fate and free will romeo and juliet essay

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Essay on 'Romeo and Juliet': Fate Vs Free Will

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Exemplar Essay: Fate

How does Shakespeare present the theme of fate?

Read this extract from Act 5 Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet and then answer the question that follows. At this point in the play the Friar John has returned unsuccessfully from trying to deliver Friar Laurence’s letter to Romeo.

Going to find a bare-foot brother out

One of our order, to associate me,

Here in this city visiting the sick,

And finding him, the searchers of the town,

Suspecting that we both were in a house

Where the infectious pestilence did reign,

Seal'd up the doors, and would not let us forth;

So that my speed to Mantua there was stay'd.

FRIAR LAURENCE

Who bare my letter, then, to Romeo?

I could not send it,--here it is again,--

Nor get a messenger to bring it thee,

So fearful were they of infection.

Unhappy fortune! by my brotherhood,

The letter was not nice but full of charge

Of dear import, and the neglecting it

May do much danger. Friar John, go hence;

Get me an iron crow, and bring it straight

Unto my cell.

Starting with this extract, explore how Shakespeare presents fate as a force that controls the characters.

Write about:

• how Shakespeare presents fate in this extract.

• how Shakespeare presents fate in the play as a whole.

AO4 [4 marks]

Romeo and Juliet is about how strong emotions have tragic consequences. Through the theme of fate, Shakespeare invites his audience to question how far the characters’ tragic deaths were predetermined and how far they were decided by Romeo and Juliet’s impulsive actions. He also invites the audience to consider how far their future is decided by societal norms - not fate.

In the extract, Shakespeare implies that fate has prevented the letter from reaching Friar John. In lines 5-8, Shakespeare has Friar John state that he was unable to deliver the letter due to an ‘infectious pestilence’, which resulted in the doors of Mantua being ‘sealed’. While Shakespeare does not state explicitly that it is fate that has caused the plague to hit Mantua at the very moment that Friar John needs to deliver an important letter to Romeo, his Elizabethan audience, strong believers in the power of the stars and planets to predetermine our futures, would have seen this as more than an unhappy coincidence. It does therefore seem that fate is working against Romeo and Juliet.

In the extract, Shakespeare also suggests that Friar Laurence blames fate for this unfortunate event. In line 14, Shakespeare has Friar Laurence cry ‘unhappy fortune!’. In other words, Friar Laurence is stating that it is terribly bad luck that the letter has not reached Romeo. Shakespeare’s use of the word ‘fortune’ implies that Friar Laurence blames a higher power for this coincidence. Friar Laurence’s words could echo the Elizabethan audience’s fears that fate has already decided Romeo and Juliet are doomed. Shakespeare’s choice for the letter to be undelivered creates tension for the audience, as they begin to wonder if Romeo and Juliet are drawing ever-closer to their tragic deaths.

In the prologue, Shakespeare makes clear that Romeo and Juliet are doomed to die. The first time the audience is introduced to Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare describes their love as ‘death-marked’, which immediately tells the audience that the lovers will die tragically. An Elizabethan audience, who believed in fate, would have believed it possible for Romeo and Juliet’s fate to be decided from birth. By introducing Romeo and Juliet to the audience in this way, perhaps Shakespeare invites the audience to closely scrutinise the actions taken by all of the characters and decide for themselves how far fate is to blame for the tragic deaths.

However, in the play as a whole, Romeo acts impulsively, which contributes to his tragic downfall. The moment he meets Juliet, Romeo forgets Rosaline, his previous love, and asks ‘did my heart love till now?’. This surprising and impulsive change of mind is a stark example of the tragic flaw that leads Romeo towards his death, and is just the first of many similar actions: Romeo marries Juliet the day after meeting her; he murders Tybalt without thinking of the consequence threatened by Prince Escalus; he rushes to Verona with poison and takes it before Juliet wakes. Shakespeare’s presentation of Romeo in this way indicates that Romeo’s depth of passion and emotion are partly to blame for the speed at which he and Juliet are catapulted towards their deaths. If Romeo had been able to think more clearly and rationally rather than rushing to action before considering the consequences, perhaps some of the tragedy could have been avoided.

