Romeo and Juliet
Shakespeare’s exploration of fate
This essay will explain Shakespeare’s idea of fate in Romeo and Juliet.
Shakespeare reveals the plot of the story to entice you to read on as he reveals the fate of Romeo and Juliet. Fate is defined as a force, principle or power that predetermines events. Romeo and Juliet’s fate were intertwined since the moment of birth; their families were driven with hate pushing two young lovers together.
In Romeo and Juliet there are a lot of examples of fate in Romeo and Juliet for example friar john gets delayed because the town that he needs to pass through is in quarantine so he cannot pass, this is also an example of coincidence in Romeo and Juliet. Coincidence is used 3 or 4 times in Romeo and Juliet dramatic irony is also used in Romeo and Juliet.
These are some of the quotes and meaning
“A pair of star crossed lovers takes their life”
This means that the stars are working against them and their relationship is doomed from the start, this explains why they eventually kill themselves.
“Whose misadventured piteous overthrows”
This means that Romeo and Juliet have unfortunate deaths and Romeo and Juliet are also unlucky.
“Doth with their death bury their parent’s strife?”
This means the deaths ended their parents stopped fighting after their deaths, this restored peace between both of the families and peace in Verona.
Shakespeare also uses metaphors, for example:
“He hath steerage of my course direct my sail”
Which means Romeo is letting god control his fate and what happens at the end, when Romeo finds out that Juliet is “dead” and he says I defy you stars, which means Romeo thinks he controls his own life, even though we know is going to die no matter what happens because of the upcoming events. The metaphor is basically saying Romeo is the ship and god is the captain or the person steering the boat.
Throughout the play, the audience is put is a God like position where they are encouraged to think of what is fate and to how much how actions are free.
From the beginning we know what is going to happen to Romeo and Juliet and hope that they might change their minds and do something different, like Romeo might arrive before Juliet wakes up. But this does not happen and we are then forced to question our own destiny and whether or not we are free in making our choices.
In act 3 scene 1, Mercurtio shouts “A plague on both your houses” – this reminds us of what is going to happen. This scene where people are killed shows us what is going to happen and starts the downfall of Romeo and Juliet.
Another use of fate is where the characters themselves unconscionably predict their own future. They see omens throughout the play and are always reminding the audience of their fate.
For example:
“Juliet: (gesturing towards Romeo) What’s he that follows there, that would not dance?
Nurse: I know not.
Juliet: Go ask his name: if he be married. My grave is like to be my wedding bed.”
Religion was very important in the 14th century, (when the play was set) so nearly everyone was religious. They thought god gave them life and that it was a gift, so if you committed suicide it was a sin so Romeo and Juliet killing them was against gods will. When Romeo finds out Juliet is dead (even though she isn’t) he says “I defy you stars” which means he is “defying” his fate and heaven. He is expressing his grief and anger at fate and at God. Religion was also important In the Elizabethan era.
When Romeo kills Tybalt, he didn’t think about what he was doing, so it was his fate to kill Tybalt and be sent to outside Verona. This led to him not getting the letter and killing himself.
Throughout the whole play Romeo and Juliet constantly tempt their own fate. ‘Give me Romeo and when I shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars.’ She is tempting fate and the outcome.
When Romeo hears of Juliet’s death he knows it is destiny. He proclaims ‘I defy you stars’ which simply mean that he refuses to believe what destiny has dealt him.
Their death could be down to a number of things: their parent’s disputes, the timing of their relationship, but it seems to me that it is due to fate.
They met by fate and fell in love. They relationship was filled with bad luck and they tragically die. For example one of the reasons why Romeo and Juliet committed suicide was that Juliet wakes up a couple of seconds to late so Romeo had already drunk the poison when she had woken.
It does seem as if their lives had been planned and no matter what they did, they could not change the outcome.
Shakespeare had decided for everything to happen and that fate would rule their lives. This would have satisfied the Elizabethan audience. Another factor adding on to Romeo and Juliet committing suicide is that Juliet wakes up a couple of seconds to late so Romeo had already drunk the poison when she had woken.
Their death is the start of changes in Verona: Both families are experiencing the same feelings in their grief and this is creating a political shift in the city. Perhaps Romeo and Juliet were fated to love and die for the greater good of Verona. Sometimes fate controls the characters actions, for example when Romeo kills tybalt. In Romeo and Juliet fate seems to control people and what they do.
Throughout the whole play the characters try to defy their own destiny. Shakespeare uses many different techniques to write fate like metaphors and personification. Shakespeare’s idea of fate is very interesting and causes you to ask questions about how this did happen in the first place and why were both of their families fighting. Romeo and Juliet attempt to defy their destiny throughout the play. The whole play is revolves around fate. If there wasn’t any fate in this play then nothing would happen and this play probably/definitely wouldn’t have been considered as one of the best plays in the English language. Romeo and Juliet is not only a tragedy but is also about romance, at some times there is comedy and also a violent play
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