Student Essay on Fate in Romeo and Juliet

One of the main themes and significant factors in Romeo and Juliet is fate. This indicates that Romeo and Juliet's life could be influenced by some power other than of their wills. During Shakespeare's time most Elizabethans believed in fate and it shows particularly in Romeo and Juliet.

Fate is a power that predetermines events in your life and is unchangeable. It is your destiny and is unalterable. The Elizabethans believed that this power ruled their whole life and that everything is meant to happen. This idea is written about in the Bible in Jeremiah 1:5. It says 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations' This means that God had planned our lives before we were born.

From the first page of the play we here about fate. Romeo and Juliet are mentioned as 'star-crossed lovers' meaning that fate will bring them together. It says that their love is 'death mark'd' which means that their fate will be tragic. It tells us that they have no control over what will happen to them and it will lead to their demise.

There are many events in the play that could have completely changed the outcome of the story. Possibly the biggest spark in their downfall would be that their families were enemies. If they had not have had such a long living feud, Romeo and Juliet could have had a greater chance of being together.

Another thing that could have prevented the deaths of the pair is if Romeo had never have gone to the ball in the first place. Romeo felt uneasy about going and says 'I fear too early; for my mind misgives some consequence yet hanging in the stars shall bitterly begin his fearful date with the night's revels...'He senses that something bad is going to happen and there is nothing he can do about it. He goes in because he believes it is his fate.

If Mercutio and Tybalt never had to fight or if Mercutio never died as a result of the fight then Romeo wouldn't have had a reason to attack and ultimately kill Tybalt. He would not have been banished and Juliet would not have had to take the potion to flea to Romeo. Also if Tybalt had not been such a proud man he might not have been bothered about Romeo gate crashing his uncles party. Had Romeo stayed faithful to Rosaline he would have escaped his doom. He would not have inattentively fallen for Juliet at first sight. If Juliet had had more freedom and wasn't being forced to marry Paris she may not have crazily tried to find love with a total stranger who she had never seen before.

If the messenger who was to bring the news to Romeo from Friar Lawrence had seen Romeo, it would have meant that he had known that Juliet was safe. If Balthasar had never seen Juliet's funeral he would not have told Romeo before the messenger had got there.

If the apothecary had given Romeo a fake poison instead it would have saved the couple. He was poor and needed the money but was hesitant about selling the poison. He did not want to give him it: 'My poverty, but not my will consents'. Ironically, if Juliet had woken up a few seconds earlier than she did both would have been fine and escaped a terrible fate.

The two had a tremendous amount of help from the Friar and the nurse and if the hadn't have had this it would have saved their lives. When the friar gave Juliet the potion it was the point were things could only get worse.

Several quotes in the play show the importance of fate in the play. Act 2 scene 3 ends with Friar Lawrence responding to Romeo's request for him to marry he two by saying: 'Wisely and slow: they stumble that run fast'. He believes that only bad can come of this hasty marriage. This is important to the story because Romeo is so smitten for Juliet that he doesn't care much for anything else.

When Romeo finds Murcutio dead in Act 3 Scene 1 Line 119-20 and 136 we are reminded again that fate is ruling his life. Romeo feels that fate will end the family feud of the Capulets and Montagues. He says 'This day's black fate on mo days doth depend; This but begins the woe others must end.' 'O I am fortunes fool'. It is important because it is a warning that something bad will happen.

'Can heaven be so envious"' Juliet says this in Act 3 Scene 2 on Line 40 when the nurse tells her that Tybalt is dead. She says that because she is sad about his death. She can't believe that fate can be so cruel as to take her cousin. This is saying that fate has taken her cousin and it is not fair.

In Act 3 Scene 3 on Line 144 Friar Lawrence says 'Take heed, take heed, for such die miserably'. He is talking to Romeo about Tybalt's death. He is saying that Romeo is lucky to have a lighter sentence and should be grateful.

Act 3 Scene 5 Lines 54-57 Juliet says to Romeo that she sees a vision of Romeo dead and she is predicting what might happen to him. Lines 60-64 is when she says that fortune is fickle and changes often. It does not follow the same pattern and is not always what people want it to be. Juliet asks in Line 197 'is there no pity sitting in the clouds"' She wants things to be easier for her. This is important because things will get worse for them.

Friar Lawrence refers to the fact that the couple's fate is predetermined in Act 4 scene 5 Line 93-94.At the funeral he says 'the heavens do lour upon you for some ill'. This is saying that heaven or fate is controlling what happens.

In Act 5 Scene 1 Romeo says 'I defy you stars' in Line 24 which means he disbelieves Juliet's death and he wants to change fate. This is impossible for him to do but all that matters to him is Juliet.

As Juliet awakes in Act 5 Scene 2 in lines 153-4 the Friar responds to her by saying 'A greater power than we can contradict Hath thwarted our intents: come, come away.' He has told her that fate has not allowed them what they want to have. Fate stopped him getting there on time.

Fate is very strong in the play and is the base of the storyline. It shapes the characters lives and one slight change in the way fate had acted would have totally changed the outcome of the story. I don't personally believe in fate because I don't like the idea of living the life something else has set for me. If Romeo and Juliet had been able to alter their fate they would have chosen different paths. The cards that were laid for the two were not those of good fortune and so ended the life of two lovers.