Shakespeare's Intentions Essay

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The Intents of Shakespeare Fate vs. Free-Will While analyzing the works of an author, it is imperative to keep the author’s intentions in mind before compiling a conclusion. Shakespeare's intentions are quite clear throughout the entirety of the play, although at times, he teases the audience. As if… he wished for some sort of debate. If this is the case, he must have favored one side over the other, as evidence to his choice of words, and the actions of the characters throughout the story. With that in mind, the driver of individual character actions that Shakespeare used to base his tragedy off of is, without a doubt, fate. Shakespeare could not have been more clear during the prologue of the play, “A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life; Whole misadventured piteous overthrows. Do with their death bury their parent’s strife” (Prologue). This quote is profound evidence towards fate, Shakespeare narrates to the audience that the lovers are “star-cross’d”, proof that the lovers fates are intertwined. They are destined to be of significance to each other’s life, have somewhat an influence to those lives that surround them, and slightly more to those that come after. Shakespeare later goes on to say, “Do with their death, bury their parent’s strife.” This implies, that with their death, the disagreements between their parents have ceased, concluding that their death had some kind of positive value. Although harsh, there was a need to end the strife. And, through the death of these “star-cross’d” lovers, the strife has been ended. Shakespeare doesn’t end there, he manipulates the character’s words and actions, and he does this in ways that are very difficult to miss. On more than one occasion, a few of the characters seem to predict their own death. An example of such predictions is when Juliet first see’s Romeo at her father’s (Lord Capulet) house. She tells the nurse while gesturing towards Romeo, “Go ask his name: if he be married. My grave is like to be my wedding bed.” (1.5.9). It’s as if Juliet is somehow aware that the actions to come, will contribute to her untimely death. She foreshadows her own death… although she does not die in her wedding bed, she does take the potion that will ultimately lead to her death, on it. If that isn’t enough, the obstacles the Friar John faced while entrusted with the task of delivering the letter transcribed with Friar Lawrence and Juliet’s intentions, point to some sort of outside force that does not wish for the continuation of Romeo and Juliet’s love. Nonetheless,
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