Fate in Romeo and Juliet Essay Example
Fate in Romeo and Juliet Essay Example

Fate in Romeo and Juliet Essay Example

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The story of 'Romeo and Juliet' unfolds in Verona, Northern Italy, where a civil war between the Capulets and Montagues has torn the city apart. The origin of this age-old grudge remains unknown, resulting in pure hatred. However, amidst this animosity emerges a pair of lovers destined for tragedy.

Right from the start, it is evident that this tragedy is unavoidable. The audience witnesses Romeo and Juliet's doomed love progress with fear. Who should be held accountable for their tragic fate? Or was it simply inevitable?

The play begins by showcasing the intense hostility between these two families and everyone associated with them. The constant fighting becomes a regular occurrence, even leading the prince of Verona to struggle finding a solution to end the enmity. It is within this hostile environment that Romeo and Juliet meet and fall in love. Their forbidden relationship throughout the

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play is filled with turmoil, eventually causing their downfall.

Different characters contribute to the tragic downfall of these fated lovers. This essay will examine essential elements of the play and their impact on its ultimate outcome.

Romeo and Juliet encounter at Capulet's party, where Romeo is deeply captivated by Juliet's beauty and approaches her to dance. They engage in romantic conversation as if experiencing love at first sight. Upon parting ways, they both discover the true identity of their beloved.

"My only love came from my only hate," Juliet confesses to her nurse, who serves as both a mother figure and confidante. Nevertheless, the nurse strongly advises Juliet to abandon her feelings for Romeo, expressing her disapproval of their relationship. However, Romeo and Juliet reunite shortly after this encounter.

Impulsive Romeo clandestinely enters Juliet's orchard later

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that night. Despite the fact that she is a Capulet, his staunchest adversary, Romeo is eager to lay eyes on her once more. His compatriots mock him for his reputation as a "ladies man." Romeo, however, is an incurable romantic who often becomes infatuated with numerous women. Nonetheless, after encountering Juliet briefly, he becomes certain that she is the one and vows to reunite with her. His sneaking onto the Capulet's property reflects his irresponsibility and disregard for the consequences. Yet, it also serves as a testament to his desperation, profound love for Juliet, and unwavering determination to be by her side.

"It is my lady, O it is my love" - Romeo declares his love for Juliet in poetic language. Shortly after, Juliet appears on her balcony feeling both excited and fearful of her love for Romeo. She expresses her feelings for him, believing she is alone. Despite finding perfection in Romeo, Juliet is aware of the fact that he is the son of her family's enemy.

"Romeo, O Romeo, renounce your father and forsake your name; Or if you refuse, simply vow to love me, and I will cease being a Capulet."

Juliet openly declares her profound affection for Romeo, and the strength of her words leaves no question about her heartfelt sincerity.

After realizing the impact of Juliet's words on Romeo, they engage in an open conversation about their deep feelings for each other. However, their tender exchange is abruptly interrupted by Juliet's nurse who brings them back to the harsh reality of the outside world. Following this interruption, Juliet boldly proposes to Romeo, stating "Your intention is marriage; send me word tomorrow." This proposal occurs

moments after expressing concerns and anxieties about her newfound emotions and the consequences of her relationship with Romeo. Despite these earlier worries, Juliet's love for Romeo overwhelms her to the point where she instantly agrees to marry him without fully considering the potential complications that await them.

Both Romeo and Juliet share responsibility for their own deaths. Romeo chooses to follow his feelings and marries Juliet in secret, fully aware of the potential consequences. He is so deeply in love with her that he disregards any negative outcomes and focuses solely on his happiness with Juliet.

Juliet is resolute in her desire to wed Romeo, as she is both youthful and uncorrupted, undergoing her initial experience of love with him. Romeo astonishes Juliet, and her passion is so powerful that she cannot contain herself, urging Romeo to heed her proposal of matrimony.

The relationship between Romeo and Juliet was never going to be simple. They lacked support and their marriage was kept as a secret known only by Friar Lawrence, Juliet's nurse, and the couple themselves.

Friar Lawrence organized the marriage with good intentions, hoping that by marrying Romeo and Juliet, he could bring an end to the longstanding feud between their families and restore peace amongst the townspeople. He believes that this union may be successful in transforming the hatred between their households into pure love.

