romeo and juliet fate thesis statement

Romeo and Juliet

William shakespeare, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

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.

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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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.

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Romeo and Juliet — The Role of Fate in “Romeo & Juliet” by William Shakespeare

The Role of Fate in "Romeo & Juliet" by William Shakespeare

• Categories: Fate Romeo and Juliet William Shakespeare

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Words: 707 |

Published: Mar 1, 2019

Words: 707 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

The essay explores the theme of fate in Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet," emphasizing how both fate and human actions contribute to the tragic outcome of the star-crossed lovers. The analysis highlights that while Romeo and Juliet's love is strong, they are ultimately powerless against the forces of destiny and human errors.

Fate is portrayed as an uncontrollable and omnipresent force that shapes the characters' lives. The Prologue sets the stage by declaring that the lovers' fate is "marked for death," suggesting their destiny was predetermined from the beginning. Romeo himself acknowledges this when he speaks of an "unknown danger hanging in the stars," emphasizing the idea that life events are written in the stars and beyond individual control.

The essay also emphasizes the role of human actions in influencing the tragic fate of Romeo and Juliet. Examples include the illiterate servant who inadvertently leads Romeo to the Capulet party, Friar John's failure to deliver a crucial message, and Old Capulet's decision not to eject Romeo from the party. These actions, seemingly unrelated, contribute to the unfolding tragedy.

“Romeo and Juliet” Essay: Hook Examples

• A Fateful Encounter: Step into Verona and witness the moment when two star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, first set eyes on each other, igniting a timeless tale of love and tragedy.
• The Power of Forbidden Love: Explore the theme of forbidden love as Romeo and Juliet defy their feuding families, highlighting the enduring allure of love that knows no boundaries.
• Shakespeare’s Timeless Poetry: Delve into the eloquent language and poetic verses of Shakespeare’s masterpiece, “Romeo and Juliet,” and uncover the profound emotions and themes hidden within.
• The Tragic Flaw of Impulsiveness: Examine how the impulsive actions of the young lovers, Romeo and Juliet, lead to their ultimate tragedy, shedding light on the consequences of rash decisions in the name of love.
• A Tale of Immortal Love: Discover why “Romeo and Juliet” endures as one of the most beloved love stories in literature, transcending time and culture, and capturing the hearts of readers and audiences for generations.

Works Cited

• Bloom, H. (Ed.). (2010). Romeo and Juliet. Infobase Publishing.
• Greenblatt, S. (Ed.). (2016). The Norton Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Holland, P. (2000). Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet: The Relationship between Text and Film. Teaching English, 2(1), 3-9.
• Levin, F. R. (2012). Love and Death in Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare Quarterly, 63(1), 36-54.
• Mowat, B. A., & Werstine, P. (Eds.). (2019). Romeo and Juliet. Simon and Schuster.
• Shakespeare, W. (1597). Romeo and Juliet. First Folio.
• Starks, L. D. (2004). Romeo and Juliet: A Text to Film Comparison. The English Journal, 93(3), 65-70.
• Thompson, A. (2015). Romeo and Juliet: A Critical Reader. Bloomsbury Publishing.
• Wells, S., & Orlin, L. (Eds.). (2003). Shakespeare: An Oxford Guide. Oxford University Press.
• Zeffirelli, F. (Director). (1968). Romeo and Juliet [Film]. Paramount Pictures.

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The Role of Fate in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

This essay will explore the role of fate in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” It will discuss how the concept of fate drives the plot, influences the characters’ decisions, and contributes to the tragic ending, reflecting on the theme of destiny versus free will. PapersOwl showcases more free essays that are examples of Romeo And Juliet.

How it works

Throughout the play Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare uses the detrimental effects of the never-ending feud between the Montague and Capulet families on the young lovers to portray that one can not overcome fate, despite of one’s efforts. Additionally, Shakespeare suggests that although the love between Romeo and Juliet is passionate, the influences of their family will lead to their inevitable fate of death. In fact, much of the story revolves around the struggles of Romeo and Juliet against the intuitions that explicitly opposes the existence of their love.

• 1 The Fate in Romeo and Juliet
• 2 What Role Does Fate Play in Romeo and Juliet

The Fate in Romeo and Juliet

The fate of Romeo and Juliet was clear from the beginning; “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes/ A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life” (1.Prologue.5-6). Shakespeare starts the play by informing the audience that fate controls the young lovers. The mechanism of fate works in all of the events surrounding the lovers. For instance, throughout the play, the hatred between the Capulets and Montagues is not explained, but it is merely accepted as a fact. Furthermore, the series of unfortunate events leading up to the tragic deaths of Romeo and Juliet are no coincidences either.

