Fate Kills Essay, Research Paper

The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is the most famous love story ever written. But this love had a fatal flaw, it had to end with death. Now people can argue either way why they died, was it fate of free will. But maybe a more important question is . . . . . .why they had to die?

In the death of Romeo and Juliet it’s true that free will did have a remarkably small part. The fact that they decided to get married in the first place presented many problems. A chose that Juliet made was to take the sleeping potion given to her by Friar Laurence. It was supposed to make sleep for 42 hour, but it was also going to give the elution that Juliet was dead. Romeo was going to hear about the whole plan form Friar Laurence through a letter (558). Another account of free will during the play was when Romeo decided to go to Juliet in Verona after being banished. He decided to go to Verona because of the news he received form Baltasar about Juliet lying dead in the Capulet tomb. When Romeo hear the news he responded with the following, “Well Juliet, I will lay with thee tonight.” (572).

The fact that free will didn’t kill these two star – crossed lovers leaves fate as the murder. Fate first kicked in when their eyes first met at the Capulet party. They spoke, they wooed contentment was flouting through the air (503). But that happiness didn’t last long, the reason for this was the fight that sparked between Mercutio, Tybalt and Romeo. During the course of the fight Tybalt killed Mercutio, then Romeo killed Tybalt in anger. Benvolio explains what happened that afternoon to the Prince. “Underneath whose arm an envious thrust from Tybalt hit the life of stout Mercutio, and then Tybalt fled, but by and by came back to Romeo, who had newly entertained revenge, and to ‘t they go like lightning. For ere I could draw to part them was stout Tybalt slain, and as he fell, did Romeo turn and fly (534). But an even larger set back occurred when Lord Capulet decided that he would marry his daughter (Juliet) to Paris. He changed the date from a few years to a few days. This created a problem because Juliet was already married to Romeo and was quite happy. The other half of the problem came in with the fact that Juliet couldn’t tell her father of the marriage, and when she wouldn’t consent to marrying Paris he became outraged (545). Problems grew after Juliet took the sleeping potion, and the letter informing Romeo about what was going on, never made it to Mantua. The letter stated that Juliet wasn’t dead and that she would wake in 42 hours. The reason the letter never reach Romeo was that Friar John, who was supposed to deliver couldn’t because he was quarantined after visiting some ill people. At that point no one would come and get the letter from him to deliver it because they did want to get sick aswell. (573). The final argument for fate killing Romeo and Juliet was Romeo killed himself before Juliet woke up. Romeo’s lasted word were, “Here’s to my love [drinks the poison] O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.” (578). While Juliet’s look at death was quite similar with her last words were, “Yea, noise? Then I’ll be brief. O happy dagger! [Snatching Romeo's dagger] This is my sheath. [Stabs herself] There rust, and let me die. [Falls on Romeo's body and dies.] (579).

The whole idea that Romeo and Juliet were killed by fate was summed up in this statement that the Prince made at the end of the play. “A glooming peace this morning with it brings, the sun for sorrow will not show his head. Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things, some shall be pardoned and some punished. For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.” (584).