Fate in Romeo and Juliet

Imagine living a tragic existence, not even two entire decades long. Imagine being controlled by an invisible, yet limitless puppet string conducted by "the stars". When fate is your enemy and time reveals each unraveling tragedy to your dismay, you understand how it feels to be the protagonist's of Shakespeare's most famous love story, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Tradition, heredity, and ancestry symbolize the celestial psychology that is the stars. Controlling every minuscule

detail of the play from human behavior to action sequences, to the ultimate climax of the tale. The power that fate has is surprisingly destructible yet inevitable to audiences as they come to realize the given characteristics that cannot be changed, even to avoid death. The moment Romeo and Juliet initially saw one another, they were sure their love was meant to be. This feeling was brought on because their love was the solution of the stars, or forefathers, to cure the rivaling families' animosity. Fate contributes to the development of The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by relating to astrological terms, human behavior, and fate as an agent of destruction.

After reading the entire play, the reader can safely say that fate works in mysterious ways. To love and be loved in return is considered by many to be one of the greatest gifts a human being can receive. At the same time, it is thought of as unbearable to love someone you cannot be with. Especially when the reasoning behind limitations is caused by your family's last name. "A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life...Do with their death bury their parents' strife." The stars of the play symbolize the Capulets' and Montagues' ancestors, who crossed the young generations paths, only with the intention to destroy all animosity between the ever-feuding families. "...a third view makes fate the main cause of the final disaster: Romeo and Juliet had to die because they were "star-cross'd."" Leading the young couple to commit suicide is a last resort to awaken the power-hungry parent's and relatives into understanding that a name means nothing compared to true love. Although astrology took on overwhelming concepts throughout, honor and pride were taken more seriously and feared by even Romeo and Juliet themselves'.

It has always been obvious to audiences that fate itself was against the two lovers, but few venture deep enough into the story to realize that without continuous mishaps, mistakes, and misadventures, Romeo and Juliet's death most likely would not have occurred. Fate not only caused certain events to happen at certain times, but each character's behavior was so premeditated that it could not be changed in time to stop events like Mercutio's death, or Romeo's hastiness to assume Juliet's death. "Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing...Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow." Romeo often expresses clues that he feels a terrible event will occur, although he knows little of what power fate has over him. "I fear too early; for my mind misgives. Some consequence yet hanging in the stars shall bitterly begin his fearful date..." In Act 3, scene I, Romeo makes