Friar Lawrence’s well thought out plan to help the lovers be together is in shambles when Friar John comes back and claims, “I could not send it-here it is again-/(gives Friar Lawrence a letter)/Nor get a messenger to bring it thee,/ So fearful were they of infection” (5.2.13-16). Even the young lovers are aware of the tight grasp fate has on their lives. For example, when Romeo learns that Juliet is dead, he cries, “Is it e’en so? Then I defy you, stars!” (5.1.24). As a result, he attempts to defy fate by killing himself, which leads to another manifestation of fate that helps bring about the inevitable end of the young lovers: the devastating timing of Romeo’s suicide and Juliet’s awakening. Through their tragedies, Shakespeare demonstrates the extreme power of fate, and how fate can not be altered. In the play, the lovers are aware of the control of fate over their lives, but they do not realize that their destiny is unchangeable. Therefore, the efforts of Romeo and Juliet to go against their fate only contribute to the events leading up to their deaths, which shows that when one attempts to disregard their fate, one only contributes to it.

What Role Does Fate Play in Romeo and Juliet

Another contributing factor that ultimately leads to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet is the antagonistic role their families played. From the beginning, the Montagues and the Capulets are illustrated as intense rivals, which forces the young lovers to hide their passionate love. After the death of Tybalt, Capulet fiercely claims to Juliet, “But fettle your fine joints ‘gainst Thursday next/To go with Paris to Saint Peter’s Church,/ Or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither” (3.5.153-155), and Juliet’s loyalty to Romeo drives her to extremes. Ultimately, the pressure from the Capulets leaves Juliet no choice but to go through with Friar Lawrence’s plan, which eventually leads to her death.

Even after the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, their rivalry deepens before Capulet and Montague learn the truth, for when Capulet witnesses the lifeless body of Juliet, he exclaims, “This dagger hath mista’en-for lo, his house/ Is empty on the back of Montague,/ And it mis-sheathed in my daughter’s bosom” (5.3.203-205). The enmity between the families and the expectation to be loyal to one’s family create a conflict for Romeo and Juliet, and ultimately causing their deaths. Through the play, Shakespeare highlights the consequences of unsupportive parents and the effect they can have on their children. The pressure put on children will force children to make rash decisions, which will lead to undesirable results.

Although the outcome of the play is clear, the main purpose of this play is to highlight the sequence of events that lead up to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, which accentuates the play’s themes. The play Romeo and Juliet features various outside forces such as the inevitability of fate and the role of negligent parents. In the play, despite the young lovers’ efforts to defy their fate, their death was unavoidable. Furthermore, their inattentive parents who failed to understand their perspective contribute to the eventual outcome of Romeo and Juliet as well. By letting the readers acknowledge the ending, Shakespeare puts emphasis on the process instead of the outcome.

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The Portrayal of Fate in “Romeo and Juliet” Essay

Introduction.

Romeo and Juliet are unquestionably the most famous pair of lovers in world literature. Since the play’s inception in the 16th century, they have fallen in love and died in each other’s arms innumerable times. Just as the actors performing the play are bound by Shakespeare’s script, the actions of the characters within it have been predetermined by the hand of fate. There are repeated references to destiny, fortune, and the futility of trying to escape or subvert them. Thus, the play Romeo and Juliet demonstrates that fate is the invisible, unavoidable force behind the entirety of the human experience.

Firstly, the inevitability of fate is coded into the main plot of Romeo and Juliet. The Capulets and Montague have been embroiled in a blood feud with no other reason given than an “ancient grudge” (Shakespeare Prologue 3). The origins of the conflict are inexplicable but accepted as an unavoidable fact by all the characters. Similarly, humans submit to the workings of fate even if it remains inscrutable to them. Romeo and Juliet fail and die in their attempt to escape the family feud; the same tragic ending awaits any person who cannot accept their fate. Therefore, the main characters’ failure to escape the age-old vendetta between their families is reflective of the human inability to subvert destiny.

