James Russell Lowell’s comment that “Fate loves the fearless”, is evident in the Shakespearean play ‘Romeo and Juliet’, and in particular with regards to the two main characters: Romeo and Juliet. These two characters fall under the influence of fate which drives them to their deaths. Similarly, the above comment also relates to how an individual can be weak when compared to society. As Romeo and Juliet are fearless to defy the laws of their society, fate drives them to the tragic ending of the play. These two themes are supported by incidents that happen to characters throughout the plot, and their reactions to these incidents.
Fate is defined as the development of events outside a person’s control, influenced by outside forces. Fate and its power are presented throughout the play. In the first address to the audience, the Chorus states that Romeo and Juliet are “star-crossed lovers”, a phrase which suggests that their love is being frustrated by outside forces, leading an Elizabethan audience to believe that they are controlled by fate. Also in the same passage, the Chorus declares that Romeo and Juliet’s love is “death-marked”, which can suggest that the couple have no control over what happens, which eventually leads to the tragic ending of the play. For example, the Friar’s plan, which may have seemed to the audience a good one, is ruined by the events that happen while Juliet is “dead”, events which the Friar could not have predicted. However, another interpretation of “death-marked” could be that the couple are responsible for their own deaths and that it possibly has been a result of their actions. Fate also plays a part in the timing of Romeo’s death and Juliet’s awakening, separated only by minutes. The prologue leads us to believe that these events are not mere coincidences, but are examples of the power of fate and the role that it has in the play.
