Mrs. Minyard
Comp/Lit 9 (5)
12 January 2011
Romeo and Juliet The battle between love and hate will never change one’s future fate. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, tells how loving and hating one another will not interfere with your later destiny. Shakespeare’s story takes the reader deep into the meaning of fate. Romeo and Juliet’s lives are changed dramatically after they meet each other for the first time. They knew before that their families had a great feud going between the families. This only had mattered until the point the two met each other’s eyes for the first time. Towards the end, Romeo and Juliet’s fate turns in the wrong direction. Fate is not a result of the choices made. In this case, “two star-crossed lovers” (Prologue.6) choices of going against their families ideas and beliefs, unravels the couples fate in a way they never imagined it to be. Fate is given off in the very beginning of the story for Romeo and Juliet. For instance, in the prologue it states, “The fearful passage of their death-marked love …” (Prologue.9.) Shakespeare tells how their “death-marked love” is mentioned. It tells the reader of what is going to transpire during the story. A second instance is in the prologue when, “A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life…” (Prologue.6.) is stated. With this being said, it tells how the two, Romeo and Juliet, come together from different worlds, with fate bringing them together. It also tells how they “take their life” which gives away the ending of the story. Evidence ties into the beginning of this tale which foreshadows events later on. Events that take place during Romeo and Juliet tell their destiny in the future. For example, when Friar Laurence is preparing Romeo to get married he states, “These violent delights have violent ends and in their triumph die, like fire and powder, which as they kiss, consume” (II.vi.9-12.) Here shows how Friar Laurence gives their fate as he warns Romeo what will happen. It also shows how any of their acts they think are good, ends up bad. Another reference would be when Romeo seeks Juliet for the first time and Romeo says, “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night” (I.iii.57-58.) Romeo finally finds his fate in love when he sees Juliet. He would have never seen Juliet if he had never went to the party in the first place. You can see how the events taken place in Romeo and Juliet show their destiny, yet important incidents are still to be told. In the story Romeo and Juliet, fate is demonstrated