...Star-crossed lovers or just impetuous decisions made by Romeo and Juliet? In the story of Romeo and Juliet there are a series of event that take place that lead up tp the tragic ending. Everything that happens were choices made by Romeo and Juliet it was not their fate that caused their demise. Juliet could have told her parents about her and Romeo. When Lady Capulet states “Marry, my child, early next thursday morn” (shakespeare 84). Juliet could have told her mother why she can't marry paris. It was because she was already married to Romeo. Another time that she could have told her parents was the morning after the party. “What o’clock tomorrow shall i send thee” (shakespeare 41). With this Romeo replies “by the hour of nine” (shakespeare 42). Given this time we know that Juliet had enough time to tell her parents before sending the nurse to Romeo. Given the situation Juliet was in she could have also told the prince about Romeo. “My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding” (shakespeare 67). The prince was mad that his relative was killed. If Juliet would have told the prince that her and Romeo were married the prince would have found out that Romeo was the one who tried to stop the...
Words: 517 - Pages: 3
...Romeo and Juliet Essay - Critical Commentary Critical Commentary Opening Prologue: The first act prologue not only reveals what will happen during the course of the play, but also some of the major dichotomies. The opening line shows us that the Capulet and Montague houses are, although at odds, equal in their aristocratic status. It was considered "fashionable" in the Renaissance for aristocratic families to have feuds, but they were not to engage in public fighting, a taboo which is broken by the Capulets and the Montagues. However, line 4 indicates that these equal families are in an ungoverned situation where no rules will be obeyed, which is why they are able to fight. The Chorus reveals one of the most important themes of the play in line 5-8, which is that Romeo and Juliet are destined not only to love each other, but to die, which will end the feud. The fact that Shakespeare tells us the end of the play before it even begins is intentional—this creates a tension between what we as the audience know must happen, and what could have happened if the characters had acted differently. Thus the theme of fate versus free will emerges: do Romeo and Juliet die because it was their destiny, or do they die because of their actions and the actions of those around them? The third major point that surfaces in the opening prologue is one of extremes. There is extreme hatred between the Capulet and Montague families. The only solution to...
Words: 1744 - Pages: 7
...lead to tragedy and despair. Romeo and Juliet may be the most famous of the great literary tragedies. The feud between the Montagues and Capulets prohibits the love and ultimately results in the death of the “star-crossed lovers”. It may be difficult to truly determine who is to blame for the tragedy because their lives were influenced and affected by many figures. But the question is, who is most to blame for the death of the two lovers? I believe that Friar Lawrence is to blame for the death of Romeo and Juliet. He easily could have prevented their love from being too strong by not marrying them. If he didn’t act so courageously and think that their marriage would end...
Words: 1034 - Pages: 5
...blamed someone else for something you did? Well in the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare after killing another character, young Romeo Montague says, “O! I am fortune’s fool!” (act 3, scene 1), and by saying this, he is blaming “fate”, and saying this murder was destined to occur. The character who was killed also happens to be the cousin of Juliet, who Romeo is secretly married to. By Romeo stating “O I am fortune’s fool”, he is not taking responsibility for what he did, as Romeo thinks fate is against him because he had just gotten married to the woman he loves, but he may be put to death for killing her cousin. Although he should take partial blame for what happened to Tybalt, I do believe that Romeo and Juliet were doomed by fate from the start, and there are many examples of that throughout this tragedy....
Words: 497 - Pages: 2
...How does Fate play a role in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet Change Slide: What is fate? Fate is the idea that the future is already planned even if people do not know what is going to happen to them. I’m going to talk about Romeo and Juliet, a play by William Shakespeare's, one of the greatest love stories of all time. This story has been known to be timeless even though it was written around 1595. This play is a story of forbidden love that is resolved in two tragic deaths of Romeo and Juliet, who come from feuding families. Their ignorance of defy and falling in love is not accepted by their families. For the five short days they share love, many events take place. All of the events surround characters from both the Montague and Capulet families. The powers and affects of love and hate are also very evident between the two families throughout the play. In the end, Romeo and Juliet's love finds a tragic way to overcome the hate between their families. The story mainly revolves around Juliet while she grows up and falls in love, only to have fate keep her from complete happiness. Change Slide: Juliet is the beautiful, courageous young daughter of Capulet, a rich man in Verona. Shakespeare made her character a mere thirteen years old, but she acts very mature compared to her age. She appears to be practical, honest, and loyal to herself and her family. The play is about how she discovers and loses love. She appears to have thought very little about love and marriage...
