Romeo And Juliet Theme Of Fate
William Shakespeare’s theatrical masterpiece The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet has been an eminent literary work for generations and still continues to be. Not only is its romantic plot captivating, it also has underlying morals that make the play more than just a teenage love story. Of the many messages, the role of fate is a significant component of the tragedy. It essentially drives Romeo and Juliet to their demise through inevitable conditions. As The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet correlates with the theme of fate, Shakespeare incorporates this message and its effect throughout The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Even within the prologue preceding the first act, there is evidence of fate being utilized in this tragedy. On line 6 of the prologue,
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Shakespeare mentions, “...a pair of star-crossed lovers take their life… the fearful passage of their death-marked love…” (Shakespeare Prologue. 6). From the beginning, the audience of the tragedy is informed of Romeo and Juliet’s unfortunate death. The phrase “star-crossed” refers to the study of astrology. According to this notion, the lovers are born on conflicting dates and thus are incompatible from the start. “Death-marked love” also alludes to the predestined discordance of their relationship. In Act 1, Benvolio suggests that Romeo should go to the Capulet ball to ease his despondency over Rosaline. Shakespeare conveys Romeo’s apprehension by stating, “Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars, shall bitterly begin his fearful date with this night’s revels and expire the term of a despised life, closed in my breast, by some vile forfeit of untimely death” (Shakespeare I. iv. 107-111). Romeo is again referring to a predetermined fate. A “vile forfeit of untimely death” is reinforcing the theme of fate by emphasizing the concept of imminent death for the lovers, at least in this instance for Romeo. As stated in Amanda Mabillard’s article, “Themes and Motifs in Romeo and Juliet”, ”Romeo later cries that he is "fortune's fool" (3.1.141), and Juliet exclaims that she has an "ill-divining soul" (3.5.52). Moreover, their predictions extend into their dreams, as Romeo says "I dreamt my lady came and found me dead" (5.1.6)... the tale will end with the death of two ravishingly attractive young folk; and the dramatist must exonerate himself from all complicity in their murder... he disowns responsibility and throws it on Destiny, Fate” (Mabillard). Fate acts as accountable for Romeo and Juliet’s end. The allusion to fate is mentioned throughout the play, all of those allusions being directed toward a forthcoming tragedy, specifically death. As the theme of fate is implemented in The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, the characters are influenced by the course that their lives seem to take.
As stated by Shakespeare, “Is it e'en so? Then I defy you, stars!” (Shakespeare V. i. 24). This scene depicts Romeo’s realization of the route his life is taking and attempting to outmaneuver the course of fate when Balthasar tells Romeo of Juliet’s “death.” He believes that if he commits suicide by ingesting poison, he can be with Juliet. Little does he know that Juliet is alive. Romeo hearing of Juliet’s death commences a domino effect of events. Romeo goes to the Capulet tomb, slays Count Paris, and ends his own life by means of poison. This leads to Juliet’s incomprehensible despair and her own suicide by means of a dagger. While Juliet is the less erratic of the couple, the repercussions of fate for her are also present in her background. According to Anne Marie Hacht’s article, “Romeo and Juliet”, “...she lives in a family where her father does not know how to express his love except to make decisions for Juliet that he thinks are in her best interest. Her mother is too cold and distant to give her good advice, and her nurse, though she loves Juliet, is too crude to understand the delicacies and dangers of first love...as a young girl practically restricted to her house by the social customs of her time, she has very little control over anything anyway” (Hacht). These conditions are inevitable for Juliet. Considering her situation with her family, she cannot change their personalities, which contributes to her tribulations. Her father is led to assume that marrying her off to Paris will help her overcome her anguish over Tybalt's death. Her mother’s withdrawn relationship with her inhibits the number of people that she can confide in. The Nurse underestimates the power of the bond between Romeo and Juliet, a bond so powerful that it leads to their
debacle. Alternatively, it is also believed that fate is not a significant ingredient in this recipe for disaster. As argued in the article “Romeo and Juliet”, Hacht believes that defective attributes of Romeo and Juliet’s character and their inaptitude to utilize their emotions in a constructive way are to blame for the misfortune that occurred, not the course of fate. (Hacht). This explanation is suggesting that Romeo and Juliet’s failure to lead their love in the right direction is the justification for their eventual downfall. Disregarding Shakespeare’s implications of “the stars” and other destiny-related references and situations, this conclusion is logical. However, in accordance with Mabillard in “Themes and Motifs in Romeo and Juliet”, Mabillard concludes that the tragedy lacks an inquiry of human nature due to the fact that Romeo and Juliet’s downfall does not derive from their imperfect character. (Mabillard). The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet does not delve into specific flawed human attributes. It is more of a narration of the turn of events influenced by conditions out of the characters’ control. Conclusively, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare exhibits the motif of fate throughout the tragedy. The concept of destiny is a substantial determinant in the adjournment of Romeo and Juliet’s lives. Considering the predetermined circumstances for Juliet and Romeo’s failed attempt to escape the confines of fate, their deaths are unavoidable. This tragedy does not examine the metamorphosis of human character so much as it does fortify the theme of fate by methods of foreshadowing. Romeo and Juliet are destined to perish from the beginning of the tragedy. What makes the story cataclysmic is the fated fallout of events, despite the anticipation.
Works Cited
Hacht, Anne Marie, editor. “Romeo and Juliet.” Drama for Students, vol. 21, Gale, Detroit, 2005, pp. 247–276. Gale Virtual Reference Library, Accessed 31 Mar. 2017. .
