Free Will In Romeo And Juliet

Anna Adair-Proctor

Colleen Ahlfs

British Literature

5 Jun 2023

Love, Death, and Romeo & Juliet Romeo & Juliet is William Shakespeare's most renowned tragedy, written almost five centuries ago. In this story, the rules of love and the differences in society’s expectations intertwine, exploring passion, demise, and sexuality. The story prompts readers to evaluate their own lives and the control society has over them. Through and through, Shakespeare uses characters and creative literary techniques to control a reader's perspective. In Romeo & Juliet, William features a rich reconciliation of his opinions on love in the Elizabethan era. Revisiting the famous story, we wonder: Who is responsible for their peril? Some people believe the responsibility

For example, the Royal Shakespeare Company states that a central theme in Macbeth is "[fate, free will,] and the extent to which we control our destinies" (RSC). William asks his audience to evaluate free will's role in their lives. That must mean that these aspects play critical roles in the evolution of fictional characters and our character development!

In A Midsummer Night's Dream, William elaborates on another theme: Society's Influence. We see this when control and respect take priority over true love for Theseus and Egeus. Specifically, Egeus tells Hermia that she must marry Demetrius instead of her true love because he "said so.” Theseus assists him with this because "it's the law." In this example, is Theseus making a choice for himself or letting society's standards (the city's ancestors' age-old code) decide for him? Considering he did not write the law nor think about the morality of the conflict before preaching, this tells us he did

This line suggests that Romeo believes his actions were predetermined. [And, perhaps, that he had no control over the events that led to Tybalt's death.] Similarly, in Act 5, Scene 3, Juliet says, "O, happy dagger, / This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die" (Shakespeare 5.3.174-175). This line implies that Juliet sees suicide as her only option, as she feels powerless to change the circumstances that have led to her and Romeo's tragic end. These examples show how the character’s actions and choices are influenced by external factors, ultimately contributing to their