Also in the play as whole, Shakespeare explores how the restrictions of arranged marriage force Juliet closer to her tragic death. Unlike Romeo, whose impulsive actions are within his control as a man in the Elizabethan era, Juliet’s future is out of her hands. Before the audience meets Juliet in person, we witness a discussion about her between Lord Capulet and Paris. Although Lord Capulet is protective over Juliet, urging Paris to wait for two more years as Juliet is still a ‘stranger in the world’, he does consent to Paris wooing Juliet before asking Juliet’s views. It is clear, therefore, that Juliet has limited say in her future. The audience cannot help but wonder how the marriage between Romeo and Juliet can end happily, given that she has chosen her own suitor and has gone as far as to choose the son of her father’s arch-enemy. Later in the play, when Lord Capulet decides to speed up the marriage, Juliet is pressured to take action. Knowing that she will ‘hang, beg, starve, die in the streets’ if she refuses to marry Paris, Juliet feels she has no option but to consent, and plan an escape. Perhaps if Lord Capulet had not chosen to bring the marriage forward by two years, Juliet may have had an opportunity to be reunited with Romeo. Shakespeare could therefore be challenging traditional patriarchal attitudes to marriage, in which the daughter has limited say over her husband, because this is arguably a contributing factor in Juliet’s death.

In conclusion, it is clear that there are many references to fate within the play that indicate a higher power could be dictating Romeo and Juliet’s future but Shakespeare’s presentation of Romeo’s tragic flaw and arranged marriage certainly invite the audience to consider how far events may have played out differently if the characters had made different decisions.

In the extract, Shakespeare suggests that fate has prevented the letter from reaching Friar John. In lines 5-8, Shakespeare has Friar John state ‘Where the infectious pestilence did reign, Seal'd up the doors’. In other words, Friar John is saying that he couldn’t deliver the letter because he wasn’t allowed into Mantua dye to the plague. Although Shakespeare does not state that fate has stopped Friar John from delivering the letter, it is hinted at. His Elizabethan audience, who believed that the stars and planets could decide their futures, would have believed that fate stopped Friar John from delivering the letter. Therefore it does seem that fate is working against Romeo and Juliet.

In the extract, Shakespeare also suggests that Friar Laurence blames fate. In line 14, Shakespeare has Friar Laurence cry ‘unhappy fortune!’. In other words, Friar Laurence is stating that it is very bad luck that the letter has not reached Romeo. Shakespeare’s use of the word ‘fortune’ implies that Friar Laurence blames a higher power for this. The Elizabethan audience would have understood why Friar Laurence blames a higher power because they believed in fate. Shakespeare’s choice for the letter to be undelivered creates tension for the audience because they begin to wonder if Romeo and Juliet will soon die.

In the prologue, Shakespeare makes clear that Romeo and Juliet are doomed to die. The first time the audience is introduced to Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare describes their love as ‘death-marked’, which immediately tells the audience that the lovers will not lead long and happy lives. An Elizabethan audience, who believed in fate, would have believed it was possible for Romeo and Juliet’s fate to be decided from birth. Shakespeare could have described Romeo and Juliet as ‘death-marked’ because he wanted his audience to think very carefully about the actions the characters take and decide if it was fate or their own choices that caused them to die.

However, in the play as a whole, Romeo acts impulsively, which contributes to his death. When Romeo sees Juliet at the Capulet ball, Shakespeare has him ask ‘did my heart love till now?’. This question is very surprising because moments earlier Romeo was claiming to be madly in love with Rosaline. This reveals that Romeo is impulsive and quickly changes his mind. We also see that Romeo is impulsive when he kills Tybalt and when he takes the poison at Juliet’s tomb. Shakespeare presents Romeo as impulsive because he wants to show how dangerous it can be when you act quickly on your feelings without thinking about the consequences. It could be argued that Romeo’s impulsive actions are the cause of his death rather than fate.

