As Romeo’s sip of poison leads to Juliet’s dagger wound, their love ends, ultimately failing. In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, a story of two lovers from opposing families ends in a tragedy: both lovers commit suicide in order to die together after numerous unfortunate events. It is argued that either free will or fate caused the catastrophes; and although unrecognized, the two exist beside one another. Romeo and Juliet as lovers were destined to fail, but the story’s outcome was free will; the two coexist. The stars were aligned against the hopeless couple in Romeo and Juliet from the beginning. The term “star-crossed lovers” describes partners that are doomed to fail. Within the prologue summarizing the story it states, “A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life,” (Prologue. 5). Shakespeare uses this term specifically in the prologue to foreshadow the disastrous fate the pair will face, furthermore outlining their failed love. Moreover, Romeo and Juliet were set to languish because …show more content…
When Paris and Romeo met, Paris refuses Romeo’s request to enter Juliet’s tomb, causing Romeo to state, “Wilt thou provoke me? Then have at thee, boy,” (5.3.70). The fight Romeo calls causes Paris to die - but his fate was not to be killed by Romeo because of the fact they both loved Juliet, the free will was in Romeo’s hands. Additionally, when Romeo hears about Juliet's “death,” he states, “Then I defy you, stars,” (5.1.24). Romeo believes Juliet died by fate, but he could change that fate by passing with her. He drinks poison to take his life; then Juliet wakes up to find her husband deceased. In order to die with him she takes her life, causing a tragic outcome. Although this seems like it was predestined, the two choose to die, making the tragedy free will. Thus, Romeo and Juliet’s fate was unfortunate love, as their demise was free