This particular essay title raises an initial question regardless of the actual play itself. Its all very much dependant on the reader’s conception in what fate and chance actually means.
My individual perception of fate is that it is an uncontrollable power that dictates in what way our lives are led. However chance is extremely similar I contemplate chance as events or incidents that occur “unpredictably without discernible human intention”.
The play ends in a fatal tragedy for Romeo and Juliet it shows how the “good and noble” always suffer. But the essential question is why?
Positively if the feud between the two families had been resolved then this wouldn’t have created a division or barriers between the two lovers.
Though, regardless of the feud it could be asked that why couldn’t they have confronted their parents and let them be aware of the undying love Romeo and Juliet had for one another? There was no attempt or even thought of taking the honest route.
I feel that they were so infatuated with each other in that moment in time. Also the concept of them being in love had turn so overwhelming that they did not really love each other in the end but that they were in love with the actual idea of being in love.
However it could be said that maybe they were so engrossed in the spur of the moment and the pressure of marriage being put forward among Paris and Juliet caused them so over look other options.
Yet it is beyond me how two people could fall in love with one another after one confrontation and be willing to die for one another.
Romeo’s personality and character is largely dependant on fate, and so his actions had always been influenced by fate itself 1.4.115-120 ” Some consequences yet hanging in the stars… by some vile forfeit of unhappy death. But he that hath the steerage over my course direct my sail”. Here Romeo is revealing that he had a vision or dream that he will die and that it is out of his control. As if he was a puppet and fate was the puppeteer pulling the strings to his early uncontrollable death.
Romeo is not the only one who has visions of the future, Juliet also in 3.5.55, “Methinks I see thee, now thou art so low, as Romeo dead, in the bottom of a tomb”. She has a view into the future of Romeo lying down dead, which is what the conclusive out come is.
For what reasons does she have these visions? It is because the future had been decided by fate, and laid out at the moment the two lover’s eyes met. It seems that when someone is to fall asleep they slip in to the flaws of fate and discovers insights into what fate has planned.
Random, unexpected meetings do occur frequently in the play otherwise known as chance.
The leading event is of the engagement between Romeo and the servant. Here Romeo is affected by chance due to the incidental encounter with the servant who seeks someone to read out an invite handed to him due to him being illiterate. Romeo reads out the invite and out of appreciation the servant invites him to the party.
From this point on fate had laid down death for both Romeo and Juliet, if the servant and Romeo never came across each other this wouldn’t have given Romeo and his acquaintances the chance to go to the party furthermore meet Juliet.
If Juliet’s father hadn’t allowed Paris the hand in marriage to Juliet the party would not have been held so not only would the lovers not had met but the grudge with Tybalt would not have been created.
Chance occurs again when Romeo leaves his party of friends and wonders through the orchard and by chance Juliet is out on the balcony an extremely important and coincidental moment. This situation was out of either control that draws them closer to a forbidden relationship. Here is where they confess their love for each other and decide to be married the next day.
When Tybalt and Romeo cross each other paths at the party Tybalt says, “This by his voice, should be a Montague”. Supposing that Tybalt had no knowledge of Romeo’s presence at the party it would be most likely that there would not have been the confrontation in the streets the following day.
The masks worn at the party hid Romeo’s face so this allowed Juliet fall in love with out having any pre conceptions on Romeo. If she had known earlier she would not have seen Romeo in the same light. ” My only love, sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late!” This shows the frustration in that she’s actually found someone that she loves, except it cannot be taken any further as Romeo is a Montague.
At this point in the play this is where Friar Lawrence shows his importance, Romeo requests for Friar Lawrence to marry Juliet and Romeo and Friar Lawrence agrees with good intentions. Yet the play still succeeds to end in tragedy. He takes the risk of marrying the couple hoping that it would bring the two families together. Nevertheless in the end he admits his wrong doings “And here I stand both to impeach and purge myself condemned and myself excused”
If Friar Lawrence hadn’t agreed to marry the lovers it does not necessarily mean that they would not have had the tragic ending. They may have found another priest or further more still run away. But it encouraged the love between Romeo and Juliet, which made the ” love” between them stronger.
The marriage between Paris and Juliet comes closer and Juliet panics for way out and was on the verge of committing suicide but by chance or fate Friar Lawrence walks in at that moment and stops her by offering her a different option. The potion given to Juliet was to fake her death and after she’d awaken her and Romeo would run away and make a new life.
Friar Lawrence intended to send a letter to Romeo explaining the plan, yet Romeo doesn’t receive the letter due to an out burst of a plague was this by chance or fate? The plan was destined for disaster. “A greater power than we can contradict hath thwarted our intents.”
When Romeo had received the news that Juliet was “dead” he makes his way back to the city of Verona where he is forbidden to see Juliet. Chance again has its way of bringing two enemies together, timing plays a massive role in the play.
Romeo enters the vault to see Juliet dead and in desperation he drinks the potion and takes his own life, as Romeo lays dead beside Juliet she then wakes and kills herself.
Fate ruled their lives since the moment they had met. Though they had many chances to solve the problem such as confronting their families and not making such hasty decisions. If they thought things through maybe they would not have jumped into matrimony, as matrimony is lifetime devotion not just a teenage phase.
Both the families stereotyped each other by the person’s last name when they hadn’t even met each other.
Fate brought their lives from an all time high to an all time low, nevertheless when fate has caught up with you it does not mean you should sit back and take the ride. Romeo and Juliet had chances and could make different choices to choose a different ending. Yet the choices they made were the wrong ones and fate encouraged them.