Also in the play as whole, Shakespeare presents Juliet’s arranged marriage as a cause of her death. Unlike Romeo, Juliet is not able to choose who she marries. When Juliet refuses to marry Paris, Shakespeare has Lord Capulet order her to ‘hang, beg, starve, die in the streets’. Shakespeare’s use of violent language demonstrates how trapped Juliet is because, if she chooses not to marry Paris, she will be thrown out and left to die. As a result of Lord Capulet rushing the marriage, Juliet asks for Friar Laurence’s help to fake her own death. Because of her faking her own death and the letter not reaching Romeo, he thinks she is actually dead and kills himself. Maybe if Juliet hadn’t been told she was going to marry Paris straight away, she might have had time to reunite with Romeo properly, which could have stopped her death. Shakespeare could therefore be suggesting that Juliet’s arranged marriage caused her death, rather than fate. Perhaps he wanted to challenge traditional views towards marriage in the Elizabethan era.

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Romeo and Juliet

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Though much of Romeo and Juliet is driven by the choices its main characters make and the actions they take, there is a dark undercurrent running throughout the play: the suggestion that fate, not free will, is behind the entirety of the human experience. 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.

In the world of Romeo and Juliet , fate and predetermined destinies are an accepted part of life and society. From the chorus that introduces the first two acts of the play, commenting upon the events that are about to take place, to the characters’ own preoccupation with the unseen forces that control them, Shakespeare imbues the world of the play with the heavy atmosphere of a “black fate” sitting like a storm cloud just above the entirety of the action. Throughout the play, characters acknowledge—and make “misadventured” attempts to thwart—the invisible forces guiding their lives. Yet every attempt to outsmart, outwit, or dodge fate ends terribly. By having Romeo and Juliet verbally acknowledge—privately and to one another—their fears about their doomed fates, Shakespeare showcases how badly his characters want to believe that their desires and actions stand a chance in the face of fate’s wily hand. “Alack, alack, that heaven should practice stratagems / Upon so soft a subject as myself,” Juliet laments after learning that her parents have arranged for her to marry Paris , not knowing that she is already married to Romeo. Juliet has, at this late point in the play, had to deal with the death of her cousin, the cruelty of her family, and the destruction of her previously held ideals about the nature of good and evil, friend and enemy. She has, she feels, been through enough—and is beginning to believe that fate is “practic[ing]” on her, striking her with terrible news and insurmountable problems for sport. Juliet acknowledges the role fate plays in her life—she knows she is a pawn of the “heaven[s]”—and yet her actions over the course of the rest of the play show that she longs to fly in the face of heaven’s decrees.

“O, I am fortune’s fool!” Romeo screams shortly after he kills Tybalt in a duel; “I deny you, stars !” he shouts when he learns of Juliet’s “death” in the play’s final act. In these two expressions of frustration with fate and fortune, Shakespeare uses Romeo’s anger at fate’s dominion to show that while he hates realizing he is on a predetermined path, he is nonetheless cognizant of his lack of autonomy in the face of fortune’s plans for him. When Romeo calls himself “fortune’s fool” after slaying Tybalt, he laments, perhaps, having committed the act he knew he’d have to commit all along: killing the man who killed his best friend. Now that he has committed murder, however, Romeo feels he has been a “fool” to play into fortune’s hand, and to fail resisting harder the pull of fate’s demands. When Romeo learns of Juliet’s death, he cries out that he will “deny” the stars—in other words, he doesn’t want to believe Juliet is dead, or possibly believes, deep down, that there is something he can do to reverse what the stars have ordained even if she is. As he prepares to ride from Mantua to Verona to investigate the truth of his servant Balthasar ’s news, he is admitting, full-out, that he plans to try to reverse his and Juliet’s fortunes—even as, in the same breath, he tacitly admits that he knows their fates are already written in the stars.

Shakespeare’s argument about fate is a bleak one. The insinuation that forces humans can neither comprehend nor control guide their words and actions is perhaps even more sinister in a contemporary context than it would have been in Shakespeare’s own time. Though debates concerning free will versus determinism stretch back to antiquity, faith in humans’ ability to steer their own destinies did not begin to emerge more widely throughout Western culture until well after Shakespeare’s time. Whether or not Shakespeare himself believed in the total dominion of fate and fortune, he certainly used his plays as an arena to work out his frustrations with the mechanisms of individual destiny—and to suggest that to deny or defy one’s fate is a fatal, calamitous choice. 

