Free Will In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

Title Many people ask the question, does fate control how life plays out, or is it personal choices made that do? Well, while reading William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, it is safe to decide what the answer is in this story. William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a story about two kids who fall in love at first sight, but has a tragic ending. Supposed enemies by a family fued between the two, these children attempt to hide their romance, but with all events that come to play, it ends in tragedy. Ultimately, with all the events that happen, both fate and personal choices play a role in this story’s tragic ending. In the beginning of Romeo and Juliet, it is clear that fate withholds a purpose in this story. While it is both personal choices made and fate that pushes this story along, fate is stated clearly in the beginning first. Even stated in the prologue, “A pair of star crossed lovers take their life” page 183. “Star cross” implies that they were doomed, the stars held their destiny in them, and knew what was going to happen. This was fate from the beginning, already set in stone. It’s not only this moment that fate is hinted at though. In act 1, before Romeo and

It’s Romeo’s choice to be controlled by his anger and kill Tybalt. He knows Tybalt will get punished, but he still makes the decision to go after him. It’s his fault for killing him and getting banished. Going back even farther, Romeo’s choice to go to the party is his own decision too,”I’ll go along…” (p.193). Romeo knows this is a Capulet party, he decides to go. He chooses this because he wants to see Rosaline again, his interest before Juliet. He chooses to get into any possible danger, which was likely to happen because of the family feud. This story, the romance, the deaths, they occur partially because of the personal choices made. Personal choices is a part of what pushes this story in the direction it headed in, along with