How Shakespeare Explores Fate in Romeo and Juliet
Fate,noun
The development of events outside a person’s control, regarded as predetermined by a supernatural power e.g God.
“fate decided his course for him”
William Shakespeare explores the idea of fate in Romeo and Juliet by adding little references throughout the play. Their love is described as “death marked” and they are a “pair of star crossed lovers”. This means that their love is cursed by death, therefore they are set up for a fall, and it will never work. Furthermore, they are called “Star crossed lovers” because their love is strong and they will stop at nothing to be together. Astrology at that time was taken very seriously therefore if Romeo and Juliet’s love is compared to it, this reinforces the fact that their love is powerful.
The Montague’s and Capulet’s have been in a family feud for many generations.
Romeo is a Montague and Juliet is a Capulet so this means their families cannot be friends. Fate is the idea that before you are born your life is already on a set path and cannot be changed, so the fact that Romeo and Juliet’s families were already feuding before they were born, is a result of fate. When Mercutio shouts “a plague on both your houses” in Act 3 Scene 1, we are then reminded of the protagonists’ fate, E.G = When Tybalt kills Mercutio, the attributes of a comedy die with him.This bloody scene reminds us of when characters are killed,Then the comedy becomes sinister. Gives us a hint of what fate has in store, indicating the beginning of Romeo and Juliet’s tragic End
Time: Shakespeare explores time to show that all things are meant to happen at their own time and their own place. In Shakespeare’s magnificent Romeo and Juliet, the characters are constantly trying to push time forward. This movement of time, results in tragic ends, in which we learn that time and fate go hand in hand , neither one is meant to be quarrelled with. For example in act 1 Romeo immediately falls in love with Juliet at first glance.
Alternatively, in act two where Romeo visits Juliet at her balcony, where the two immediately confess their love for one another.
Death: The Apothecary from whom Romeo buys the poison is described as looking like death, thin, starving and with hollow eyes. Romeo buys his suicide weapon from a man that symbolizes death. Juliet in act 3 scene 5 says, “I have a ill divining soul”.
Romeo says that money is worse than the vile of poison because it causes so many unmentionable events and that instead of the apothecary giving Romeo the Vile, Romeo has given the Vile to the apothecary.
E.G = A lot of murders, robberies, rape, and kidnappings happen because of money and greed.
Religion: In the Times of Shakespeare, Christianity was the default religion and many people where Christian at the time. Some of The extracts from the play that include religion are, Juliet Act 3, Scene 5: where Juliet speaks almost in prayer: “O God, I have an ill-divining soul. Methinks I see thee now, thou art as low as one dead in the bottom of a tomb are. Either my eyesight fails, or thou look so pale”. In this, Juliet speaks of her love and passion for Romeo. Towards the end of the play Romeo says “Then I defy you, stars,”
After Romeo learned that Juliet was dead. The stars in the sky are part of God’s creation and therefore instruments that preach the person’s fate in the stars.
“The moon is an illusion”, so Shakespeare may have used this term to show that although Romeo is fond of Juliet, he needs to give himself more time to understand the significance of love. Romeo does not realize this and takes time by arranging for the new couple to be married by Friar Lawrence the next day.
Fate takes a life from the Capulets in act 3 by taking Mercutio, Romeos best friend and companion, so Romeo retaliates and kills his enemy Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin. Romeo is then banished from Verona and the strength of their love is the only thing that holds Romeo and Juliet together even though they are pulled further and further away.
When Lord Capulet plans Juliet’s marriage to young and eligible Paris, the friar does not approve “On Thursday sir? The time is very short and bitter”. This shows that the Friar understands not to meddle with the hands of fate.
Juliet then decides that she would rather die than marry Paris, so she and Friar Lawrence devise a plan to fake her death and then awake to a life with Romeo. The Friar then writes a letter to Romeo describing the master plan for eternal love. However when fate is given a chance, it proceeds when Friar Lawrence hands the letter to Friar John as the messenger, fate intervenes and a plague has started over Mantua and they are confined to the city. No one is let out, therefore Friar John could not deliver his message to Romeo.
So then Balthazar hears the news that Juliet is dead but not hearing about the plan and is quick to tell Romeo about the news. Romeo then makes an outburst and quickly arrives at the Capulet tombs, by then the potion’s effect on Juliet has not yet worn off so Romeo, out of grief, drinks his instant death vile and dies beside her.
In Romeo and Juliet many many coincidences occurred, unexpectedly. Romeo and Juliet are Mortal enemies from two different feuding families and they are in undying love. The night of the Capulet Masquerade is the day Benvolio (Romeos cousin) wants to cheer up Romeo. Both Romeo and Juliet consume elixirs but luckily Juliet’s was only temporary. These three unexpected coincidences make Romeo and Juliet move the story along into a unfortunate path.
The Conclusion : Then we must then ask our selves who is to blame ? What did fate achieve by having their souls taken away ?
Perhaps Romeo and Juliet were fated to love and die for the greater good of Verona.
React!