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Romeo and Juliet

Question

How is the theme of fate inevitable in the play?

4 months ago

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H

Henry Walker

I would like a comprehensive response about how fate is inevitable in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and please include quotations to support each idea/


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4 Answers

M
Mian Jawad Arif

Repeated references to fate and fortune throughout the play underscore Shakespeare’s suggestion that humans are merely pawns in a larger cosmic scheme—invisible but inescapable fates, Shakespeare argues throughout the play, steer the course of human lives, and any and all actions that attempt to subvert those fates are futile and doomed to fail.

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Umaimah Shah

A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life;

Whose misadventured piteous overthrows

Doth with their death bury their parents’ strife.”

This foreshadows not only their tragic deaths but also the reconciliation of their feuding families, underscoring the predetermined nature of events. By framing the play as a tragedy of fate, Shakespeare invites the audience to view every action as a step toward an unavoidable conclusion.


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  1. The Prologue sets out the inevitability of their fate, calling them 'star-crossed lovers' and explaining to the audience what is about to happen. So, from our perspective, the events are inevitable!
  2. The Montagues and Capulets are already irreconcilably warring before Romeo and Juliet meet. The fundamental obstacle to them evading their tragic fate is completely out of their control.
  3. However, Romeo and Juliet both make decisions which contribute to the outcome of the play, suggesting that their fate is not entirely inevitable. For example, Romeo murders Tybalt, leading to his banishment, while Juliet decides to fake her own death, which is a big gamble since Romeo does not know about this.

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Anum Habib

The theme of fate is present throughout Romeo and Juliet, and many believe that it is the force that drives the play's tragic events. Here's a comprehensive look at how fate is portrayed as inevitable in the play:

  • 1. The Prologue: The play opens with a prologue that explicitly tells the audience that Romeo and Juliet are "star-crossed lovers" whose destiny is to die. This immediately establishes the theme of fate and sets a tragic tone for the play.3Quote: "A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; / Whose misadventured piteous overthrows / Do with their death bury their parents' strife."45


2. Romeo's Premonitions: Romeo has several premonitions throughout the play that suggest he is aware of his impending doom. For example, before attending the Capulet ball, he says:

  • Quote: "My mind misgives some consequence yet hanging in the stars / Shall bitterly begin his fearful date / With this night's revels and expire the term / Of a despised life closed in my breast."


3. Juliet's Premonitions: Juliet also has a premonition about Romeo's death when she sees him leaving her room after their wedding night:

  • Quote: "O God, I have an ill-divining soul! / Methinks I see thee, now thou art so low, / As one dead in the bottom of a tomb."


4. Friar Laurence's Actions: Friar Laurence's attempts to help Romeo and Juliet ultimately contribute to their deaths. His plan to reunite them goes awry, and he is unable to prevent Romeo from taking his own life.

  • Quote: "For by your leaves, you shall not rest alone. / We were not meant to meet again so soon."


5. The Role of Chance: Several events in the play can be attributed to chance or bad luck, such as Tybalt's death, Romeo's banishment, and the failure of Friar Laurence's letter to reach Romeo. These events, while seemingly accidental, contribute to the tragic outcome and reinforce the idea that fate is at work.

  • Quote: "O, I am Fortune's fool!" - Romeo


6. The Chorus: The chorus in the play repeatedly emphasizes the role of fate in the lives of Romeo and Juliet. They describe the lovers as being "star-crossed" and their deaths as being predetermined.

  • Quote: "For never was a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo."


7. Romeo's Defiance: In the final act of the play, Romeo attempts to defy fate by taking his own life.14 However, this act of defiance only serves to fulfill the prophecy of his death.

  • Quote: "I defy you, stars!"


In conclusion, the theme of fate is woven throughout Romeo and Juliet, and it is portrayed as an inevitable force that ultimately leads to the tragic deaths of the two lovers. The prologue, the characters' premonitions, Friar Laurence's actions, the role of chance, the chorus, and Romeo's defiance all contribute to the sense that fate is in control of the play's events.


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