“Romeo and Juliet” is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare in 1597, when people believed that their lives were controlled by fate, like a force or spirit that decides the course a person’s life should take. They believed in magic, horoscopes and that the Sun, Moon and stars could change their destiny. In this play Shakespeare presents Romeo and Juliet as victims of fate in many different ways; as a result it is difficult not to agree that they were in fact victims of fate and destiny.
The prologue for Romeo and Juliet is a sonnet. This is interesting because a sonnet is a symbol of love and this helps us understand that the story is going to be a love story (with elements of hate and tension). In the prologue it refers to Romeo and Juliet as “star-crossed lovers” which indicates that they fight against (or cross) their fate which is written in the stars. Although they are deeply in love, fate has other plans for them. Their families have been feuding for many years and their relationship seems doomed from the start. It also interesting to note that Shakespeare tells us the outcome for these two lovers in the prologue which introduces fate and the control it has over people’s lives.
Act 1 , Scene 4, line 106-111
I fear, too early: for my mind misgives
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.
This scene is just before Romeo heads off to the ball where he will meet and fall in love with Juliet. The quote tells us that he has a funny feeling that something is destined to happen (this night) that will change the course of his life… “some consequence yet hanging in the stars”. This point supports the fact that Romeo and Juliet were victims of fate from the beginning.
When Friar Lawrence agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet, he warns Romeo that people who act impulsively may experience unexpected, destructive consequences. Act 2, Scene 6, line 9 “These violent delights have violent ends.” This warning also reminds the audience that Romeo’s fate is already predetermined, and that there will, in fact, be negative consequences to his actions.
In Act 3, Scene 5, lines 60-64, we see Juliet trying to bargain with Fortune (the goddess of fortune and fate who is often seen as ‘fickle’). She begs Fortune to be kind to Romeo and because he is so reliable and the exact opposite of fickle, Juliet asks why Fortune wants anything to do with him in the first place. She is pleading for a positive outcome for her new husband. As you can see in the quote below Juliet uses the sound ‘O’ and this makes us realise that she is begging and pleading and makes the audience feel sorry for her. They know what is going to happen later in the play and how sad it will be.
Act 3, Scene 5, lines 60-64
O fortune, fortune! all men call thee fickle:
If thou art fickle, what dost thou with him.
That is renown'd for faith? Be fickle, fortune;
For then, I hope, thou wilt not keep him long,
But send him back.
Friar Lawrence has a plan to make sure that Romeo and Juliet end up happily. Part of this plan is that Juliet trusts him and drinks a vial of potion that will put her to sleep long enough to fool others into believing she is dead. Juliet goes along with the plan even though she is worried that Friar Lawrence may try to kill her. Just before she drinks the potion she has a vision of her cousin, Tybalt, chasing Romeo. She remains strong and lifts the vial, as if toasting Romeo and drinks the potion. The vision symbolises fate battling love – between Tybalt and Romeo and Juliet challenges fate by drinking the potion. Act 4, Scene 3, lines 55-58. In this scene Juliet says “Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here’s drink – I drink to thee.” Using repetition helps the audience understand Juliet’s belief in love’s power over fate.
Romeo didn’t receive the letter that Friar Lawrence sent to him and along with that Balthasar saw Juliet dead and told Romeo. Having heard this, Romeo tries to change fate and get one up on it by killing himself so that he and Juliet can be together forever. However, him trying to change fate was doomed from the beginning because fate and destiny cannot be changed. Seeing Juliet dead forces him to drink poison to join her in the afterlife. The cruel twist of fate is that they were destined to be together in death from the beginning and fate has its way when Juliet stabs herself to be re-united with her husband.
Act 5, Scene 3, lines 106-110
I still will stay with thee;
And never from this palace of dim night
Depart again: here, here will I remain
With worms that are thy chamber-maids; O, here
Will I set up my everlasting rest.
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