Secondly, the prologue establishes that the events of the play have been predetermined not just by the author, but supernatural forces. The main characters have sprung from “the fatal loins” of the two rival families, and nothing but their death can put an end to the conflict (Shakespeare Prologue 5). They are a “star-crossed” couple, consumed by love that is “death-marked” (Shakespeare Prologue 6, 9). Thus the atmosphere of the play is imbued with the inevitability of tragedy. The following events, from Romeo’s fight with Tybalt to the lovers’ double suicide, are not just the result of bad luck and coincidence. The prologue has dictated the action from the very beginning. Fate is playing a chess game and slowly pushing all the players into the correct positions. The prologue divests humans of their free will and presents them as ignorant pawns in a larger cosmic scheme.

Thirdly, the characters themselves are preoccupied with the rule of fate over their lives. They do not remain blind to its machinations but verbally acknowledge their fears about its callousness. Juliet laments that “heaven should practice stratagems upon so soft a subject as myself” (Shakespeare 3.5.209-210). Romeo sighs that he is made a “fortune’s fool” after Tybalt is slain (Shakespeare 3.1.127). Both Romeo and Juliet recognize their lack of autonomy and long to flout the decrees of heaven. Once Romeo learns of Juliet’s death, he declares that he wishes to “defy you, stars,” and later “shake the yoke of inauspicious stars” (Shakespeare 5.1.25, 5.3.111). Romeo and Juliet believe that they are choosing to die for their love as a final assertion of personal will. However, the prologue hints that even this decision was predestined in order to finally heal the rift between the Capulets and Montagues. The constant references to the stars and fortune display that humans are cognizant of fate’s power, but that does not save them from falling prey to it.

Fourthly, the characters do not simply fear the possibility of doom but experience direct premonitions of the tragic fate that awaits them. Romeo fears that “some consequence [is] yet hanging in the stars” upon entering the Capulet ball (Shakespeare 1.5.107). Before even discovering his family name, Juliet looks at Romeo and predicts that her “grave is like to be [her] wedding bed” (Shakespeare 1.5.134). On the balcony, she exclaims that she has an “ill-divining soul” and sees Romeo “as one dead in the bottom of a tomb” (Shakespeare 3.5.54-56). Fate in Romeo and Juliet is not just a retroactive justification of the characters’ impulses or ignorance. They predict that their end will be unhappy even before learning that they come from rival families. Therefore, fate is not a rationalization for human foolishness but an active, supernatural force that puppeteers the characters and leads them to their deaths.

In conclusion, the central tension in Romeo and Juliet is not between the lovers and their families but between free will and fate. Shakespeare demonstrates that destiny is an omnipotent force that humans can neither comprehend nor resist. The futility of subversion is coded into the play’s central plot; Romeo and Juliet’s failure to overcome the family feud is reflective of the human inability to deny destiny. The prologue establishes humans as pawns in a cosmic chess game that they cannot escape even if they acknowledge their role. The characters predict their death even before they learn each other’s names, proving that fate is not simply an excuse but an active force. The self in modern Western culture is understood as a self-contained, self-determining, independent unit. However, a story about the calamitous consequences of attempting to defy destiny still retains a strong hold over the Western imagination.

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Edited by G. Blakemore Evans, Cambridge University Press, 2003.

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IvyPanda. (2023, November 2). The Portrayal of Fate in “Romeo and Juliet”. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-portrayal-of-fate-in-romeo-and-juliet/

"The Portrayal of Fate in “Romeo and Juliet”." IvyPanda , 2 Nov. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/the-portrayal-of-fate-in-romeo-and-juliet/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'The Portrayal of Fate in “Romeo and Juliet”'. 2 November.

IvyPanda . 2023. "The Portrayal of Fate in “Romeo and Juliet”." November 2, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-portrayal-of-fate-in-romeo-and-juliet/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Portrayal of Fate in “Romeo and Juliet”." November 2, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-portrayal-of-fate-in-romeo-and-juliet/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Portrayal of Fate in “Romeo and Juliet”." November 2, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-portrayal-of-fate-in-romeo-and-juliet/.

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Romeo and Juliet Themes

Themes are the recurrent ideas underlying a creative piece. These central ideas enable readers to view a certain piece from various angles to broaden their understanding. Regarded as one of the most significant and widely read playwrights, Shakespeare has skillfully explored diverse themes such as loyalty, the dichotomy of love and hate, violence, greed, and insanity in his tragedies. “Romeo and Juliet” is perhaps Shakespeare’s most significant contribution with various themes. However, instead of portraying an idyllic romance , this timeless play presents tragic themes governing human life. A few central themes in “Romeo and Juliet” are discussed below.

Themes in “Romeo and Juliet”

The abiding quality of romantic love.

