Fate plays a significant role in the story of Romeo and Juliet, as evidenced by fate shaping the tragic events through the prologue’s warning, untimely occurrences, and Juliet and Friar Lawrence’s attempts to defy destiny. For instance, the chorus starts by introducing the reader to the story, and telling us exactly what happens at the end: “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes/A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life;/Whose misadventured piteous overthrows/Doth with their death bury their parents’ strife” (O.5-8). To illustrate, Shakespeare presents fate as an omnipotent force that governs the characters' lives. Despite their best efforts, Romeo and Juliet cannot escape their predetermined destiny. This is evidenced by the chorus informing the reader that Romeo and Juliet come from the …show more content…
Go tell him of this./I’ll have this knot knit up tomorrow morning” (VI.ii.24-25). Without a doubt, this event highlights fate’s invisible influence on when each circumstance unfolds within the story; that is to say, everything happens too early. Juliet was supposed to drink the potion Wednesday night, and Romeo would be able to reach her by Friday, but Lord Capulet moving the plans up means that Juliet has to drink it Tuesday night and Romeo can not reach her on time. Some other good examples are Romeo arriving at the tomb only 30 minutes before Juliet awakens, Tybalt finding Romeo before the marriage can be announced, and the lovers dying too young. Furthermore, Juliet and the Friar attempt to escape her fate of not being with Romeo by faking her death, but fate cannot be tricked; Romeo and Juliet’s love will end one way or another, “Thou shalt continue two and forty hours/And then awake as from a pleasant sleep./Now, when the bridegroom in the morning comes/To rouse thee from thy bed, there art thou dead”