Words: 1812 - Pages: 8
...Examine how Shakespeare presents the treatment of Juliet by Romeo, her Parents and Society in general. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare presents the treatment of Juliet by Romeo, her Parents, and Society in general through the interactions and conversations between Juliet and the other characters. Shakespeare uses the interactions between not only Juliet and the other characters but the interactions between the other characters themselves as well. Many of the ways the Juliet is treated stay the same between characters because there is an overall patriarchal feel to the play which reflects on the authority of men at the time but her treatment does differ slightly with different characters and their importance to her. One of ways the Shakespeare presents the treatment of Juliet is through the prologue. All though the prologue is not a character is gives us an idea of how Shakespeare and ‘fate’ treat Juliet. Part of the function of the prologue is to introduce the play and the key themes and ideas. The prologue tells us that ‘a pair of star crossed lovers take their life’ telling us that Romeo and Juliet were born to die. From the beginning Juliet has been destined to die, she has no control and neither to the other characters. This is an example of how fate is controlling the whole play. Another way that Shakespeare presents the treatment of Juliet is through her parents. Juliet’s Father and Mother both treat Juliet differently but there are similarities in the way they treat...
Words: 837 - Pages: 4
...what is going to happen next. In the play Romeo and Juliet, conflict is the foundation of the play as there is conflict between the two families the whole way through and there is fighting because of it. There is verbal and physical conflict. In the prologue it mentions that there will be conflict in the play to come so it pricks our interest. A prologue is an introduction to the play explaining the basis of what is going to happen. It occurs at the beginning of the play and it is like the blurb on the back of a book. The mention of conflict in the lay is about a family feud between the Montague and Capulet families. The idea of conflicts in a play adds a sense of excitement. We are supposed to learn that you shouldn't make people hate each other and that a lot of pain and suffering could have been resolved if they had made up or just let Romeo and Juliet get on with their lives without interfering and trying to separate them and control them. The prologue is supposed to captivate the audience in a trance so they don't lose track of the play. The way the sonnet was written as well is good for the rhythm of the prologue. Also the prologue is good to make them want to know what is going to happen throughout the play so that the actors can grab the attention and interest of the audience. The mood and tone would be quite serious so that the audience become enslaved into the play's ambiance. The scene straight after the prologue is very important as first impressions count and...
Words: 2063 - Pages: 9
...How Does Fate Play A Part In Romeo and Juliet'? Romeo and Juliet' was written during a period when Shakespeare had found the strength of his writing, it is believed that it was written around 1595 and he would have been about 26 years old when he wrote it. The play is a widely known tragedy concerning the fate of two young "star-cross'd lovers". It is one of the most famous of Shakespeare's plays and one of his earliest theatrical triumphs. In Romeo and Juliet', fate plays an extremely powerful role throughout the story. Romeo and Juliet are "star-crossed lovers," as the prologue at the start of the play indicated, they had fate against them. In that time, people were very wary of what the stars said. If two people's stars were crossed in the sky, they would never remain together. Obviously, Romeo and Juliet did not live happily ever after, as they both died at the end of the play. The prologue also shows fate was against Romeo and Juliet through the negative language and the foregrounds of their deaths: "The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, And the continuance of their parents' rage, Which, but their children's end, nought could remove" This insight into the plot provides the audience with the anticipation of the finale and causes them to think negatively throughout the play. It also allows Shakespeare to make use of dramatic irony, as the audience knows something that the characters do not. This increases dramatic tension for the audience, which in turn...
Words: 549 - Pages: 3
...and universal. William Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is one such text that uses the play form to address the impact of emotions overruling people’s thoughts and decisions. Shakespeare, demonstrating how their love is destroyed by the irrational hatred created by society, explores the impetuous and romantic love of Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare examines the complexity of love and the inevitability of fate through the ingenious use of literary and dramatic techniques. Love is a convoluted emotion that sparks intense feelings of passion. The understanding of the emotion, its causes and consequences is timelessly relevant. The obsessive nature of love is...
Words: 962 - Pages: 4
...Jade Tate Broadford secondary college Jade Tate Broadford secondary college Year Ten English Romeo and Juliet Comparative Essay Year Ten English Romeo and Juliet Comparative Essay Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, known for its tragic storyline. There are many interpretations of Romeo and Juliet, one of the most widely recognised being Baz Luhrmann’s version. In comparing the Shakespearean Romeo and Juliet to Luhrmann’s version there are many similarities and differences. These are in relation to many aspects of the play including; the setting, costume and props, sound and visual effects and the script itself. Baz Luhrmann has made these changes to the original play to help modern audiences understand ‘Romeo and Juliet. Setting is a key element in both the original and modern version. While the original Romeo and Juliet is set in Verona, Italy, the modernised version sets the film in Verona Beach, California. Despite having the same name, there is a substantial difference in the location of the sets. The depiction of what Mantua and the kind of location is another key difference in terms of the set. Shakespeare portrays Mantua as another city in his play where in Baz Luhrmann’s version Mantua is shown as an isolated barren location. This assists in making it clear as to why Romeo doesn’t want to go there, being an essential element in the modern version to indicate that banishment is worse than death rather than just moving to another city...