Mabillard, Amanda. “Themes and Motifs in Romeo and Juliet: Love, Light, Darkness, and More.” Themes and Motifs in Romeo and Juliet: Love, Light, Darkness, and More, 18 Sept. 2000, Accessed 31 Mar. 2017. .
Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Florida Collections. Orlando, FL:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 2015. 182-278.
Shakespeare mentions, “...a pair of star-crossed lovers take their life… the fearful passage of their death-marked love…” (Shakespeare Prologue. 6). From the beginning, the audience of the tragedy is informed of Romeo and Juliet’s unfortunate death. The phrase “star-crossed” refers to the study of astrology. According to this notion, the lovers are born on conflicting dates and thus are incompatible from the start. “Death-marked love” also alludes to the predestined discordance of their relationship. In Act 1, Benvolio suggests that Romeo should go to the Capulet ball to ease his despondency over Rosaline. Shakespeare conveys Romeo’s apprehension by stating, “Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars, shall bitterly begin his fearful date with this night’s revels and expire the term of a despised life, closed in my breast, by some vile forfeit of untimely death” (Shakespeare I. iv. 107-111). Romeo is again referring to a predetermined fate. A “vile forfeit of untimely death” is reinforcing the theme of fate by emphasizing the concept of imminent death for the lovers, at least in this instance for Romeo. As stated in Amanda Mabillard’s article, “Themes and Motifs in Romeo and Juliet”, ”Romeo later cries that he is "fortune's fool" (3.1.141), and Juliet exclaims that she has an "ill-divining soul" (3.5.52). Moreover, their predictions extend into their dreams, as Romeo says "I dreamt my lady came and found me dead" (5.1.6)... the tale will end with the death of two ravishingly attractive young folk; and the dramatist must exonerate himself from all complicity in their murder... he disowns responsibility and throws it on Destiny, Fate” (Mabillard). Fate acts as accountable for Romeo and Juliet’s end. The allusion to fate is mentioned throughout the play, all of those allusions being directed toward a forthcoming tragedy, specifically death. As the theme of fate is implemented in The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, the characters are influenced by the course that their lives seem to take.
As stated by Shakespeare, “Is it e'en so? Then I defy you, stars!” (Shakespeare V. i. 24). This scene depicts Romeo’s realization of the route his life is taking and attempting to outmaneuver the course of fate when Balthasar tells Romeo of Juliet’s “death.” He believes that if he commits suicide by ingesting poison, he can be with Juliet. Little does he know that Juliet is alive. Romeo hearing of Juliet’s death commences a domino effect of events. Romeo goes to the Capulet tomb, slays Count Paris, and ends his own life by means of poison. This leads to Juliet’s incomprehensible despair and her own suicide by means of a dagger. While Juliet is the less erratic of the couple, the repercussions of fate for her are also present in her background. According to Anne Marie Hacht’s article, “Romeo and Juliet”, “...she lives in a family where her father does not know how to express his love except to make decisions for Juliet that he thinks are in her best interest. Her mother is too cold and distant to give her good advice, and her nurse, though she loves Juliet, is too crude to understand the delicacies and dangers of first love...as a young girl practically restricted to her house by the social customs of her time, she has very little control over anything anyway” (Hacht). These conditions are inevitable for Juliet. Considering her situation with her family, she cannot change their personalities, which contributes to her tribulations. Her father is led to assume that marrying her off to Paris will help her overcome her anguish over Tybalt's death. Her mother’s withdrawn relationship with her inhibits the number of people that she can confide in. The Nurse underestimates the power of the bond between Romeo and Juliet, a bond so powerful that it leads to their
debacle. Alternatively, it is also believed that fate is not a significant ingredient in this recipe for disaster. As argued in the article “Romeo and Juliet”, Hacht believes that defective attributes of Romeo and Juliet’s character and their inaptitude to utilize their emotions in a constructive way are to blame for the misfortune that occurred, not the course of fate. (Hacht). This explanation is suggesting that Romeo and Juliet’s failure to lead their love in the right direction is the justification for their eventual downfall. Disregarding Shakespeare’s implications of “the stars” and other destiny-related references and situations, this conclusion is logical. However, in accordance with Mabillard in “Themes and Motifs in Romeo and Juliet”, Mabillard concludes that the tragedy lacks an inquiry of human nature due to the fact that Romeo and Juliet’s downfall does not derive from their imperfect character. (Mabillard). The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet does not delve into specific flawed human attributes. It is more of a narration of the turn of events influenced by conditions out of the characters’ control. Conclusively, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare exhibits the motif of fate throughout the tragedy. The concept of destiny is a substantial determinant in the adjournment of Romeo and Juliet’s lives. Considering the predetermined circumstances for Juliet and Romeo’s failed attempt to escape the confines of fate, their deaths are unavoidable. This tragedy does not examine the metamorphosis of human character so much as it does fortify the theme of fate by methods of foreshadowing. Romeo and Juliet are destined to perish from the beginning of the tragedy. What makes the story cataclysmic is the fated fallout of events, despite the anticipation.
Works Cited
Hacht, Anne Marie, editor. “Romeo and Juliet.” Drama for Students, vol. 21, Gale, Detroit, 2005, pp. 247–276. Gale Virtual Reference Library, Accessed 31 Mar. 2017. .
Mabillard, Amanda. “Themes and Motifs in Romeo and Juliet: Love, Light, Darkness, and More.” Themes and Motifs in Romeo and Juliet: Love, Light, Darkness, and More, 18 Sept. 2000, Accessed 31 Mar. 2017. .
Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Florida Collections. Orlando, FL:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 2015. 182-278.