To what extent are fate and free will to blame for the tradgedy of Romeo and Juliet

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After Killing Tybalt, Romeo complains that he is 'Fortunes Fool'. Consider how far Romeo and Juliet's relationship is governed by a power higher than themselves. Do You Always expect the play to end in tragedy?

I have chosen 3 scenes from the play to answer this question. All of which have different answers to the question. I have chosen:

One scene for A higher power controlling them,

One scene for being in control under their own free will and

One scene to sum up my feelings and to answer the final question.

Anyone who reads this play picks up on the repetitive references to fate, the presence of fate and the importance of fate in 'Romeo and Juliet'.

The first reference to fate in this play is in the prologue at the start.

'From forth the fatal loins of these two foes

A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;

Whole misadventured piteous overthrows

Do with heir death bury their parents' strife.'

The prologue says that the pair was doomed from the very beginning. Saying that the lovers were 'star-cross'd' is almost like saying that they had no way of controlling their lives as it was in the hands of the stars. The prologue tells the audience of the outcome of the play from the start but leaves them wondering 'how' and 'why' Romeo and Juliet die.

Act 2 Scene 2, Free will.

Act 2 scene 2 is the famous balcony scene. In this scene Romeo has sneaked into Capulets house and is under the balcony of Juliet's Bedroom. He is declaring his love to her, without her hearing, when Juliet appears onto the balcony and complains of how Romeo is a Montague, and how they can, therefore, never be together with the consent of their houses.

Romeo then says that he is prepared to sacrifice his name to be with Juliet:

'Call me but love, and I'll be new baptised:

Henceforth I never will be Romeo'

These Quotes show how far Romeo is prepared to go to be with his love. He is prepared to give up his name, under his own fee will, so that he can be with Juliet. The family of Capulet is one of the most highly regarded in Verona and for Romeo to give it up for Juliet shows the extent of his love for her. The fact that he has done it out of his own free will shows he has control over his life.

Romeo Takes the developing relationship into his own hands and makes the first move by asking:

'O wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?'

Here Romeo has taken the relationship into his own hands. Juliet doesn't quite know what he means and then she is asked he asks for 'th'exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine' making it perfectly clear. He is making the move to exchange vows under his own free will; Romeo is once again taking the relationship into his own hands as he is fearful that it will end as soon as he leaves the house of Capulet and is determined that it will not.
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However, as much a Romeo is willing to make sacrifices to be with his loved one Juliet is offering to make sacrifices too. She says that she will 'no longer be a Capulet'. She could lose her name of Capulet by marrying Romeo, and adopting his name or she could just get rid of the surname so that they could be together. Either way, this shows that Juliet is also willing to make sacrifices to make the relationship work... The scene ends with the nurse calling Juliet and forcing her to go inside and to leave Romeo to ...

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