Romeo & Juliet-Fate vs Action essays

Romeo & Juliet-Fate vs Action essays Q: In the prologue of the play, Romeo and Juliet are described as "star-crossed lovers", (victims of fate and destiny), but the action of the play shows that their tragic deaths are the result of human action. Do you agree? While Romeo and Juliet had the final choice to kill themselves, their circumstances meant that their love was always going to be ill fated (Romeo foreshadows this before the party, "My mind misgives some consequence yet hanging in the stars" Act 1, Scene 4). The importance of fate can be determined by how much control Romeo and Juliet have over what happens, and while they control their lives, they can't change what is yet hanging in the stars. In the quote, Romeo speaks of a 'consequence' because although fate is playing a role, it does not mean that he cannot influence the situation, he can make choices, but these choices will inevitably have consequences and the consequences have already been decided. Coincidence is an important aspect of fate. The deaths of Romeo and Juliet are considered tragic not because of the fact that they killed themselves, indeed that was more an act of love, but rather because their deaths were preventable and that circumstances seemed to conspire so cruelly against the young lovers. Friar Lawrence agreed to help Romeo and Juliet with the best of intentions but the timing, or coincidences, that led to the downfall of his otherwise workable plan are to blame for the lovers dying as they did. When Romeo hears that Juliet is dead he says, "Then I defy you, stars!" Act 5, Scene 1, and heads out to defy fate by making the choice to kill himself. This choice, however, is made under the false impression that Juliet is dead, and when Romeo, in his last act of defiance kills himself, he does so because of an unhappy coincidence that leaves him a victim of the fate which has been prophesised since the prologue of the play and truly, to use his own words ...