Later, Romeo, along with his friends Benvolio and Mercutio, energetically wander the city of Verona. They engage in a discussion about Tybalt, the fierce nephew of Old Capulet. Benvolio expresses his concern that a fight may erupt between the Capulets and Montagues and advises Mercutio to withdraw, saying:

"These hot days, is the mad

blood stirring".

Mercutio's good-natured humor wanes when Tybalt arrives, but his energy is revived. He becomes angry at Tybalt's aggression and his insistence on dueling Romeo.

After marrying Tybalt's cousin, Romeo refuses to fight him because he cherishes Tybalt's name as much as his own. This refusal astounds and angers Tybalt, prompting him to taunt Romeo even more.

Mercutio takes it upon himself to confront Tybalt after witnessing Romeo's refusal to engage in a fight.

Romeo tries to prevent them from fighting, but his intervention results in Mercutio being stabbed. As Mercutio is dying, he proclaims that he has been mortally wounded, stating,

"A plague a' both your houses! They have made worms meat of me."

Mercutio passes away while being held by Romeo, creating a sorrowful and crucial moment in the play. Mercutio, who is Romeo's closest companion, dies in a clash that was not intended for him. This incident triggers an intense and uncontrollable anger within Romeo. Disregarding his newly-married wife, Romeo immediately wields his sword, seeking revenge for Mercutio's death.

In the midst of passion, Romeo takes Tybalt's life. Upon witnessing Tybalt's lifeless figure before him, Romeo's anger dissolves. At this realization, Romeo whispers, "O, I am fortune's fool." The Prince decides to banish Romeo after learning of the afternoon's occurrences. Escales deems this punishment fair to both Romeo and Tybalt.

Shortly after confiding in Friar Lawrence, Romeo expresses his distress about being banished and pleads for mercy. He exclaims, "Ha, banishment? Be merciful, say 'death' For exile hath more terror in his look." In other words, Romeo believes that not being able to see Juliet will cause him greater agony than death itself.

The deaths of Mercutio and

Tybalt have resulted in Romeo being banished from Verona. This has further strained Romeo and Juliet's already troubled relationship. Shortly after their marriage, Romeo is ordered to leave the city for killing his own cousin. Both Tybalt's provocation and Mercutio's eagerness to engage in a confrontation contribute to the escalating tension and eventual outcome of the play.

Unaware of the events occurring outside, Juliet eagerly awaits the evening to reunite with Romeo. However, her dreams are disrupted by the nurse who reminds her of the tragic incidents of death and exile. This leaves Juliet conflicted and struggling to comprehend the nurse's words. Overwhelmed with sorrow for the loss of her beloved husband, she implores the nurse to seek him out, desperately wishing to spend the night with him before his departure.

As Friar Lawrence attempts to calm Romeo, he assures him that the situation could have been far worse. However, Romeo remains unconvinced, believing that being banished from Verona means being separated from Juliet, which he considers to be worse than death. The Friar carries a sense of guilt, as he was the one responsible for arranging their marriage. Therefore, he decides to take proactive measures.

After their wedding night together, Romeo is forced to leave Verona. The two lovers say goodbye, but their farewell is interrupted by Lady Capulet. Just as Romeo is leaving, Juliet is informed that she is expected to marry Paris. Juliet is completely shocked, and her immediate response is to refuse.

After discovering that Juliet has declined the marriage proposal, Juliet's father becomes furious. He aggressively warns and intimidates his daughter, saying, "Go to the church on Thursday or you will never be able

to face me again." Moreover, he informs Juliet that if she continues to refuse marrying Paris, she will be expelled from the Capulet household.

Juliet is abandoned by her parents, receiving no support. Her father attacks her, but even her mother does not defend her, leaving Juliet feeling betrayed and upset. Despite knowing she cannot marry Paris, Juliet desperately tries to avoid upsetting her parents. She turns to her nurse for help but receives no comfort or support from someone she has loved and trusted for years. The nurse can only think of ways to escape difficult situations after experiencing grief and shock the day before. No one knows about Juliet's marriage to Romeo, who is banished, so the nurse suggests considering a second marriage.

Juliet feels completely alone and betrayed as she lacks support from her parents and the nurse.

