

If lord Capulet had let Paris marry Juliet when he first asked, Romeo and Juliet would have never met and died. But through the play, Lord Capulet changes his mind and that marrying a successful, count that came to ask for Juliet’s hand in marriage persistently would make a good husband and help the family name. When Lord Capulet makes this decision, he is going against what he first initially said, that Juliet should have a say in the marriage. He thinks that marriage is a good idea for Juliet and doesn’t know about her secret relationship so when Juliet acts harshly and rudely he gets angry. Juliet is partially at fault in this situation because Lord Capulet does not know the full story, that she is deeply in love with Romeo and they’re married. So when she acts out, it seems like a rude, ungrateful, bratty thing to do. Lord Capulet was at fault for not asking why she was so against it and Juliet was at fault for not understanding that Lord Capulet didn’t know the full story and doesn’t understand what is really going on. Connect evidence to the thesis. Romeo and Juliet’s poor and irrational decisions caused their own deaths.

Whose misadventured piteous overthrows doth with their death bury their parents’ strife. When Shakespeare says that he is talking about Romeo and Juliet’s struggle between their families and their deep love for each other. Romeo and Juliet made a lot of poor decisions during the play that leads to their deaths. When they decided to get married the day after meeting each other, fake Juliet’s death, and run away together. these violent delights have violent ends. Friar Lawrence warns Romeo that the decision to get married is a big and important decision. They are making this decision impulsively out of their strong love for each other, and it may make them happy now, there are going to be big consequences in the future. When they met for the first time, they danced. Flirted and talked. They are in the middle of developing a relationship and suddenly out of nowhere decide, to get married, only hours after they met. They are infatuated with each other and high of their feelings and are afraid if they keep their relationship where it is now, they will lose their intense feelings that they have for each other.

But it wasn’t only their rash decisions, but the way that they handled certain events. When Juliet hears of her marriage to Paris, she becomes hysterical. Crying and begging to hear me with patience but to speak a word. If Juliet had taken the situation more calmly, asking for some time and to get to know him better, she would have time to talk to Friar Laurence, make the plan, and get the plan to Romeo. They could have avoided all the problems that came from Romeo learning of Juliet’s supposed death. her body sleeps in capel’s monument”When Romeo hears of Juliet’s death from his servant, he also made a bad decision, he immediately decides that he didn’t have anything left to live for and decided to poison himself and die with Juliet. He didn’t take a second to even take in her death and what it meant and hops onto his horse and rides back to Verona and on the way buys poison. He takes the poison after killing Paris and dies. It’s understandable to be sad, but to immediately decided to kill yourself is a big step. Is a decision not made while in the right mental state.

He’s overridden with grief and not thinking enough to make such a big decision. One of the most direct, if not the most direct causes of Romeo and Juliet’s deaths were each other. Romeo killed himself when he thought that Juliet was dead and Juliet killed herself when she saw Romeo’s dead body. Romeo planned his death, but Juliet decided on the spot to grab Romeo’s dagger and kill herself. They were each other’s downfall. All their decisions that lead to the tragedy were made so that they could be together. If they had never met, none of this would have happened. Juliet would be contentedly married to Paris. Romeo would still be obsessing over Rosaline, but they would still be locked in an everlasting feud.

One of the most important decisions made in the play was when Juliet took the potion. The day before she had gone to Friar Laurence to help her get out of the marriage to Paris and run away with Romeo. She asks the friar for help, and he comes up with the plan to fake her death. This was a huge decision that could go wrong in so many ways without really taking time to think it through. She dove right into it not even thinking of the consequences or the small but important details of the plan. If she had instead thought through everything and gone over the plan, they could have prepared for all the possibilities. When her dad changed the date, she made the quick decision to put the plan into motion a day earlier. Because of it starting earlier they could not do the necessary preparations and, the plan failed. Connect evidence to the thesis.

While the family grudge and Romeo and Juliet are partially responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s deaths, Fate was most to blame

In the first paragraph Shakespeare foreshadows the ending of the play and the important role of fate and destiny in the play. a pair of star crossed lovers take their lives . Romeo and Juliet’s relationship and deaths are inevitable, their paths were destined to cross at one point or another and die. Their lives were intertwined and foreseen in the stars. The entire plot of the play is revealed in the prologue of the first act. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes

But Romeo and Juliet were never able to put his advice to use, because soon after everything goes wrong when Romeo is at the wrong place at the wrong time. This () introduces another aspect of fate in the play, coincidence and bad timing. In the play, everything is going really well, and it seems as if the story is going to end in happily ever after until Romeo kills Tybalt. Things get even worse when Juliet’s gets engaged to Paris and the time frame shifts, ruining the plan. Juliet panics after her dad arranges her marriage to Paris. She runs to Friar Laurence, who makes the plan where Juliet is to fake her death, and they make the preparations to do it on Thursday. But when Lord Capulet, happy with Juliet’s consent, moves the marriage to Wednesday. Juliet is forced to make the decision to take the potion Wednesday night instead of Thursday. Because of it being a day earlier, Friar John isn’t able to get the information to Romeo, and Romeo thinks that Juliet is dead and plans his suicide. Romeo goes to Juliet, takes the potion, and a few minutes later Juliet wakes up. If Romeo had waited a little longer to take the poison he would be there when she woke up. Events happening too early ruined everything. Evidence 3 + connect evidence to the thesis.

