Examples Of Freewill In Romeo And Juliet

Mya Erixon

Ms. Wilson

Literature

9 December, 2016

Freewill

Freewill is a sequence of choices you make; and can cause good or bad things to happen depending on what you choose, on the flip side fate is when something is destined to happen. Some may say the best written love story in history is Romeo and Juliet. This play is about two teenagers that even with their families history of hating each other still manage to be in love. They go through thick and thin to try to stay together but in the end it still turns out fatal for both of them. Romeo and Juliet could be either fate or freewill. It is obvious that freewill is portrayed throughout the play. The actions of Romeo, the actions of Juliet, and the actions of their friends and family

I believe Shakespeare chose to incorporate the idea of free will throughout the story of Romeo and Juliet. It is clear that Romeo is dealing with choices when it comes to Juliet. There was proof of this in many ways throughout this play. In the scene when Romeo saw Juliet he decided to go up to her and talk to her, but he did not have to. Romeo said to Juliet, “If I profane with my unworthiest hand/ This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:/ My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand/ To smooth that rough tough with a tender kiss” (1.5 104-107). In this scene Romeo is saying to Juliet that he wants to kiss her even though he is not worthy and it is a sin. This shows that he is dealing with free will because he knows very well that what he is doing risky, but he made the decision himself to do it anyways. In Romeo and Juliet after Romeo heard from Balthasar that Juliet had died, he showed events of freewill. Romeo said to Balthasar “Is it e’en so? Then I defy you, stars!/ Thou know’st my lodging. Get me ink and paper,/ And hire post horses. I will hence tonight.” (5.1 25-27). In this quote Romeo is saying that he is going to go against fate and the stars and go to Verona. Freewill is not only shown by the actions of Romeo, they are also shown throughout Juliet’s

Peter and Benvolio were finding someone to read the list of people attending the ball. Peter says “Perhaps you have learned it without a book. But I/ pray, can you read anything you see?” (1.2 60-61). Peter was saying that perhaps Romeo learned from life instead of books, and then asked if he could read anything he sees. Peter and Benvolio could choose anyone and they chose to pick Romeo, it wasn’t the stars that led them to him, it was just their choice. Romeo and Juliet were so in love that they wanted to get married. Romeo went to Friar Lawrence asking him to marry them off. Friar Lawrence said “But come, young waverer, come, go with me,/ In one respect I’ll thy assistant be,/ For this alliance may so happy prove/ To turn your households’ rancor to pure love.” (2.3 89-92). What Friar Lawrence said was that he will help them with their secret wedding, this marriage might turn the families fighting into love. Friar Lawrence was determined to do this because he thought it would be best, disregarding what the norm