Although presented as a short-term expression of youthful passion, Romeo and Juliet’s love for each other ultimately wins over every form of social constraints. The abiding quality of their selfless love is an essential theme of the play. It serves to reinforce the claim that if authentic lovers cannot be united in this world, they can certainly be together in the life hereafter.

Individual vs. Society

The conflict between individual desires and social institutions is a recurrent theme in “Romeo and Juliet”. The young lovers’ struggle against their respective families is the most important theme. By opting for individual fulfillment as opposed to social traditions, both Romeo and Juliet refuse to follow the commands of their families. They illustrate the triumph of an individual’s will over social customs. On a metaphorical level, this courage highlights the threat that young love poses to the absurd social traditions.

The theme of violence also plays a significant role in the play. Usually, blind passion, hatred and desperation are some instances of violence given throughout “Romeo and Juliet”. Tybalt kills Mercutio though it was not intentional. In order to avenge Mercutio’s death and in a moment of desperation, Romeo kills Tybalt and Paris. Both murders are classic examples of violence. The blind love of Romeo and Juliet that motivate them to commit suicide is another example. These examples show that violence has a vital role in this tragedy .

The Overarching Power of Patriarchy

In “Romeo and Juliet”, most of the significant decisions are made by the men of the two families, the Capulets, and the Montagues. Lady Capulet and Lady Montague’s views are not important. It is clearly displayed by their silent assertion of their husbands’ ideas in the play. It is Lord Capulet who selects Paris as his daughter’s future husband. Then forces Juliet to abide by his decision. Perhaps the most blatant example of the rule of men in the play is the feud between Lord Capulet and Lord Montague. Although their wives don’t harbor any ill-will toward each other, the two Lords force their families to support them in their pointless dispute and keep up their enmity against each other.

The Theme of Death

Death is a theme that lurks throughout the play. In many ways, “Romeo and Juliet” shows the journey of the two lovers from their initial, love-filled meeting up to their death. Thus, death serves as the tragic resolution of various conflicts. For instance, Romeo’s conflict with Tybalt ends with the latter’s death. Moreover, the two young lovers’ conflict with the hostile social conformity ends with their untimely deaths. These tragic losses make the entire play as if it is only a play of deaths.

The Inevitability of Fate

The inevitability of fate is another important thematic concern of “Romeo and Juliet”. The phrase , “star-crossed” refers to the fact that the two lovers were destined to die from the beginning. Hence, aside from a string of poor choices made by the two lovers and their families, the power of fate governs the end of the play. Friar John’s inability to deliver the letter to Romeo on time was inescapable fate and a deadly blow. The letter would have informed Romeo that Juliet was alive. It is the most fatalistic moment in the play that drives Romeo to commit suicide.

The institution of marriage is another important theme in the play. Contrary to popular beliefs, marriage is not shown as a good institution in the play. The play emphasizes the idea that though marriages of the Capulets and Montagues are socially approved, it lacks a soul. On the other hand, the union of Romeo and Juliet is authentic and yet condemned. Moreover, the political motive behind Friar Lawrence’s approval of Romeo and Juliet’s marriage highlights that in the Shakespearean era, marriage was seen as a means to ensure political strength.

 Ideological Divide Between the Young and the Old

The ideological divide between the younger and the older generation is also a repetitive theme underlying the play. The impulsivity and youthful exuberance of Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, and Paris serve as a strong contrast to calculating, the political foresight of Lord Capulet, Lord Montague, and Friar Lawrence. The tragedy of the play is in the fact that both the older and younger generations are unwilling to compromise and end the disagreement for good. They are not willing to resolve their pointless dispute.

The Absurdity Underlying Family Feuds

The absurd legacy of rivalry between the Montagues and the Capulets brings chaos that is shown later in the play. Although the actual reason for enmity between the two families remains undisclosed, it is shown that they are unable to reconcile with each other. It also shows that they have no credible reason for continuing the enmity between them.

In addition to violence, revenge is another destructive element that sustains the action of the play. Hence, it makes an important theme of the play. However, the tragedy carrying the cycle of revenge neither guarantees a good end nor does it lead to poetic justice . For instance, Romeo kills Tybalt in order to seek revenge for Mercutio’s murder. This rash action of Romeo is not tried in the court. Moreover, several other actions that require resolution are not brought to the law. Therefore, revenge seems to have the upper hand.

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Mr Salles Teaches English

Romeo and juliet prediction aqa 2024.

My predictions historically are 50% accurate.

To make them even more useful, I make videos where I apply my prediction and essay plan to any question that could come up.

