Romeo And Juliet Free Will Essay

In his tragic play Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare suggests Romeo’s submission to fate results in his agony and ultimate demise, implying that ignoring one’s free will can have profound consequences. When Juliet inquires how Romeo found her balcony, he replies, “By love, that first did prompt me to inquire. … I am no pilot; yet, wert thou as far /As that vast shore washed with the farthest sea, I should adventure for such merchandise.” (2.2.85) In the phrase “I am no pilot”, Romeo expresses how he does not feel in control of his life. Shakespeare creates a metaphor in which a higher power steers Romeo’s ship (his life). Romeo does not simply acknowledge its existence, but surrenders his free will to it without challenge. When he expresses, “wert thou as far/ as that vast shore…, I should adventure for such merchandise”, Shakespeare suggests that under fate’s command Romeo would “adventure” to “vast shore[s]” to unite with Juliet, demonstrating the immense influence fate has on Romeo, and how by believing in fate one is easily influenced instead of being more proactive, thus surrendering authority.

After Tybalt slays Mercutio, Romeo kills Tybalt and exclaims, "O, I am fortune's fool!" (3.1.142). Here Shakespeare alludes to the Roman goddess of luck; Fortuna. Romeo considers himself her “fool” or her plaything, like a puppet on her string. Like a puppet, he feels inconsequential and manipulated. Romeo understands immaturity in killing Tybalt, but he feels manipulated into doing so. He feels Fortuna works against him and fate is not in his favor. Similarly, he feels inconsequential and powerless since he can’t seem to improve his situation, yet he does nothing to challenge it. Shakespeare suggests that his agony and frustration stem from his lack of control and unwillingness to contest his