The concept of fate, the idea that some one, a power perhaps greater than our own, controls every aspect of our lives.
The reason that Romeo is attending the Capulet’s ball is entirely down to fate. Entirely by chance, a servant of the Capulet’s had asked him to read an invitation list for a Capulet ball (the servant could not read himself), `But I pray, can you read any thing you see..’ At this time Romeo is desperately in love with a girl called Roseline and attends the party in the hope of seeing her. However he meets Juliet and falls in love with her. This is an example of Romeo and Juliet were destined to meet and destined to fall in love. It also is an example of events in the play `fall into place’. When Juliet is talking to her nurse after meeting Romeo she is desperate and dramatic. She has barley known Romeo but yet she is desperately in love with him, ‘If he be married my grave be my wedding bed.’ She means that she will die if she can not marry him which is a ironic anticipation of events to come.
This will have appealed to the audience as again everything will have fallen into place. She continues to talk about how her love will kill him, `Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing.’ It is again ironic as this actual does happen as the reason Romeo dies is because of their love for one another. The beginning of the play is filled with reference of fate and fortune. It is so that when Romeo and Juliet’s outcome is revealed it is linked back to the earlier scenes and everything falls into place. The fight scene in Act 3 is crucial turning point in the play. It changes the direction of the play. In Elizabethan times it was not unusual for men to fight in the street and kill each other in sword play. It was also not uncommon for the guilty party to be killed or banished. The fight scene has many consequences that develop later in the play. A fight between Romeo, Mercuito and Tybalt erupts on the street in which Mercuito, Romeos friend, is killed. Before he dies he curses both families, `A plagueo both your houses’.
By doing this he is probably hoping that the two families would end their bitter feud. In a twist of fate a plague does effect both houses, in Romeo and Juliet’s death but it reunites the two families in their grief. This is a clear act of fate and an typical Elizabethan audience would have enjoyed this. Shakespeare knew when writing what appealed to his audience. When Romeo realises what has happened he seeks vengeance and kills Tybalt. He realises what will happen and how things will never be the same again, ‘The day’s black fate on moe days doth depend, this but begins the woe others must end.’ He knows that the events on that day will change his life and things will never be the same. He continues in saying, `I am fortunes fool.` he knows that events that follow are out of his control, everything lies in the hands of fate.
He must let fate run it’s course. He is right in saying this as it separates the young lovers, Romeo is banished. This almost certainly causes their deaths. It leaves the audience wondering if things could have been different. Could Romeo and Juliet have stayed together if Romeo hadn’t killed Tybalt” Throughout the whole play Romeo and Juliet constantly tempt their own fate. ‘Give me Romeo and when I shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars.’ she is tempting fate and her outcome. When Romeo hears of Juliet’s death he knows it is down the fortune and destiny. He proclaims ‘I defy you stars’ which simply means that he refuses to believe what destiny has dealt him. `Romeo and Juliet’ was a classic play during the Elizabethan era and still remains popular today.
Romeo and Juliet’s untimely death could be down to a number of things, their parents feud or the haste of their relationship but I believe it was entirely down to fate. They met entirely by fate and immediately fell in love. They begin a relationship plagued with bad luck and then tragically both die. I believe their lives had been planned and there is nothing they could do to change the course of their destiny. It is obvious that Shakespeare had intended everything to happen for a reason and decided that fate would rule their lives. It is a format that would appeal to an Elizabethan audience. Scenes from earlier in the play are linked into scenes later on. For example, when Mercuito curses both families a curse actually does occur, in Romeo and Juliet’s death.
over the next couple weeks i am going ti improve my muscular strength. 
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