Fate In 'Holes And A Lesson Before Dying'

The All-Powerful Force “Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart.” Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor 161-180 A.D. Many people believe in destiny, and that everyone was meant for something. Shakespeare based his play Romeo and Juliet off of the concept of fate and destiny. In his play, the main characters are guided by an all-powerful and inescapable force, called fate. In Romeo and Juliet, the theme of fate has brought the two main characters together in the most unintentional way.

Former French Military Leader, Napoleon I, outlined the basis of fate, a topic that many people cannot wrap their heads around. He once stated, “Our hour is marked, and no one can claim a moment of life beyond what fate has predestined”. Life is started by being born, and over from death. We never know exactly when we are born or when we die. Even though these two important aspects of life are destined to happen, what occured in between cannot change the outcome.

Fate’s Hold on Romeo and Juliet It is very debatable whether people’s lives are controlled by fate or free will, however, fate’s grasp on these two young lovers is clearly shown in the text of this Elizabethan era play. The text that is to be discussed is William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the topic is about whether it is fate affecting the outcome of the play. Fate determines the aftermath of the play, due to bad timing, misfortune, and love. Bad timing of the events in this play led to the deaths of Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet.

Fate is a concept that is well known as something that planned the future and cannot be changed, no matter how hard someone might try, this concept is established in the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare when in the prologue Shakespeare states that the main protagonists, Romeo and Juliet will die by the end of the play, “A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their lives,”(Prologue, line six) and Shakespeare uses this idea of fate in numerous occasions, But only three examples will be used; when Romeo is banished from Verona, when the Prince says the Capulets and Montagues cannot fight in Verona, and Lord Capulet's Masquerade to prove that Shakespeare says that fate cannot be changed. Early into the play Romeo and Juliet, Prince Escalus states that if Capulets and Montagues ever fight in Verona they would be executed. “If ever you disturb the streets again Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace”(Act one, Scene one, lines 94-95). With this is in place the two households must refrain from getting into conflict with each other or face the death penalty and with the violence off of the streets for now

Are people in control of their destiny? Having no power over one’s destiny is an important theme in William Shakespeare’s, Romeo and Juliet. We are in told in the prologue that fate is going to drive the story. Romeo and Juliet are not in control of their lives. It is predetermined destiny, not free choice that manipulates the lives of these two lovers.

Anita Brookner, a British award-winning writer of novels, wisely said, “The essence of romantic love is that wonderful beginning, after which sadness and impossibility may become the rule.” In Act Three, Scene Three of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Friar Laurence, a Franciscan that plays the part of an adviser to Romeo and Juliet, sees Romeo crying over Romeo’s banishment and how Romeo cannot see Juliet as often anymore. In this monologue, Friar Laurence wants to stop Romeo from suiciding and being gloomy by using insults and bringing up Juliet; directly and indirectly. Friar Laurence attempts to settle down Romeo by name-calling. For example, afterwards, Friar Laurence shouts, “Unseemly women in a seeming man! /

Fate vs. Bad Decisions As a human kind we have focused nearly all of our efforts on one question, what ultimately decides our destiny? Throughout history religions have formed, scientists have devoted their lives, and many stories have been told regarding fate; one such story is Romeo and Juliet, which is regarded as one of the best written texts known to man. In Romeo and Juliet two star crossed lovers, born into rival families, fall in love, and through a series of unfortunate events meet their demise. Some people claim that the message Shakespeare was trying to convey is that our life is governed by fate, others believe that the message is that our future is determined by the choices that we make in our lives; while arguments can be made for both sides, it is more conceivable that it is both a mixture of fate and our decisions that determines our ultimate destiny.

William shakespeare was an english poet, playwright and actor, he wrote approximately 38 plays, and wrote over 4 billion copies of his work. One of his best work is named “Romeo and Juliet”. In the play Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare explores the main tragedy of the ‘star crossed lovers’ and how they take their lives. The play was written in the 14th century, in the time where shakespeare's audience were super religious and had many superstitious beliefs, and they believed in God and Hell. The era affects the play because the society would’ve been different than to modern life, meaning that perspectives and rules would differ.

Choices in life can make a big difference. The wrong choices can be deadly. In “The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare, fate is a disease and Friar Lawrence is a person whose only means is to do good. Fate is used as an object because it chooses what we do in life. In the tragedy Romeo is “ fortune's fool”(lll, i, 133).

Tragedy is all around us in the world. The tragedy of Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet is that so many people receive fault for the death of Romeo and Juliet. Friar Lawrence is at fault because he tells Juliet to fake her death and he is unable to communicate this to Romeo. Fate is also to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.

The theme of a story is the central topic of a text. The theme that I chose is the theme of fate versus freewill. I believe this theme is shown throughout the book. For example, this theme is present in the play during act 1, scene 2. This tragedy is not the only place that this occurs.