Juliet's life is greatly affected by the marriage proposal. Without it, Romeo and Juliet could have existed independently. Nevertheless, when confronted with the prospect of an arranged marriage, Juliet becomes desperate and seeks a permanent solution to evade this circumstance.

Juliet seeks help from Friar Lawrence as her last hope. Overwhelmed by Juliet's distress, Friar Lawrence explores various herbs and medications and proposes a solution to reunite Romeo and Juliet. Although it is risky and perilous, it is their best and only chance. Juliet agrees to consume a potion that will simulate her death, after which she will be laid in the family vault until Romeo, who will be summoned back from Mantua by Friar Lawrence, can come and save her.

Despite his good intentions, Friar Lawrence played a significant role in the death of Romeo and Juliet

by marrying them and creating a plan that ultimately failed.

Juliet consumes the potion on the eve of her marriage, with a mix of excitement and doubt. She imagines that the Friar might deceive her, wondering, "What if it's a potion that the friar has subtly given me to kill me?" She questions whether the poison will truly be fatal or if it will work at all. Eventually, she gathers the courage to drink it. As she collapses onto the bed, she murmurs, "Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here's a drink - I drink to you." The next morning, the nurse discovers Juliet appearing 'dead'. She calls upon Lady Capulet, Lord Capulet, Paris, and Friar Lawrence, allowing them a brief moment to express grief together.

Friar Lawrence delivers a brief eulogy and provides directives on how to take Juliet's body away.

Unfortunately, news of Juliet's supposed death reaches Romeo from a friend instead of receiving the explanatory letter. Driven by his instinctive desire to be with his wife and never part from her, Romeo returns to Verona. This mixture of sadness and beauty is evident in his actions.

The lack of communication is a major factor in the deaths of the couple.

Romeo goes into Juliet's tomb and finds County Paris there. Romeo, in a desperate state, fights with Paris and ends up killing him.

Entering the tomb, he is ready to lie alongside Paris. Yet, upon seeing Juliet, he realizes she seems lifeless. With no doubt about her state, he chooses to take away the poison and lies down beside her.

"Here's to my love"

Romeo gives the potion to Juliet, and quickly collapses next to her. Moments later,

Friar Lawrence enters the tomb. Juliet begins to regain consciousness.

The Friar becomes panicked when she inquires about her spouse and informs her about the mistake that occurred. He implores her to depart swiftly due to the approaching watchman. Nonetheless, noticing her lack of movement, he quickly escapes.

Juliet is left alone, with her dead husband lying beneath her. She ponders the fact that her life no longer holds any significance and realizes that she cannot continue to live.

"This is the place where I will put my knife and let death take me."
Juliet stabs herself and falls onto Romeo in a horrifying manner.

The final lines of the play are highly emotional, as they declare that there has never been a more tragic tale than that of Juliet and her Romeo. Numerous individuals played a role in the fatal conclusion of Romeo and Juliet's story. The longstanding feud between their families was a significant factor, leading to complications in their secret marriage. Both Romeo and Juliet made impulsive decisions that frequently put their lives at risk. Juliet lacked support from her parents, and even her nurse was unable to offer consolation. She was isolated, relying on the Friar, whose well-intentioned actions also impacted the outcome. Tybalt's insults resulted in the killing of Mercutio, motivating Romeo to seek revenge. Furthermore, the Prince's banishment of Romeo to Mantua caused additional heartbreak for the couple.

Juliet's desperation increased upon learning about her impending wedding to Paris. The friar devised a plan to assist her, however, Romeo never received the explanatory letter. Instead of meeting Juliet as planned, Romeo went to the tomb where he fatally clashed with Paris. Subsequently,

he visited Juliet who remained unconscious. Assuming she was deceased, Romeo took his own life prior to her awakening. When Juliet finally regained consciousness and found Romeo's lifeless body beside hers, she could no longer endure the agony and grief. She opted for ending her own life by means of a dagger.

Right from the beginning of the play, it is evident that Romeo and Juliet are destined to meet a tragic fate. They are described as 'ill-fated' and 'star-crossed lovers', despite various characters and events ultimately leading to their demise.

Despite various reasons, fate played a major role in the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Their first meeting foreshadowed a departure from the expected path for their lives. As they faced numerous obstacles, their predetermined tragedy approached inevitably, guided by their unchangeable destiny.

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