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Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

Decent Essays

Romeo and Juliet What is fate? William Shakespeare teaches us about love and proves the existence of fate in his play Romeo and Juliet when the paths of two young people from two different worlds are inevitably crossed. Both families are driven by hatred, but their children’s fates are intertwined from birth creating their forbidden love which is destined for destruction. From the chance meeting between a Capulet and a Montague in Italy during the Renaissance to Romeo’s future in which his dreams happen, fate also encourages Romeo’s exile and an urgent message to not be delivered. The play’s famed prologue indicates their romance are doomed right from the beginning. Completely by chance on the street of Verona, Capulet’s illiterate servant searches for someone who can read the guest list to him but meets his master’s enemy son, Romeo. Even though the servant doesn’t know Romeo is a Montague, he invites him to the ball that night: “Now I’ll tell you without asking. My master is the / great rich Capulet, and if you be not of the house of / Montagues, I pray come and crush a cup of wine” (1.2 83-85). Only fate allows young Romeo to trespass into the Capulet’s household and meet his fated Juliet. However, Romeo does not want to go to the ball for he is still very infatuated with Roseline. Fate gives Romeo a glimpse of the near, unfortunate future, and his dreams evolve to become reality. Although Mercutio says that dreams lie, Romeo has a dream the night before party:

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