Fate ThemeTracker

Fate Quotes in Romeo and Juliet

Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows, Doth with their death bury their parents' strife. The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, And the continuance of their parents' rage, Which, but their children's end, nought could remove, Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; The which if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

Romeo: I dream'd a dream to-night. Mercutio: And so did I. Romeo: Well, what was yours? Mercutio: That dreamers often lie.

Oh, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear, Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear. So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows. The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand, And, touching hers, make blessèd my rude hand. Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late!

O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, That monthly changes in her circled orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.

Romeo: Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much. Mercutio: No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door; but 'tis enough, 'twill serve: ask for me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man.

O, I am fortune's fool!

Is there no pity sitting in the clouds That sees into the bottom of my grief? O sweet my mother, cast me not away! Delay this marriage for a month, a week, Or if you do not, make the bridal bed In that dim monument where Tybalt lies.

Then I defy you, stars!

O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. — Thus with a kiss I die.

Yea, noise, then I'll be brief; O, happy dagger! This is thy sheath; there rest, and let me die.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Romeo and Juliet — Theme of Fate in Romeo and Juliet

Theme of Fate in Romeo and Juliet

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Published: Jun 13, 2024

Words: 809 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Table of contents

The role of fate in romeo and juliet's love, the role of fate in romeo and juliet's tragic end, the implications of fate in romeo and juliet, bibliography.

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The Role of Fate in 'Romeo and Juliet'

Were the star-cross'd lovers doomed from the start?

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There's no real consensus among Shakespearean scholars about the role of fate in "Romeo and Juliet." Were the "star-cross'd lovers" doomed from the start, their tragic futures determined before they even met? Or are the events of this famed play a matter of bad luck and missed chances?

Let's take a look at the role of fate and destiny in the story of the two teenagers from Verona whose feuding families couldn't keep them apart.

Examples of Fate in 'Romeo and Juliet'

The story of Romeo and Juliet asks the question, "Are our lives and destinies preordained?" While it is possible to see the play as a series of coincidences, bad luck, and bad decisions, many scholars see the story as an unfolding of events predetermined by fate. 

For example, in the opening lines of "Romeo and Juliet," Shakespeare allows the audience to hear his characters’ destiny. We learn early on what is going to happen to the title characters: “a pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life.” As a result, the idea of a preordained ending is already on the audience's mind as the story plays out.

Then, in Act One, Scene Three, Romeo is already feeling that fate is planning his doom before the Capulet's party. He wonders if he should attend the party, as "my mind misgives / Some consequence yet hanging in the stars."  

In Act Three, Scene One, when Mercutio shouts “a plague on both your houses," he's foreshadowing what's to come for the title couple. This bloody scene in which characters are killed gives us a glimpse of what's to come, marking the beginning of Romeo and Juliet’s tragic downfall.

When Mercutio dies, Romeo himself foreshadows the outcome: "This day's black fate on more days doth depend / This but begins the woe, others must end." The others upon whom fate later falls, of course, are Romeo and Juliet.

In Act Five, when he hears of Juliet's death, Romeo swears he will defy fate: "Is it even so? Then I defy you, stars!" Later, as he plans his own death in Juliet's tomb, Romeo says: "O, here / Will I set up my everlasting rest, / And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars / From this world-wearied flesh." This brave defiance of fate is especially heartbreaking because Romeo's suicide is the event that leads to Juliet's death.

The idea of fate permeates through many of the events and speeches in the play. Romeo and Juliet see omens throughout, continually reminding the audience that the outcome will not be a happy one.

Their deaths are also a catalyst for change in Verona, as the dueling families become united in their mutual grief and create a political shift in the city. Perhaps Romeo and Juliet were  fated to love —and die—for the greater good of Verona.

Were Romeo and Juliet Victims of Circumstance?

Other readers may examine the play through the lens of happenstance and coincidence, and thus conclude that Romeo and Juliet's fates were not wholly predetermined but rather a series of unfortunate and unlucky events.

For instance, Romeo and Benvolio happen to meet and talk about love on the very day of the Capulets' ball. Had they had the conversation the following day, Romeo would not have met Juliet.

In Act Five, we learn that Friar Lawrence's messenger to Romeo, who would have explained the plan of Juliet's pretend death, is detained, and Romeo doesn't get the message. If the messenger had not tried to find someone to accompany him on the trip, he would not have been held back.

