What Is The Theme Of Fate In Romeo And Juliet

Fate can also be seen at work when Balthasar reports to Romeo regarding the devastating news of the death of Romeo’s beloved Juliet. The servant claimed to have witnessed seeing Juliet being taken to the Capulet tombstones with his own eyes. In shock, Romeo replies, “Is it even so? Then I defy you, stars! / Thou know’st my lodging; get me ink and paper, / And hire post-horses; I will hence to-night … Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee to-night.” (V, i, 24-26, 34). In this situation, it is poor exiled Romeo’s fate that he has received a lack of communication from Verona. Balthasar had decided to hastily report to Romeo on what he assumed was the death of Juliet without gathering information from any other sources, and Friar John had been incapable of delivering his message to Romeo from Friar Laurence.
In the quotation, “then I defy you, stars,” (V, i, 24) Shakespeare symbolizes the word stars for fate. He shows that Romeo is challenging fate, and finally decides to make a choice to change the outcome of his fate, even if it was a destructive outcome. This quotation successfully proves that every individual has the potential to change the outcome of their fate, if they make choices regarding it. This impulsive decision of Romeo is one of the last climbing actions of the play, immediately leading to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet themselves, occurring later on in the Capulet graveyard. With all situations considered, it is evident that Romeo’s detrimental responses to his encounters with fate is a contributing factor to the death of multiple characters within the