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. Rest you merry” (Shakespeare 1.2.81-83). The servant decided …show more content…
In act 3 after Tybalt’s and Mercutio’s deaths, Benvolio tells Romeo that the prince will probably punish him with a death sentence if he get caught and he should flee away quickly. Romeo’s reply was “O, I am fortune’s fool” (3.1.132). Romeo here is saying that he is destined for bad luck and misfortune all his life which is a reference to the prologue where it says that Romeo and Juliet are destined for bad luck and that their deaths will eventually lead to peace between their families. In short, Romeo is once again blaming fate for the bad decision he made about killing Tybalt, his cousin. In a smilier way, in act 1 Romeo has shown that he truly believes that his life is controlled by destiny and fate when he talked about a dream that he had with Benvolio and Mercutio before heading to the
Before crashing the Capulet's party, Romeo has a dream where he is warned about a "consequence [that is] hanging in the stars" (1.4.114). However, he declares that he is going to ignore it and hope for the best, rashly deciding that he is willing to leave his safety and livelihood up to fate. The sharp, dramatic contrast between Romeo and his foil, Benvolio helps to develop the plot and both of the characters by highlighting how their differences lead to their respective endings in the play. Specifically, it emphasizes Romeo's impulsivity
After disputing over the fact Romeo is envious and has to quit whining Benvolio convinces Romeo to tag along. Shakespeare uses a series of hinting to the final result. For example, Romeo announces, “I fear too early, for my mind misgives some consequence yet hanging in the stars” (act 1, scene 4, lines 113-118), meaning he feels something is destined to happen. Shakespeare showing again the idea of an unchangeable fate when Romeo falls in love
Imagine yourself in 1595 in Verona, Italy, there is a fight going on between two families: Capulets and Montagues but this is an everyday thing. This describes the freewill of the characters in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Freewill is the fate of the star-crossed lovers because of Romeo and Juliet’s inpatients, Romeo and Juliet’s secrets, and Friar Lawrence’s hopefulness. Freewill is the fate of the star-crossed lovers because of Romeo and Juliet’s inpatients Romeo and Juliet fall in love one night at a party, the very next day they get married.
He means that after these deaths, will come more sadness. He isn’t trying to wish that he wants more deaths, but accidentally confims it into words what the fate and destiny have been trying to say all along. Besides Romeo’s unlucky hand with love, he also realizes that after he has killed Tybalt, he has considered himself as a “Fortune's fool!” As he weeps this after having committed this act. Romeo seems to have known he’d have to commit this all along: killing the man who killed his best friend.
In Act 3, Scene 1, line 142, Romeo shows his regret by saying “O, I am fortune's fool!". Here Romeo grasps the intensity of his actions that were taken under the influence of his love for his friend. Tybalt not only belonged to the rival family but was also Juliet’s cousin therefore Romeo not only risked starting a war between the two families but also put his relationship with Juliet at stake. Romeo’s impulsive actions show how his feelings toward his friend overrule his ability to make sensible decisions leading to Tybalt’s tragic death. Additionally, the quote “Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me.”
’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.
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.
Choices and Consequences in Romeo & Juliet (ROUGH DRAFT) Many choices in Romeo & Juliet lead to Romeo and Juliet’s deaths, but the most responsible are the decisions of Romeo and Juliet. Even though the choices of people like Friar Laurence, Tybalt, and Lord Capulet lead to the deaths of Romeo & Juliet, the choices Romeo and Juliet make throughout the play ultimately leads to their death because of Romeo and Juliet’s decision to be married and Romeo’s decision to go to the party. Romeo’s choice to go the Capulet party is the most influential and contributing to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Due to Romeo’s depression Mercutio & Benvolio convince him to go to the Capulet party.
In fact, they blame the “bad” circumstances on fate. In the play, After Romeo is challenged to a duel, he stabs Tybalt and exclaims, “O, I am fortunes fool!” (3.1.133). But before Romeo fights Tybalt, Tybalt challenges Mercutio. Trying to make peace, Romeo jumps into the fight and gets killed under Mercutio’s arm.
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.
He is warned not to attend the party but he smirks at fate by saying, “But he that hath the steerage of my course/Direct my sail,” (1.4.119-120). Romeo knows that he risks facing death himself if he attends the party, but still decides to go. He is leaving whatever happens at the party to fate. Another example of Romeo blaming his choices on fate would be after he kills Tybalt. Romeo calls himself “Fortune’s Fool” and realizes that he is going to have to face a punishment for his actions, that are of course caused by fate (3.1.142).
Star Crossed Lovers In Romeo and Juliet their are not many events that are coincidental. Romeo and Juliet are the result of pre-determined destiny. Some people compare pre-determined to fate, this means people can not change things. The two teens could not control which families they were born into. The Montague's and the Capuley's have been enemies for some time.
Verona, a city in which a pair of “star-crossed lovers” and all of its citizens overall, blame the “greater power,” fate, to veil their own actions. Fate and free will, both play a major part in Romeo and Juliet. However, only one of the two is actually true. On one side, fate supposedly controls the character’s destiny. But they are completely unaware that it is actually their free will and their own actions in which they are in control of.