Finally, Juliet wakes just moments after Romeo's suicide. Had Romeo arrived just a few moments later, all would have been well.

It is certainly possible to describe the events of the play as a series of unfortunate events and coincidences. That said, it is a much more rewarding reading experience to consider the role of fate in "Romeo and Juliet."

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Romeo and Juliet: Fate or Free Will?

This essay will discuss the themes of fate and free will in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” It will analyze how these themes influence the characters’ actions and the play’s tragic outcome. PapersOwl offers a variety of free essay examples on the topic of Free Will.

How it works

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet has two very prevalent themes. One can cease that the two apposite themes are free will and fate. Within the script of this beloved play, Shakespeare displays a mixed notion of the actual theme which could lead to the assumption that either theme can be lectured. The denotative meaning of fate being … events beyond a person’s control and free will meaning power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate both can be informed as the plausible theme.

Both themes could suit this calamitous play.

Free Will in Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet, two of the main characters, construct decisions together out of free will and personal choice. When Romeo and Juliet make secret wedding arrangements, they do this with full sovereignty of their actions. For instance, the Juliet claims, Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow And all of my fortunes at thy foot I’ll lay which shows that Juliet is willing to jeopardize everything to marry Romeo. These preposterous, quick decisions lead to the downfall of the pair which included Juliet threatened disownment by her parents, and the ultimate death of both Romeo and Juliet. Though tribulations were aroused by the bad decisions made by the couple, some instances were brought upon them by pure fate.

Within the play, the characters encounter situations that are inevitable and fueled in spite of fate. The strongest evidence of fate is when Romeo meets Juliet at the Capulet party. Romeo’s predominant intention was to meet his current infatuation, Rosaline, but instead he landed his eyes on Juliet, and instantly had a change in mind and fell in love with Juliet. Romeo recites in act one scene five, Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night, which demonstrates Romeo instantaneously being struck by Cupid’s bow as soon as he saw Juliet. Fate plays substantial role in this incident because Romeo had no idea that he would meet Juliet. Throughout the play, Shakespeare is sure to write on few occurrences how juvenile Romeo and Juliet were which could play part in some adrenaline fueled instances.

In 2011, scientist came upon the conclusion that adolescents react in ludicrous and impetuous ways rather than adults due to developmental stages. Certain areas of the human brain develop well into adulthood which is why teens and adults may react contrastingly to certain situations. According to the research, Pictures of the brain in action show that adolescents’ brains function differently than adults their actions are more guided more by the amygdala and less by the frontal cortex, which the author of this report earlier explains that the amygdala is accountable for instinctual reactions of aggression and trepidation, but on the other hand, the frontal cortex is a later developed section that sways cogent thinking. Using these scientific findings, one could connect Romeo killing Tybalt as a spontaneous reaction to Tybalt killing his close friend Mercutio.

The two rife themes of The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet are very strong, viable themes. As well as the scientific research that could also assist why the young characters acted out more than the older characters. Though when collectively putting the evidence in thought, many instances, whether it be fate or free will, defied against the fierce feelings of the star-crossed lovers. Ultimately leading to the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.

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Romeo and Juliet: Fate vs. Free Will

• Romeo and Juliet: Fate vs.…

The idea of destiny has been connected to the notion of stars, which some believe control human life. This gives rise to the idea of “star-crossed” lovers—those for whom a sorrowful fate seems inevitable. In the play Romeo and Juliet, the characters suffer a tragic ending: death. However, many argue that it is not destiny that causes this downfall, but the choices that both Romeo and Juliet make throughout the play. Although this can be true, destiny has a greater impact on the characters and their final demise.

