How does William Shakespeare explore fate?

Fate is a predetermined act and is a decision to occur in the future. In this piece of writing I will clarify how Shakespeare makes fate effective and how he explores it.

William Shakespeare uses a wide range of language technique to communicate and explore fate with for example, Metaphors. Metaphor is a standard way that Shakespeare uses, to explore fate. In an example Romeo has an inquiry to God, requesting Him to direct himself , “He that hath steerage of my course, direct my sail “.  The explanation for this would be: Shakespeare defines Romeo as the ship and God as the captain. As well as that Romeo allows God to lead his life and let fate decide his path. In addition, Shakespeare continues his metaphor referring to the ship. Romeo affirms ” Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on the dashing rocks thy sea-sick, weary bark“. This metaphor proceeds to say Romeo has come to a conclusion to disobey his fate, directed by God. The reason being is because Romeo considered God to lead him to a positive life. However this combination of fate and metaphor had deceived him and instead he decided to be ignorant by a suicidal act. Another way William Shakespeare analyses the idea of fate in his play (Romeo and Juliet) using metaphors is when Romeo states “some consequences yet hanging in the stars” The information being delivered is that Romeo is not controlling his life, he lets fate decide it.  Furthermore this quote has a reference to God, revealing the stars as God ( as during the Elizabethan era a dense population was a theist, believing in God) This is announcing God will conclude his life. Finally, Shakespeare had been very effective, writing the narrative fate at the commencement  of the play. Shakespeare has used two type of figurative language which is very effective. As well as this, it is very suspenseful and very powerful as the combination gives a hint of what is going to happen.

Additionally, Shakespeare has used other abilities to explore fate. An example of this is coincidence. He used this a various amount of  times and the play is filled up with coincidence. An important example Shakespeare considered in his writing is the meeting of the two both, main characters. In act 1 scene 2 Romeo was given a invitation letter to read by an anonymous servant who couldn’t read. He was not invited because of all the hatred his family and their family have been through. This is coincidence because If it hadn’t been for the servant who couldn’t read, Romeo would have not attended the party and met the love of his life,Juliet.  Benvolio persuades Romeo to go to the party:   “Go thither and with untainned eye compare her (Rosaline’s) face with some that I shall show”. Shakespeare has used coincidence a multiple of times. In act 5 scene 1 Romeo is expecting to receive good news after a happy dream he had but instead Benvolio arrives too early informing that Juliet is dead. This is a coincidence as Benvolio arrived too early. If he came later, the letter of the plan would’ve been delivered to Romeo, making him aware of the plan.  Another powerful example Shakespeare uses is the arrival of Romeo approaching Juliet’s tomb in Verona (in act 5) . Benvolio passes the message that Juliet is dead. Romeo rushes to the location accompanied with poison so that he can kill himself with Juliet by his side. This is a coincidence that Romeo arrived at the time he did. If he appeared later than his original time, he wouldn’t of experience death and Juliet’s sleeping potion would have worn out. Coincidence happens to occur in the important events such as the meeting of Romeo and Juliet and the death of Romeo and Juliet.

The prologue is also a common example Shakespeare used to interpret fate. As well as the interpretation of fate it also uses a range of other abilities such as similes and dramatic irony.   “Do with their death bury their parents’ strife”. This is known as fate in the prologue as it is notifying that when Romeo and Juliet’s death occur, the death of their parents rivalry will occur too.The prologue maintained effective and had many metaphorical examples of fate but one which I would like to give my explanation is the line which says “ A pair of star cross’d lovers take their life“. At the beginning of the play it states this wonderful quote. It begins with a pair of star cross’d lovers  which means a random, unique pair came across each other by coincidence. However the next bit leading on from there (lovers take their life) examines a different thing, saying both lovers kill themselves for each other. Also dramatic irony was used when Shakespeare used to explore fate because the prologue is a sonnet at the beginning of the play, using fate where the audience knows something that the characters don’t. Within the fourteen line sonnet, Shakespeare tells us the hints to the entire story using fate.

How does William Shakespeare explore the concept of fate in Romeo and Juliet?                                                            Overall, to summarize William Shakespeare has an amazing talent of English writing and explored fate exceptionally well. He had blended a vast majority of English techniques, forming a compound. He has used metaphors, coincidence, an introductory chorus to investigate fate and much more to accompany fate with. Fate played a very dominant roll in the play, Romeo and Juliet. Fate was the reason why Romeo and Juliet met. Without it, Romeo and Juliet would have been a very diverse play to what we know it today.