Fate, in its purest form, drives people and their actions toward an endpoint. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, is a prime example of fate’s inevitable nature and the lengths to which people will go to avoid it. Romeo and Juliet lend a large portion of its meaning and influence on fate and the events it causes. For instance, the family feud between Montagues and the Capulets creates the fate that Romeo and Juliet could not be together. This fate manufactures several events, including Tybalt’s challenge and subsequent death. Without these events, the Prince would have no reason to decide that “[Verona] [Will] exile [Romeo] hence” (Shakespeare 3.1.183). The Prince’s decree comes shortly after the death of Tybalt, who challenged Romeo not long before. Leading up to and following the final encounter with Tybalt, it is clear that fate …show more content…
If Romeo loses his duel, he dies, and can not be with Juliet. If he wins and kills Tybalt at the duel instead of that night, he is executed by the law, and again, cannot be with Juliet. Fate has one clear end goal throughout the play: Romeo and Juliet are not together. Shortly after Romeo is banished, another key series of events occur: his discovery of Juliet’s “death”, particularly the timing of it. The way and timing of how he finds out about this is the key part of this succession of events. Human-driven events are in close correlation to fated events, such as Balthasar’s presence at Juliet’s funeral and the quarantine of Friar John. Romeo finds out that Juliet is supposedly dead after Balthasar comes to him, informing him that he “saw her laid low in her