Romeo and Juliet are described as “star-crossed lovers” at the start of the prologue. This references fate because the stars predetermined their destiny, and their relationship is doomed to fail. Shakespeare coined the term star-cross lovers based on people’s belief that astrology controls human destiny. Predestination is a common theme in Shakespeare’s tragedies, presenting that they are meant to die despite a character’s action or attempt to change fate. Shakespeare already states that fate will play a role in Romeo and Juliet’s density as they “fearful passage of their death-marked love”. (Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet Prologue) In addition, Shakespeare mentions an “ancient grudge” about the Capulets and Montague’s family feud. A centuries-old feud that leads to nothing but violence between the two groups and results in civil unrest. “Doth with their deaths bury their parent’s strife.” (Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet Prologue), reinforcing that the untimely death of Romeo and Juliet ends the feud. The family feud acts as the main dictator for the characters’ choices, leading to their deaths, which is out of Romeo and Juliet’s control.

In Act I, Romeo is still sad because a person he loves named Rosaline has rejected him, and his cousin Benvolio tries to convince Romeo to forget about her. During that time, Lord Capulet gives his servant a letter with a list of people to invite for the masquerade ball. Fate allows the servant to come across Romeo and Benelivo, asking them to read the list because the servant is illiterate. The servant asks Romeo and Benvolio to read him the names; he then tells them that his “master is the great rich Capulet, and if [there] are not of the house of Montagues, I pray, come and crush a cup of wine.” (Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet Act 1 Scene 5) Inviting them to the party, Benvolio uses this opportunity to convince Romeo to go to the mask party since there will be other women, so he will forget about Rosaline. This is a small but portentous action because, by having the servant meet Romeo and Benelivo, fate sets the play’s motions by having Romeo go to the party to meet Juliet and fall in love.

Later, Romeo has a bad dream about going to the party. When Romeo, Benvolio, and their friend Mercutio go to Lord Capulet’s house for the masquerade party, Romeo brings up his dream. While Mercutio laughs at him, Rome states, “I fear too early, for my mind misunderstands. Some consequences are still hanging in the stars. Shall bitterly begin his fearful date. With this night’s revels, and expire the term of a despisèd life closed in my breast by some vile forfeit of untimely death.” (Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet Act 1 Scene 5) His death is foreshadowed by this. A theme of lamentable events occurring in a short period starts when Romeo mentions consequences happening “too early.” Hanging in the stars is another reference to how Romeo and Juliet’s fates are star-crossed, meaning they are doomed. But Romeo is shown to trust what Fate has in store for him as he compares himself to a ship and fate as a captain steering his course. This shows that even though Romeo chooses to still go to the party, he has already been set for his unfortunate events.

Fate allows Romeo and Juliet to meet at the party, and Romeo manages to steal a kiss from Juliet through smart wordplay. After the party, Romeo now completely forgets about Rosaline and feels compelled to go back to the Capulet estate because that’s where his heart is. Around the Baloney scene, Romeo is making a rash decision. Tybalt, a Capulet at the party who is shown to be a tyrant, is enraged that Romeo was at the party and swears that he will get Romeo the next time he sees him; therefore, a conflict would arise if Romeo was caught. Juliet asks him how he got here, knowing his danger. Romeo states, “With love’s light wings, did I o’erperch these walls, For stony limits cannot hold love out; and what love can do, that dares love attempt. Therefore, thy kinsmen are no stop to me.” (Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet Act 2, Scene 2) Fate, in the form of Romeo’s “love” for Juliet, is what prevents him from getting caught and what allows his meeting with her. On the balcony, fate makes it possible for Romeo to be at the right time where Juliet is when she confesses her love for him when she states, “O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name, or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I’ll no longer be a Capulet.” (Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet Act 2 Scene 2), openly declaring her love for him, which led to their conversation about getting married.

After Romeo kills Tybalt, signaling the crisis of the play, the prince exiles Romeo from Verona. Juliet is later mourning for Romeo, but fate plays a role in dramatic irony because the Capulets and Paris believe that Juliet is still mourning for Tybalt. Lord Capulet says, “Monday! Ha, ha! Well, Wednesday is too soon. A Thursday, let it be. A Thursday, tell her, She shall be married to this noble earl.” (Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet Act 3 Scene 4) deciding to move the wedding to Thursday three days from now. (This is a reference to how fate is making events happen “too early,” leading the characters to make decisions that have an untimely end.) But in the play, Romeo and Juliet are already married in secret. Juliet spends one more night with Romeo before he leaves. The next day, Lady Capulet tells Juliet of the marriage. Juliet is under the threat of being disowned if she refuses. Juliet goes to seek advice from Friar Lawrence, and because of Juliet’s threat of killing herself, Friar Lawrence mentions a risky plan for her to be with Romeo. It involves making everyone believe that she consents to the marriage.