This year I think it will be a theme question. In the past this has involved the feud, violence and masculinity. These are all the same question. The answer would be exactly the same - except you would keep using the theme key word in each paragraph.

The only theme AQA haven’t asked is fate.

You could treat this as the same question. For example -

Shakespeare shows that the lovers cannot escape their fate. This is because society is the tragic hero of the play. Society’s hamartia is that it is patriarchal. It is dominated by violence because men are raised to solve problems through violence.

And now I’d use everything I wanted to write about masculinity, or violence, or the feud, and show how these contribute to the tragic fate of the lovers.

See? The same essay, with very minor tweaks.

I am writing a guide to essay writing on Romeo and Juliet. Here is a grade 7 essay that will help you:

Response 13 (June 2020 Question about the feud)

Shakespeare shows that the feud leads to severe consequences which are just as damaging as the Prince’s punishment for the feud . This emphasises how severe the violence is because the Elizabethan audience loved violence on stage. This is CONTRASTED with Romeo and Juliet’s passionate love, which leads to the tragic end of the feud.

“ Enemies to peace ” implies that Shakespeare portrays the feud as pointless but necessary to end in peace . The Prince tells the families that they are “ you men, you beasts ”, which dehumanises them . The Prince represents the law and justice , and emphasises that those who cause bloodshed are no more than animals.

Another possibility is that Shakespeare is mocking the Elizabethan’s desire for bloodshed on stage, as they would be used to characters like Tybalt being the main protagonist. Tybalt continually calls Romeo a “ villain ”. Romeo contradicts this, emphasising his feelings of love: “ Good Capulet, a name I tender as dearly as my own, be satisfied ”. This CONTRASTS the themes of love and conflict. Shakespeare USES Tybalt as a foil to Romeo . He wants to show that love can triumph over conflict . This offers a hopeful ending to the family feud .

However, Shakespeare decides that the feud has to end in tragedy . This can only be alleviated by love . The tragedy is emphasised when Romeo kills Tybalt and is then banished to Mantua . This was a result of the killing of Mercutio, who Shakespeare portrays as a perceptive and witty character : “ A plague o’ both your houses ”.

Shakespeare also emphasises the role of fate . He shows the effect of the feud is inevitable . He shows that the conflict is destined to end in death . Juliet FORESHADOWS this death , “ Me thinks I see thee … in the bottom of a tomb ”.

The final tragedy is brought about by Romeo , who refuses to accept his banishment, “ Ha, banishment! Be merciful, say death ”. He is desperate to be with Juliet. The tragedy is therefore caused by Romeo trying to escape his fate, rather than by a sense of natural justice . Romeo fears life without Juliet more than he fears death .

Shakespeare might have thought his audience would be uninterested in a plot where the lovers escape their fate . Or he might think that his fellow Elizabethans are simply excited by violence.

In conclusion, Shakespeare portrays love as holding hands with conflict. Love is therefore linked to violence. This is why Romeo and Juliet’s love begins at the Capulet party, in parallel with the cause of Tybalt’s rage. Tybalt points out the symbiotic relationship between the two, stating “ Now seeming sweet, convert to bitterest gall ”. He refers to Romeo and Juliet as “ now seeming sweet ”, but ends with Tybalt’s threat which shapes the rest of the tragedy so that it ends with “ bitterest gall ”.

Original 528 words

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Examiner Comments

The student writes about methods at the start

They write about the effect of beginning the play with violence

And how that might influence how the play develops

And how the audience will react

The student focuses on individual words, like “beasts” to explain the effect of vocabulary choice

As well as explaining the effect of characterisation

So, word choice and characterisation are methods

The explanations about fate move the essay into Level 5

The explanations about Shakespeare’s ideas are also Level 5

The student has chosen a range of references

And the way these have been sequenced into an argument is also Level 5

To get higher marks, the student should explain the effects of more methods

Or explain more effects of the existing methods.

My Comments

Explanations 27

Patriarchal 0

Thesis Statement Yes

Conclusion Yes

Another way of reading the examiner’s comments is this:

Well done. This is pretty damn good. So, you only wrote 528 words. I wonder if you might, I mean if it is ok with you, and I don’t want to sound biased or unhelpful in this, but it’s just, WHY DIDN’T YOU JUST WRITE FASTER? You understand everything about the play, and nothing about life.

Life is not fair. But you will always stack the odds in your favour if you work out what it takes to succeed in anything, and then do that to the best of your ability.

