William Shakespeare's 15th century tragedy, Romeo and Juliet contests fate versus free will to discuss the dire consequences of the two lovers during the Elizabethan era. Set in Verona, this religious and hostile environment comes with the contention to show the series of misfortunes which happen upon the characters due to fate, which they often attempt to defy. This poses the question, were Romeo and Juliet destined to die from the very start? Ultimately, the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is determined by fate's impending influence. Fate is used as a symbol of despair, placing our characters in the face of adversity, preventing any happiness. When Romeo stabs Tybalt, he proclaims, "O, I am fortune's fool!", this oxymoron, makes Romeo realise that he has become a victim to fate itself and that it has sealed his doom, captive to destiny. Moreover, after Friar Lawrence finds Romeo and Juliet dead, he announces that fate is a "A greater power than we can contradict" and that it has "thwarted." with their master plan. This implies …show more content…
Free will is used as a character foil for fate, but it is not the overarching theme. It shows how characters do have free will, but are powerless when it comes to fate's decree. In act 5, Romeo says that he will "defy you, stars!", using celestial imagery to show that he is openly opposing to the destiny he is given. Unfortunately, in "defying" fate, he ends up highlighting the point that his death was already foretold, and that these "star-cross'd lovers" really did, "take their life.", just as fate had planned. During the Elizabethan era, people believed "stars" and other astrological concepts tied into human destiny and could foretell futures, foreshadowing fate, destiny and the lover's doomed relationship. Thus, despite attempts to hinder the character's lives, Romeo and Juliet's fates are predetermined and
For example, Shakespeare writes “The fearful passage of their death-mark’d love,” (DBQ: Project, 2013).- Through this short line from the prologue, Shakespeare is leading the reader to believe that the death of Juliet and Romeo was unstoppable, consequently caused by an acting force. Another example that fate was the cause of their inauspicious death was when Balthasar, Romeo’s messenger and servant, explains to Romeo that Juliet is in her final resting place. Romeo responds by saying, “Is it even so? then I defy you, stars!”(DBQ: Project, 2013). When Romeo receives this incorrect information from his servant, he blames the “stars” who represents fate.
The Role of Fate in Romeo and JulietThroughout the play of the Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, the relationship between Romeo and Juliet has been thwarted by something that could be described as an “outside force.” The idea of fate is strong in the play due Capulets’ and Montagues’ ancient grudge against each other. Throughout the entire play, fate plays a powerful role against Romeo and Juliet’s relationship as their undying love is set to end in death and sorrow with the two “star-crossed lovers” having no control of what happened. In a religious aspect, fate is something that is uncontrollable and predetermines the courses of events that will take place. Both Romeo and Juliet are strongly religious and trust that fate is most definitely real.
Fate works in strange, sometimes even unpleasant ways. This concept has appeared in many types of literature, including the classic tale of two young teenagers who fell for one another, but were born from families with a long standing feud. In William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, fate continuously thwarts their star-crossed romance before they ever meet in the form of a warning, during their attempt to be together as their plan unfavorably unravels, and as they meet their ends, moments apart from each other. From the beginning, fate warns Romeo and Juliet that tragedy is in their future. Particularly, fate warns Romeo that “Some consequence yet hanging in the stars shall bitterly begin his fearful date” (1.4.109-110).
Fate vs free will is a concept in media when a character is destined to a fate and can’t change anything about it. In the Shakespearean tragedy, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, fate vs free will is a key important theme found throughout the play since fate vs free will directly works with some of the most important character’s motivations and goals in the play such as Romeo, Tybalt, and Juliet, and prevents their goals. It’s depicted that either the characters are churlish or hot headed and thoughtless all of them can’t stay away from their fate. The first character that is internally affected by the concept of fate vs free will is none other than Romeo.
Death, tragedy, and fate are just some of the themes in the play “Romeo and Juliet”, by William Shakespear, but were the tragic deaths of Romeo and Juliet really fate? No, Romeo and Juliet deaths were not caused by fate. Their deaths were caused by their own free-will, shown by Romeo’s rash decision making, Friar Lawrence's poor planning, and Juliets bad decisions. Romeo’s rash decision making is a reason for his and Juliet's deaths. This is shown after Tybalt kills Mercutio and, “Romeo kills Tybalt for revenge (3.1.88-142).”
