Fate in R&J

I have to do an essay on Fate in Romeo & Juliet, and I was wondering what you guys thought of the prospect that fate could be a malignant force that set it up so that Romeo & Juliet died so Fate could punish their families.

‘Romeo and Juliet’ is a love and tragedy play written by William Shakespeare. The play is set in Verona, an Italian city.

It is about tow young people from wealthy families who fall in love, unfortunately their families are feuding.



There are many characters in the play to blame for the death of ‘Romeo and Juliet’.

Firstly, I think Romeo is the first person to blame for his death and the death of Juliet.

Romeo was a very flawed character who’s impulsive, capricious, and often times unpremeditated demeanor led to the demise of himself and of his beloved Juliet.

He seems to be too emotional, so that his actions are not thought thoroughly.


In act 1, we can see that Romeo is sad and having nightmares because he is in love with Rosaline who is not interested in him.

Quotes--------------------------------------------------------------


His love moved without a difficulty or remorse from Rosaline to Juliet after lying eyes on Juliet for the first time.

It is crystal clear that Romeo is typical teenager. Rather that putting thought into his future, he focus on the current situations which eventually lead to not only his own death but the death of his beloved Juliet.
Although juiet has a choice, yet he had a huge impact on her and I can say he mislead her as she was much younger than him.

The most worse flaw romeo did was killing Typalt. He choosed not to think before doing such a big mistake like that which was a turning point and resulted his punishment.

He cowardly commited a suicide before thinking about his future. I think if he had waited just for few minutes he wouldn’t have died .

Some people may say he commited a suicide because he was already punished and then he found Juliet daed so there is no hope for him to stay a live. This is a very weak opinion because he could choice to go another city and live there and start new life without a fear.

Romeo and Juliet pretty much is Shakespeare's tragedy of fate. Even the prologue calls Romeo and Juliet "a pair of star-crossed lovers". I don't know about fate delivering a punishment, though. I think the death of each family's only child was more to end the feud.

that quote mentioned above basically shows the fate of their love "a pair of star CROSSEd lovers". From the start their love was doomed, because of their families but in a way their love was more powerful than the destruction around them -- we see in the end the hatred and feuding ends between the families, due to the love of romeo and juliet. they love was so true that they were ready to sacrifice their lives for one and another. The idea of fate controlling their destiny is also shown when the message to romeo about how juliet is alive arrives to late, again showing how fate/luck is against them

Actually, star crossed lover is also a reference to their extream beleif of the time on thier astronomical signs. Doctors then would actually check a persons horiscope to help diagnose and decide how to treat their ailments.

But yes, fate and had EVERYTHING to do with Romeo and Juliet. They even point this out, quite blantly and often, such as when Romeo and the others were going to the Capulet's party near the beguining.

'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, clos'd in my breat,
By some vile forfeit of untimely death.'

See? Did he not say that he had a preminition, a dream, telling him that the actions at the party would lead to his untimely death. There were to many things out of the lovers controle for it not to be fate.

But one must also take into account that chance also played a key role in the story. One little factor, one stall for time, and the stories ending would have been thrown out of wack. While there were things they could not control, there was planty they could have done to help themselves, if they had taken the time to think.

(glaces up at first post)

oh yeah, you had a question.

To punish their families though, no. Something tells me that thier deaths were meant to stop the feude, to help their family, not punish them. Sort of like smaking a child's hand before it reaches the hot oven, but to a higher extream. The children's lives were sacreficed, but it saved them from years of pain from the feud, those who would be killed, by the other family and by the prince for breaking the law of fighting. While their deaths hurt their family, I don't think it meant by fate for a punishment.... or at least compleatly. I supose that 'could' be a factor.