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The Inevitability Of Fate In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

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Once in fair Verona, a bloody feud took the lives of 2 lovers and numerous bystanders. The Montague/Capulet feud will forever go down in literary history as an ingenious vehicle to embody fate and fortune. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses foreshadowing, repetition, and symbolism to show the how the Montague/Capulet feud causes the inevitability of fate. Shakespeare uses prologues to foreshadow future events as a direct result of the feud. First of all, the author lays out the major plot points and sets that stage for coming events through blatant foreshadowing. He states, “From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,/Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.” (Prologue.3-4). Shakespeare first foreshadows the “mutiny” of Romeo and Juliet …show more content…

“My grave is like to be my wedding bed.” (1.4.149). The author foreshadows Juliet’s death by showing thinking that she will “die” after getting married, but not in a literal sense. She thinks that marriage will “end her life” by taking away her livelihood and reducing herself to a homemaker or housewife. Her planned arranged marriage with Paris was her predetermined destiny, which coincidentally was caused by the feud. While, she is not yet satisfied with her life and attempts to escape the feud, and ultimately the feud. Though, this is utterly impossible. Shakespeare continues with, “O God, I have an ill-divining soul!/Methinks I see thee, now thou art below,/As one dead in the bottom of a tomb.” (3.5.54-56). Juliet foreshadows herself and Romeo having an “ill-divining soul”, suggesting the death of the pair. She can’t seem to find an explanation for these thoughts,“Either my eyesight fails or thou look 'st pale.” (3.5.57). She thinks that she is hallucinating. Then, Juliet foreshadows herself dead in a tomb. She then proceeds to question fate and fortune, still while hallucinating. “O Fortune, Fortune! All men call thee fickle./If thou art fickle, what dost thou with him.” (3.5.60-61). Juliet questions how men are calling her fickle and dedicating her life and her fate. She is referencing how her father, and thus the feud, have decided that she is not to marry a Montague, and instead suitor. Like above, Juliet is clearly unsatisfied by the undertakings of her parents, as a result of the feud. Although, this time she sees the fear in defying her fate, but disregarded it. “That is renowned for faith? Be fickle, Fortune.” (3.5.62). She then calls fortune, the undertakings of the feud, fickle and vows to oppose it. “For then I hope thou wilt not keep him long,/But send him back.” (3.5.63-64). Juliet foreshadows the death of Romeo by requesting fortune allow another

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