Just write, you fool, and you can get grade 9.

Also, thanks for a good thesis statement and a proper conclusion, I enjoyed reading your ideas.

I love the way you link everything to Shakespeare’s purpose and the causes of the tragedy.

P.S. This just makes it all the more infuriating that you didn’t just write faster!

Points make prizes, and the fastest hand wins.

Thank you for reading Mr Salles Teaches English. This post is public so feel free to share it with someone else who wants top grades.

30/30 Essay About Masculinity

Response 19 june 2017.

An Elizabethan audience would have strong opinions about masculine behaviour . Sampson and Gregory portray a crude aspect of masculinity, treating their enemies and women with aggression . This desire for masculine power is linked to their desire to appear sexually dominant , which Shakespeare highlights through the line “ my naked weapon is out ”. Although this refers to the servant’s sword, it is also a METAPHOR for the penis.

Sampson equates his sexual desire with aggression. This patriarchal society causes men to see a place for violence in sex and relations with women . We can see how aggressive Sampson’s lust is, because he is excited by the violence he’ll use to “ thrust ” maids “ to the wall ”. He has no respect for women.

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Shakespeare also calls attention to the violence of male fantasies or attitude towards virginity, when Sampson speaks of “ the maids ”, saying he will “ cut off their heads ” which is his violent METAPHOR for attacking “ their maidenheads ”.

Shakespeare USES Romeo as a CONTRAST to this male stereotype . He lets us know that Romeo is frequently found “ with tears augmenting the fresh morning’s dew ”. This softness and lack of aggression appears to be caused by love, and is a deliberate CONTRAST to Sampson’s violent sexuality.

However, Mercutio mocks Romeo’s character for this, asking him to “ speak but one rhyme ”, “ cry but ah me! ” and “ pronounce but ‘love’ and ‘dove’ ”. These jibes at Romeo reveal how unusual his behaviour is for a man. This suggests that Romeo has been influenced by the popularity of sonnets at the time.

Male aggression is not only directed at women. We see this in the extract where the servants want to encourage a violent fight. This is why Sampson decides to “ bite my thumb ” at his rivals, because this gesture was so offensive in the Elizabethan period . Shakespeare presents this provocation as a childish desire for a fight.

Shakespeare portrays this desire for dominance as comic, but it still promotes the feud. Because this scene follows on from the “ ancient grudge ” revealed in the prologue , we realise that this aggression will be very important to the plot.

Tybalt is a character who is deeply attracted to violence . His name was an allusion to cats, and this may portray him as violent and animalistic. It implies that his desire to dominate is animal like.

His language shows how he seeks out violence, exclaiming “ This intrusion shall, now seeming sweet, convert to bitt’rest gall ”. His attraction to the poisonous “ gall ” reveals that he is happy to display his aggressive desires. He rejects things which appear “ sweet ” in favour of the “ bitt’rest ” desire to fight . He tells us that he is even willing to murder: “ to strike him dead I hold it not a sin ”. He feels fully justified in this, as we see when he later murders Mercutio.

Original 687 words

Because there is no thesis statement, the answer only begins as ‘clear’

But it quickly becomes detailed and thoughtful in the way it analyses quotes

By the end the student’s thinking is very exploratory

And the references are very well chosen to help explain the student’s ideas

If the student knew more about the context, they could have explored Shakespeare’s use of the sonnet and the lover more effectively

But, although AO3 is not as strong as AO1 and AO2, it is on balance a full mark answer

Explanations 32

Patriarchal 1

Conclusion No

It seems odd that this candidate is not aware of the conventions of the Petrarchan lover which Mercutio is mocking. Perhaps they weren’t taught it.

The standards for getting a grade 9 with this text are very low. All you really need are as many explanations as possible about Shakespeare’s ideas and purpose.

They are another student who is simply wrong about thumb biting. We might say that this is relatively minor.

But they don’t have a thesis statement or a conclusion. This is practically a criminal offence!

So, what on earth has got 30/30?

A continual focus on Shakespeare’s ideas.

Writing about patriarchal society.

Looking at the structure of the play, explaining how and why Sampson and Gregory are a counterpoint to Romeo’s version of masculinity.

The way it touches on the CONTRAST in genres, between comedy and tragedy.

But, let’s not beat about the bush. It is much easier to get full marks, or indeed any mark, with Romeo and Juliet compared to Macbeth.

Oh, and did you notice any quotes being analysed in detail?

You should have noticed an argument about Shakespeare’s ideas.

Ready for more?