Words: 944 - Pages: 4
...Romeo and Juliet In the play, Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare, two star-crossed lovers take their lives. In the city of Verona, two prideful families break into mutiny. Romeo and Juliet meet through many chances which helps their forbidden love to bloom which sadly end in dead. Fate is to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet because the Montagues and Capulets hate each other, and a plague strikes Verona when the Friar sends a letter to Romeo. Fate is the cause of these star-crossed lover’s deaths, because the Montague and Capulet households despise each other. The prologue states, “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes/A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life” (Prologue. 5-6). If fate had not turned the Montagues and the Capulets into foes, then Romeo and Juliet’s love would have been allowed. By the fateful chance that the Montagues and Capulets are adversaries, Romeo and Juliet’s illicit love creates conflict for both houses, which ends up digging the young inamoratos graves.This is why fate is to blame for Romeo and Juliet’s death, but this is not the only reason to blame fate. Another reason why fate is to blame...
Words: 525 - Pages: 3
...Who or what is to blame for the tragic outcome of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet? In the tragedy of Romeo & Juliet, a play written by the famous playwright William Shakespeare, many new themes, concepts and ideas are explored, that range from questioning the basis of society right to the concepts of fate, love and death, and addresses everything in between. They play gravitates around a central, tragic plot—starts as simple as boy meets girl, but little do they know the one cajoling a kiss from the other is the youth of their family’s greatest adversary, and this reluctance to let go leads on to a sequential chain of ill-fated events. As much as the tragedy covers many new ideas, it also leaves room for many unanswered questions. One of which...
Words: 1181 - Pages: 5
...Conor Casey 9-10-13 Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet Paper Fate in Romeo and Juliet In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, fate is a key theme that is present throughout the play. The “star-crossed” lovers Romeo and Juliet, cannot stop fate from taking its course, and are unaware of the implications that it will have on them. In Romeo and Juliet, the young lovers find their untimely ends through the hands of fate. At the onset of the play the chorus enters and begins the play with a prologue. Introducing the reader to what is going on, the chorus talks of Romeo and Juliet saying, “A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life; / Whose misadventured piteous overthrows / Doth with their death bury their parent’s strife” (Prologue.7-8). Starting the play with this type of foreshadowing shows that this relationship is doomed by fate from the start. Fate by definition is the determining cause by which things are believed to come to be (Merriam-Webster). Fate in this play favors the Romeo and Juliet’s demise, opposed to their potential future. Romeo alludes to a feeling he has on the way to the Capulet ball saying, “I fear, too early: for my mind misgives Some consequences 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. (1.4.106-111) Another reference to the stars is made, as if some uncontrollable and higher entity is controlling...
Words: 688 - Pages: 3
...Explore the ways in which Shakespeare creates dramatic tension and interest in Act 1 Scene 1 and Act 1 Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet William Shakespeare wrote more than 30 plays in his life time and 'Romeo and Juliet' is one of his best known works. It is the famous tragedy of a young couple, Romeo and Juliet, who meet and experience love at first sight. However a number of unfortunate events lead to a tragic ending. In Act 1 Scene 1 and Act 1 Scene 5 of this play, Shakespeare's use of dramatic interest, tension and unusual language and phrases, captivate the audience's attention from the very beginning. The play begins with a prologue which instantly sets the scene of the play, 'In fair Verona, where we lay our scene'. The prologue, spoken by the Chorus, introduces the audience to the story and summarises the entire play in 14 short lines. It mentions the two families which the lovers come from; the enmity between them is made very clear- 'from ancient grudge break to new mutiny'. The prologue claims that the 'star-crossed lovers take their life' which immediately sparks interest in the audience and will keep them wanting to watch more, as they will be interested to see how and why the lovers die Prince Escalus stops the fighting and also creates a lot of dramatic tension in his short appearance on stage. He declares that any further fighting between the families would result in death of those involved. As the scene progresses the tension builds more and more. This seems to be...
Words: 621 - Pages: 3
...Three Key Players in the Deaths of Romeo and Juliet: Friar Lawrence, Tybalt, and Prince Escalus William Shakespeare penned many world-renowned plays, including the famed love tragedy Romeo and Juliet. The prologue describes how fate has already chosen Romeo and Juliet’s destiny. “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes/ A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life” (Prologue. 5-6). Star-crossed implies that Romeo and Juliet are controlled by immutable fate. Foresight explains that the two lovers are doomed to die an untimely death. Many characters are a factor in the demise of Romeo and Juliet, causing their downfall. Three main characters played key roles in Romeo’s and Juliet’s deaths: Friar Lawrence, Tybalt, and Prince Escalus. Friar Lawrence contributed to Romeo’s and Juliet’s deaths due self-serving reasons. Friar Lawrence is the priest for the city of Verona, fully comprehending the rules that come with being the city’s priest. But, when Romeo comes to him after seeing Juliet and asks him to marry them, he disregards these rules as well as their feuding families’ backgrounds and decides to marry them for his own selfish intent. “But come, young waverer, come, go with me, In one respect I’ll thy assistant be, For this alliance may so happy prove To turn your households’ rancor to pure love” (2.3.96-99). Friar Lawrence decides to marry Romeo and Juliet even though their families, the Montagues and the Capulets are sworn enemies. He marries them...
Words: 864 - Pages: 4