Although the family grudge and Romeo and Juliet are partially responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s deaths, Fate was most to blame. + more sentences 2

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Romeo and Juliet — The Role of Fate in “Romeo & Juliet” by William Shakespeare

The Role of Fate in "Romeo & Juliet" by William Shakespeare

• Categories: Fate Romeo and Juliet William Shakespeare

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Words: 707 |

Published: Mar 1, 2019

Words: 707 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

The essay explores the theme of fate in Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet," emphasizing how both fate and human actions contribute to the tragic outcome of the star-crossed lovers. The analysis highlights that while Romeo and Juliet's love is strong, they are ultimately powerless against the forces of destiny and human errors.

Fate is portrayed as an uncontrollable and omnipresent force that shapes the characters' lives. The Prologue sets the stage by declaring that the lovers' fate is "marked for death," suggesting their destiny was predetermined from the beginning. Romeo himself acknowledges this when he speaks of an "unknown danger hanging in the stars," emphasizing the idea that life events are written in the stars and beyond individual control.

The essay also emphasizes the role of human actions in influencing the tragic fate of Romeo and Juliet. Examples include the illiterate servant who inadvertently leads Romeo to the Capulet party, Friar John's failure to deliver a crucial message, and Old Capulet's decision not to eject Romeo from the party. These actions, seemingly unrelated, contribute to the unfolding tragedy.

Table of contents

"romeo and juliet" essay: hook examples, "romeo and juliet" essay example.

• A Fateful Encounter: Step into Verona and witness the moment when two star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, first set eyes on each other, igniting a timeless tale of love and tragedy.
• The Power of Forbidden Love: Explore the theme of forbidden love as Romeo and Juliet defy their feuding families, highlighting the enduring allure of love that knows no boundaries.
• Shakespeare's Timeless Poetry: Delve into the eloquent language and poetic verses of Shakespeare's masterpiece, "Romeo and Juliet," and uncover the profound emotions and themes hidden within.
• The Tragic Flaw of Impulsiveness: Examine how the impulsive actions of the young lovers, Romeo and Juliet, lead to their ultimate tragedy, shedding light on the consequences of rash decisions in the name of love.
• A Tale of Immortal Love: Discover why "Romeo and Juliet" endures as one of the most beloved love stories in literature, transcending time and culture, and capturing the hearts of readers and audiences for generations.

Works Cited

• Bloom, H. (Ed.). (2010). Romeo and Juliet. Infobase Publishing.
• Greenblatt, S. (Ed.). (2016). The Norton Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Holland, P. (2000). Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet: The Relationship between Text and Film. Teaching English, 2(1), 3-9.
• Levin, F. R. (2012). Love and Death in Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare Quarterly, 63(1), 36-54.
• Mowat, B. A., & Werstine, P. (Eds.). (2019). Romeo and Juliet. Simon and Schuster.
• Shakespeare, W. (1597). Romeo and Juliet. First Folio.
• Starks, L. D. (2004). Romeo and Juliet: A Text to Film Comparison. The English Journal, 93(3), 65-70.
• Thompson, A. (2015). Romeo and Juliet: A Critical Reader. Bloomsbury Publishing.
• Wells, S., & Orlin, L. (Eds.). (2003). Shakespeare: An Oxford Guide. Oxford University Press.
• Zeffirelli, F. (Director). (1968). Romeo and Juliet [Film]. Paramount Pictures.

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The role of fate in romeo and juliet.

• Word Count: 718
• Approx Pages: 3
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            Fate is the dominant theme throughout William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Fate is an inevitable and often adverse outcome or condition; destiny. The destiny of these two lovers, which is suicide, is revealed to the reader at the beginning of the play. Every event throughout the play brought Romeo and Juliet closer to their inevitable fates. These events include the meeting of Romeo and Juliet, the banishment of Romeo from Verona, and the unfortunate timing of Romeo's suicide.              The first of these incidents was the fateful night when Romeo and Juliet met. From the very beginning of the play it is made very clear that their love could never be as a result of their feuding families. The prologue states, "From ancient grudge break to new mutiny A pair of star-cross"d lovers take their life" (Prologue, 3- 6). This reveals the fate of Romeo and Juliet before they are even introduced in the play. It was a twist of fate that Romeo and Juliet met. Romeo was invited to the masquerade by mistake by an illiterate servant of Capulet, but Romeo was not even going to the party to see Juliet. When they receive the invitation, Benvolio says to Romeo, "At this same ancient feast of Capulets Sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so lovest," (I, ii, 82- 2). This proves that Romeo was going to the masquerade in hopes of seeing Rosaline. Hypothetically, if Rosaline had been there, and she returned Romeo's love, then all the following suffering would have never occurred. Furthermore, before Romeo attends the Capulet party, he says, "Some consequence yet hanging in the stars, shall bitterly begin this fearful date" (I iv, 107- 108). Romeo already predicts what the fates have in store as he says something bad might transpire if he dares to show up at the party, where he will meet Juliet. It is fate that they meet because Romeo says it himself, and this is the first of a series of events which lead to their destinies.

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