Fate versus Farewell in Romeo and Juliet
Fate versus Farewell in Romeo and Juliet
In William Shakespeare's tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, The course of their lives in the play was determined by freewill. Romeo and Juliet made bad decisions, which caused their three day old relationship to deteriorate towards death. Romeo attended the party despite the bad feeling he had, and the act of stabbing Tybalt was by Romeo’s own hand. When Juliet took the vile and drank, that was her choice.
Romeo made an unreasonable decision by attending the party. “I fear too early: for my mind missives some consequence yet hanging in the stars shall bitterly begin his fearful date”. Romeo had a bad feeling yet he still attended the Capulet ball that was a mistake. It was the mistake that would cost him his life.
When Romeo stabbed Tybalt he stabbed him with his own hand it wasn’t fates hand who shed Tybalts blood. “Oh I am fortunes fool”, yet it was Romeo who shed the blood; he still blamed it on fate.
After Juliet received the potion, it was her choice from there on out. “My dismal scene I needs must act alone, come, vial. What if this mixture do not work at all? What if it be a poison, which the friar subtly hath ministered to have me dead?” Juliet says its her and only her that can go through with taking the vial. She is afraid that it might be a poison and could have reconsidered the fact that it could kill her.
The tragedies in the play could have all been avoided through better decisions made by the characters. Bad decisions and just plain bad luck torment Romeo and Juliet through their three day love. Freewill was the key player in the events of the two supposedly “star crossed” lovers lives.