- What if Romeo never went to the Capulet’s ball he might not have seen Juliet and fallen in love with her?
Here are some more “what ifs”
- The Montague’s and Capulet’s had spoken
- Romeo and Benvolio never met Peter the servant and found out that there was a ball
- Romeo had stayed loyal to Rosaline
- Tybalt had not over heard Romeo at the ball
- Romeo and Juliet had never seen each other
- Mercutio and Tybalt did not fight
- Tybalt had not killed Mercutio and Romeo had not killed Tybalt
- Juliet was not forced to marry Paris
- The Friar had not given Juliet the potion.
All through the play there are lots of references to fate.
Act 1 Scene 4 (line 106-109)
“I fear too early: for my mind misgives some consequence yet hanging in the stars shall bitterly begin his fearful date with this night’s revels” (Romeo) Romeo says this before gate crashing the Capulet’s ball. This shows us that Romeo believes fate is written in the stars and something bad will happen.
Act 2 Scene 3 (line 90)
“Wisely and slow: they stumble that run fast” (Friar) The Friar Lawrence said this when Romeo went to ask the Friar if he would marry himself and Juliet. This is a warning for Romeo because the Friar believes those who act on impulse will have a negative out come.
Act 3 scene 1 (line 119-120)
“This day black fate on mo day doth depend: This begins the woe others must end” (Romeo) Romeo found out that Tybalt had killed Mercutio. Romeo says this because deep down he knows this will only be the beginning of the tragedy.
Act 3 Scene 5 (lines 54-57)
“O God! I have an ill-divining soul: me thinks I see thee now thou art so low, as one dead in the bottom of the tomb: Either my eyesight fails, or thou look’st pale” (Juliet) Juliet said this to Romeo while looking down at him from her balcony. She does not realise she will in the end see Romeo dead in the tomb. This again draws us back to fate without realising it she is predicting his death.
Act 4 Scene 5 (lines 93-94)
“To follow this fair corse unto her grave. The heavens do lour upon you some ill” (Friar Lawrence) Juliet has taken the potion and her family believe her to be dead. Here the Friar is saying that fate has been predetermined again.
Act 5 Scene 1 (line 24)
“Is it e’en so? Then I defy you, stars!” (Romeo) Romeo says this because he does not believe in fate. He will not believe Juliet is dead and refusing to believe what is written in the stars Romeo does not realise that he has no control over his destiny.
Act 5 Scene 3 (lines 153-154)
“A greater power than we can contradict. Hath thwarted our intents come, come away.” (Friar) the Friar hears a noise and thinks it maybe the watcher. The Friar is telling Juliet of the death of Romeo and explains that powers greater than they can control have ruined their plans.
Summary
In the play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ fate played a major role. I think that the fate involved in the play is effective just as much now than when the play was originally written back in Elizabethan times. Elizabethans believed massively in fate. It played a major role in their own lives making ‘Romeo and Juliet’ more entertaining because of how much fate was contained in the play. I really enjoyed the play and I felt I understood the play more because I also believe in fate and how much control it as over our lives. The fate involved in the play I feel makes it more tragic and emotional making the audience ask themselves all the way through the play what if?
By Tyler Littleboy