“I defy you, stars,” the famous quote spoken by Romeo Montague, suggests the idea that fate and destiny is the one bringing him all of his troubles, not free will. Many have debated the causes of the two young lovers deaths, even blaming Romeo himself. But the one that stands out the most is fate and destiny. The force that should be held accountable for the outcome of the Romeo and Juliet’s plot is fate and destiny, because of the prologue, and how the characters of the play often refer fate and destiny to their actions. Before the play even begins, it sets the stage for our entire story, the “Prologue”.
Romeo and Juliet, by Shakespeare, is a tragedy about two lovers, and their downfall due to the animosity between their families. The play highlights many significant plot events, all useful for deciding who was truly responsible for their demise. Out of all of the characters and parts of the play, Fate is the most to blame. Fate, in the play, is impossible to avoid regardless of any changes made to the plot by other characters. One reason supporting why Fate is to blame, is that in the prologue of the play, the text mentions how the two "star -crossed lovers" kill themselves.
Romeo and Juliet William Shakespeare explores fate and free will. Some people think fate determines the play's events, while others argue that the character's choices and actions determine their fate. The text evidences fate and free will play essential roles in the tragic ending. Free will is arguably the most crucial factor in this play that determines the outcome. "O, I am fortune's fool!"
Romeo and Juliet did make their own choices multiple times in the narrative, but is their fate or free will to blame for their ending? In the play Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, the characters had to make many decisions with their free will. Some of them were bad and some were good. Both fate and free will had a crucial role in this play, but ultimately, free will played a more important role. The characters' poor choices in this play played a significant impact in the use of free will.
This is another factor that plays a part in their suicides. Romeo and Juliet's free will was a huge factor that brought about their death and fate had nothing to do with
’s free will? In Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, the use of free will throughout the play would give Romeo and Juliet a one way ticket to their deaths. Their “fate” was determined by events that could have been prevented by some people’s decisions. Romeo and Juliet led towards the path of death because of their own choices! Times in the play when the characters use their free will include Tybalt’s decision to fight Mercutio, the Prince ordering Romeo to be banished (instead of being executed), and, Juliet’s decision to disobey her parents to marry Romeo.
Throughout everyone's life, decisions are made using free will. But in the end, fate is what determines the outcome of everything. In the book Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, there are decisions made by the characters using their free will, but no decisions could’ve stopped the tragedy of there love. All of the events leading up to Romeo and Juliet's death were not caused by free will, but they were caused by fate.
In the play Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet are at the mercy of the stars. This is shown through the fact that the two lovers are impacted by many circumstances beyond their control, essentially caused by the family feud between the Montague’s and the Capulet’s. However, Romeo and Juliet do choose to control their own lives by the decision’s they constitute and compose without the influence from someone else in the play, such as getting married in secret and taking their own lives. Despite this small amount of control they are still bound by fate shown by the reasons behind the secret marriage, Tybalts’ death and the suicides. Fate is one of the main thematic representations in the play Romeo and Juliet.
Was it fate or free will that killed Romeo and Juliet? In the prologue of this play, Shakespeare refers to Romeo and Juliet as “A pair of star-cross'd lovers.” Star crossed lovers are people whose love is destined to end in tragedy. Free will is when people are able to make their own decisions and have consequences based off their decisions instead of predetermined consequences. Fate was definitely the reason for Romeo and Juliet’s tragic deaths because of the unexplainable coincidences, uncharacterized choices, and conscious decisions that all lead to the same inescapable outcome.
The theme of Fate vs. Free Will is dominant in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet; however the theme of fate is more significant than free will. In the play both Romeo and Juliet meeting was contributed by fate as Shakespeare mentioned in the prologue that Romeo and Juliet were star-crossed lovers that were meant to meet, fall in love and their death would be the reason for the feud to end between the two families. Fate was the reason Capulet’s servant asked Romeo and Benvolio to help him read the invitation for him that contained all the names of the people that were invited to the ball Capulet hosted. “…If you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray come and crush a cup of wine.