Addison Robbins
Mr. Trotter
English 1H
20 March 2023
Title
Fate, the events that occur beyond one person’s control which are widely believed to be determined by a higher power. More simply the means by which many people blame their misfortune. This concept is frequently alluded to by highly esteemed dramatist or playwright William Shakespeare in his work, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Set in fair Verona, the tragedy was supposedly published in 1596, focusing on two “star-crossed lovers” who take their life. Though more importantly, the entire tragedy depends solely on one role, which is the prominence of both fate and fortune throughout the entire novel. From the coincidence of the illiterate serving man asking Romeo to read the guest list
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Not only that, but the idea that Capulet accidentally gave his guest list to an illiterate without somehow realizing before he had sent him on his way. In addition to Romeo reading the guest list, he is somewhat invited to attend the party by the serving man saying, “if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray come and crush a cup of wine. Rest you merry” (Shakespeare 31). Although he directly implies no Montague should attend, Romeo can’t turn down the opportunity of seeing Rosaline, who also happened to be on the guest list. In this scene alone, there are far too many coincidences for this to appear realistic to an outside perspective. Furthermore, sometime before entering the party, Romeo already feels that fate will play a role in the outcome of their attendance to the party. Specifically he has the idea that “Some consequence yet hanging in the stars shall bitterly begin his fearful date” (Shakespeare 49). Noted Shakespearean scholar Alice Shalvi examines this idea in her essay “The First Tragedy: ‘Romeo and Juliet’,” by also making the point that “[Romeo and Juliet] appears to be a tragedy of fate, showing its protagonists as the helpless, innocent victims of arbitrary powers” (Shalvi 194). Fate appears to play almost too crucial of a role in Act 1, potentially ruining the probability of the tragedy seeming realistic or in any way