While, on Wednesday, Juliet is taking a potion that will make her appear dead for 42 hours. Her family will take her to the tomb. Friar will write Romeo a letter about the plan, and he and Friar go to the vault and wait for Juliet to wake up. Finally, Romeo and Juliet will then run off to Mantua together. Fate works through the unknown knowledge of certain characters because now that Lord Capulet believes that Juliet wants to go ahead, he moves up the wedding to Wednesday. Now Juliet is pensive because she only has tonight to decide if she wants to go ahead with the plan. Fate has made it into the stark reality that Juliet does not have much of a choice in the matter. It is up to her to go with the plan or be miserable and marry Paris, but it has been made clear that Juliet would rather kill herself before marrying Paris. Even though Juliet chooses to drink the potion, she trusts fate to decide what happens to her in the next forty-two hours.

Arguably, Romeo’s choice to murder himself is free will. He decided to buy the poison to kill himself. Romeo was acting on his famous tragic flaw of being impulsive, and instead of waiting for more news on Juliet’s death, he decided to take matters into his own hands. Romeo killing himself was free will. However, fate plays a role in Romeo’s death by preventing him from getting the letter Friar Lawrence sent. Romeo was exiled from the social status or life that he held due to his impulsive actions. He is now living in Mantua, which is a day’s trip from Verona. Fate had prevented the letter from reaching Romeo by having the messenger be in a quarantined house due to an outbreak of a plague.

Romeo hears the wind of Juliet’s death, and he states how he will “defy you, stars!” (Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet Act 5, Scene 1) When Romeo believes that he is defying fate, he is rather aiding it in his death. It was fate that allowed Romeo to come “too early” to Juliet’s grave, only to see her “dead.” To Romeo, he had nothing to live for because he stated, “[tis] torture and not mercy. Heaven is here, where Juliet lives.” (Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet Act 3 Scene 3) and, in an attempt to defy fate, Romeo aids fate through his actions. It was through his unfortunate destiny that Romeo heard the news of Juliet’s death early. It is fate that prevents Friar Lawrence’s letter from getting to Romeo. He states, “O, here, will I set up my everlasting rest, and shake the yoke of inauspicious stars from this world-weary flesh?” (Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet Act 5 Scene 3) Even though Romeo chooses to kill himself, fate is destined for Romeo to die through his unknown knowledge. Juliet is now confused about what is going on and sees Romeo dead. Believing that they were supposed to kill themselves. In the end, fate had the final say in Romeo and Juliet’s actions, resulting in the calamity that will end their parents’ feud.

In the play Romeo and Juliet, it could be argued that free will and fate played major roles in the untimely deaths of two lovers. However, it can be evident throughout the play that fate plays a leading factor in the choices that the characters make. It was fate, not free will, that set the motions for this play by having the servant come across Romeo and Benlivo talking. It was not a coincidence that two lovers met at a ball, but rather fate brought the tragic lovers together. Divine interference allows Romeo and Juliet to meet and confess their love that same night. Despite the personal choices that the characters make, like Romeo still going to the party and Juliet taking the potion despite their uncertainty, It proves that many characters seem to rely on fate for the outcome of their circumstances. These personal choices seem only to aid the foreseen fate near the end with Romeo killing himself based on his knowledge and having Juliet follow after ending the play.

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. “Romeo and Juliet.” myPerspectives. Pearson Education, Inc., edited by Pearson affiliates, 2017, pp. 391-475.

Related Posts

• Romeo and Juliet: Fate vs Free Will
• Romeo and Juliet: Fate and Friar Lawrence
• Fate in Romeo and Juliet
• Fate in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
• Romeo and Juliet: Character Analysis of Romeo Montague

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Home / Essay Samples / Literature / Romeo and Juliet / The Role of Fate in Romeo and Juliet: A Literary Analysis

The Role of Fate in Romeo and Juliet: A Literary Analysis

• Category: Literature
• Topic: Book Review , Romeo and Juliet , William Shakespeare

Pages: 3 (1213 words)

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