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Romeo and Juliet Fate or Free Will

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Romeo and Juliet Fate or Free Will
Jerod Kimbrell
Ms. Darras
Honors English 1, R
30 April 2012
Romeo and Juliet: Fate or Free Will? In Shakespearse’s classic play The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, the two star-crossed lovers created one of the most notorious tragedies known to man. Romeo and Juliet met as an act of a single force known as fate. Fate is the idea used to describe a circumstance when it is meant to happen; fate is the living body responsible for controlling everything, except the decisions you personally make. Act I indefinitely demonstrates Romeo and Juliet met as an act of fate. Fate was able to force its way into Romeo’s mind, in order to plant a seed, a seed in the form of a dream in which a girl who he met at the Capulet’s party would direct him to his death. Upon telling his friends of this vision, Mercutio responded: “O, then I see Queen Mab hath been with you . . . Through lovers’ brains, and then they dream of love”(1.IV.754). After fate had put the plan into motion, Mercutio then set the scene for the two to be lovers before they had even met. Another reason Romeo and Juliet must have met as an act of fate is because it is so opposed that the two meet and be together: (After Romeo had finished talking) “This, by voice, should be a Montague. Fetch me my rapier, boy! What dares the slave come hither, covered in an antic face,” (1.V.757) Tybalt spat in disgust. Only a force with limitless power could possibly compel Romeo to make it through such tough odds to bring him to ever seeing Juliet; this force was fate. Without the work of fate, Romeo and Juliet would never have met. Acts II and III continue to undoubtedly show the doomed lovers meet according to a being besides their own plan. Romeo did control his will to go and attempt to see Juliet, yet he did not perfectly time it all on his own to be passing through the Capulet orchard at just the right moment to hear Juliet, standing upon her balcony, speaking affectionately of Romeo. To her surprise, someone interrupts



Cited: Dictionary.com "Fate and Free Will in Romeo and Juliet." eNotes Publishing. Ed. Scott Locklear. eNotes.com, Inc., . eNotes.com. 8 May, 2012 <http://www.enotes.com/romeo-and-juliet/>

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