‘Romeo and Juliet’ is a play in which the plot relies on the intervention of fate. An example is in Romeo’s dream, before the party in Act 1 Scene 5. He says that he sees “some consequence hanging in the stars”. He believes the party will cause him an “Untimely death”. This sense of foreboding is very fateful as it is inevitable. The second example in which Shakespeare has shown that tragedy is inevitable is in the end of Act 1 Scene 4. Romeo is on his way to gatecrash Capulet’s party when he dreams an ominous dream. Romeos believes that unhappy things are in store for him if he goes to the Capulet feast “shall bitterly begin his fearful date” “this nights revels” “expire the term”. This shows his death is expected by the audience because he has decided to gatecrash the Capulets party and he did say Capulets feast shall bitterly begin his fearful date”.
These two fateful incidents are just Shakespeare being very clever because of the situations he put characters in, all of them further the plot and keep the audience interested in the story.
The first time Romeo meets Juliet it is at the Capulet’s party, Romeo only wants to go to this party because Rosaline is going, she is whom Romeo loves and wants to marry. Romeo and his friends decided to gate crash the party because the Montague are not invited because of the ancient grudge. The first time Romeo gets a glimpse of Juliet he asks a nearby servant “What lady’s that which doth enrich the hand of yonder knight?” The servant does not have an answer to his question but Romeo is not disheartened by this minor set back and keeps on pursuing her. Tybalt recognises Romeo’s voice which proves to us that even the voice of a Montague is enough for these Capulet’s to stir hatred in them. This just again tells us Romeo and Juliet will die even if they are caught talking. Tybalt wants to kill the Old Montague’s family he is so raged by hearing Romeo’s voice he shouts out in frustration “get my rapier boy” this shows us the amount of revolution that these two families have for each other. Old Capulet tells Tybalt “Let him alone” telling him to stay well clear of Romeo. When Romeo finally talks to Juliet he flirts with her “To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss”. this tells us Romeo is over Rosaline and has a new beauty to love. Romeo is basically asking Juliet for a kiss and gets it and Juliet is most impressed “You kiss by th’ book”.
When Juliet learns Romeo is a Montague she says, “My only love is sprung from my only hate”. This does not stop her though, they meet again after the party and again kiss. After they marry Tybalt offers Romeo a fight but Romeo can’t accept as him and Juliet are married and that would make them cousins. Tybalt kills Mercutio after asking him for a fight because Mercutio is Romeos best friend. Romeo is so enraged that he slays Tybalt and when the Capulets discover Tybalt’s death they want Romeo found and killed, “Shed blood of Montague”. this puts the reader in a tense position, as they know Romeo and Juliet are married and if Romeo is killed Juliet’s life will be ruined. Prince Escales promises to lady Capulet that if he finds Romeo he will banish him from Verona and this leaves the reader feeling sympathetic towards Juliet. At this point tin the play because the reader does not know if the two lover’s deaths are inevitable, because Romeo and Juliet still have the chance to tell the Prince and their parents the truth.
In the end Romeo and Juliet commit suicide and they both struggle to break free of fate’s grip throughout the play. Echoes of tragedy are said by many characters including the Prince “Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace” and Old Montague “Black and portentous may his humour prove” meaning that Old Montague’s mood is getting worse he is angered by what the prince has just said. This has just caused more hatred in between the two families this makes Romeo and Juliet’s Death inevitable
Romeo and Juliet struggle to break free of fate’s grip throughout the play as reference of their tragic ending are said by many characters including the Prince “your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace”. When Tybalt’s death is announced Lady Capulet tells us that “The Montague’s shall pay for this with their own blood”. Meaning that the Montague’s will have to give their own blood (Romeo) up for the murder of Tybalt. This hints to the audience the ending
Shakespeare structured all of his plays in a certain way. This specific way was that Shakespeare plotted a good event followed by a tragic event. He portrayed this particular structure in Romeo and Juliet well. A example of this is when Romeo falls In love with Juliet and in the next scene the tragic event is Lady Capulet wants Juliet to marry Paris, we as a reader already know that Romeo and Juliet is not meant to be. Because we are told so in the prologue from the very beginning of the play Romeo and Juliet ‘Will take their lives’ to ‘End their parent’s strife’.
Shakespeare led the two main characters into the situation where they declare their love for each other. However the prologue has already cast a shadow on this love. The circumstances and coincidences, which follow, are so strong and powerful that even though Romeo and Juliet’s love is perfect they cannot win over the events that build against them. So ultimately they cannot be united in life but become united in death.
