Free Will In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

Fate. Fate is a powerful term when describing one’s future. The Oxford Dictionary of English defines the word fate as “the development of events outside a person's control, regarded as predetermined by a supernatural power”. It has been repeditavley proven over time that the human mind can overcome any obstacle, no matter the difficulty. One asset of the mind is its free decision making, more likely known as one’s personal and free will. To this day, there is a dispute based on life to be based by fate or free-will. For most people, fate is a hidden and unavoidable force the determines the path of people's lives. The theme of fate and destiny does not only play a crucial role in the lives of humans, it is also a critical part in famous pieces

The battle between Capulets and Montagues required an end, through love. Although, this love needed to begin somewhere. “God’i’ good e’en. I pray, sir, can you read?.../My master is the great rich Capulet, and if you be not of the house of Montague, I pray come and crush a cup of wine. Rest you merry!” (1.ii.58-83). Peter, a Capulet servant, invites Romeo and Benvolio, Montagues to a Capulet feast. This will result, eventually, in Romeo noticing a beautiful young Capulet lady; Juliet. As told in the script, Romeo immediately falls in love, as Juliet is “Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear,” (1.v.44). If Peter would not have come across Romeo, he would not invite him to the banquet, hence, Romeo would have not been able to meet Juliet. It is fate that is the only reason the encounter between the two was made possible. Before Romeo attended the festivity, he discussed his ideas with his trusted companions. Within that scene, Romeo mentions “...I have a soul of lead/ So stakes me to the ground I cannot move.” (1.iv.16-17). As Romeo describes his soul, it shows that his soul cannot change or shift, meaning that his destiny is already made for him, and he is not able to change it

After the couple were finally wed, the feud between the two families got much worse, and more chaos started to break out. As the fight between Tybalt and Romeo ends in blood, Romeo comprehends that fate is driving him to make awful decisions. “Oh, I am fortune’s fool!” (3.i.132). It is fate that makes enemies of Romeo approach him, resulting in a skirmish. A couple of hours elapsed, and finally, Juliet realizes that destiny will end in death. “Oh, look! Methinks I see my cousin’s ghost/ Seeking out Romeo, that did spit his body/ Upon a rapier’s point.” (4.iii.55-57). Juliet has a vision; Tybalt’s ghost is looking for revenge, and Romeo will die. This is foreshadowing to the already destined event of the couples’ death. Romeo has a similar dream; “I dreamt my lady came and found me dead-” (5.i.6). As a result of Romeo finally understanding that these events are going to happen, he tries to resist fate; “Is it e’en so? Then I defy you, stars!” (5.i.24). What Romeo does not know, is that destiny cannot be changed, just like his soul, which is, according to him, is made out of lead and is immovable. Later on, when he notices that Juliet is “dead”, he mentions that all of this time, it was all dreadful luck, and he tries to forget about it. “And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars”, What Romeo does not fully recognise is that karma is return for him. After fate caused him to murder several people,