Fate Flashcards
Big idea 1
Romeo and Juliet’s love is portrayed as preordained by fate.
Big idea 2
Throughout the play, time is depicted as a powerful force that shapes fate. The urgency of their love, set against the backdrop of their impending doom, emphasizes the inevitability of their fate.
Big idea 3
In “Romeo and Juliet,” Shakespeare depicts love as a force of fate that transcends reason and defies societal standards.
Quote 1 - Romeo Act 1 Scene 5 and analysis
“Did my heart love till now?”
- This remark represents Romeo’s realisation and scepticism of the veracity of his previous romantic experiences.
- suggests that Romeo’s love for Juliet is unprecedented and unparalleled, indicating a significant shift in his understanding of love.
Quote 2 - Romeo Act 3 Scene 1 and analysis
“O i am fortunes fool”
- “Fortune” here refers to fate or destiny. Romeo is essentially saying that he is at the mercy of fate, that he is a pawn in the hands of destiny. He feels that he’s a victim of circumstances beyond his
control, that his actions are predetermined by fate.
-spoken by Romeo after he kills Tybalt
“O i am fortunes fool” overall analysis
Despite Romeo’s intentions, his actions seem to be guided by a force beyond his control. It underscores the idea that in the world of the play, fate is a powerful, inexorable force that shapes the characters’ lives and determines their tragic destinies.
Quote - Romeo act 5 scene 1 and analysis
“i defy you stars”
-“Defy” means to openly resist or challenge. “Stars” here refers to fate or destiny, as the belief in Shakespeare’s time was that a person’s fate was written in the stars.
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“I defy you stars” overall analysis
- Romeo is essentially proclaiming defiance to fate. Despite feeling like a victim of fate earlier in the play, he now expresses his intention to take control of his own future. He refuses to accept fate’s plan for him, instead opting to challenge it and forge his own path.
Quote - Juliet act 3 scene 5
“O Fortune, Fortune, all men call thee fickle”
- Juliet is bemoaning the unpredictability of fate and its role in her life. She’s feeling trapped by circumstances beyond her control, and this frustration is evident in her address to Fortune.
Close analysis Juliet Act 3 Scene 5
-“O Fortune, Fortune”: Juliet is addressing Fortune, personifying it as if it were a deity. She’s expressing her frustration and perhaps even anger towards the concept of fate.
- “all men call thee fickle”: Juliet is remarking on the common perception that fate is fickle, or capricious. By saying “all men call thee fickle,” she’s acknowledging that it’s a widely held belief that fate is unpredictable and unreliable.
Quote analysis - Mercurio Act 3 Scene 4
“dreamers often lie”
- In this quote, Mercutio is expressing his skepticism towards romantic idealism.
Close Analysis - Mercutio act 1 scene 4
“Dreamers”: Mercutio uses “dreamers” to refer to people who are idealistic or romantic, often lost in their fantasies or illusions rather than facing reality.
- “often lie”: “Lie” here has a double meaning. It can mean to tell falsehoods, but in this context, it also means to be in a horizontal position, as if asleep. So, Mercutio is suggesting that dreamers often find themselves in a state of deception or delusion, unable to see the truth.
Quote - prologue
“star crossed lovers”
- sets the tone for the entire play, foreshadowing the tragic outcome of Romeo and Juliet’s love story. It suggests that their love is not only influenced by external forces, such as their feuding families, but also by a larger cosmic fate that is beyond their control.
close analysis - prologue quote
“Star-crossed”
refers to individuals whose fate is determined by the stars, often with a sense of doom or tragedy.
“lovers”: This refers to Romeo and Juliet, the protagonists of the play, whose love becomes the focal point of the tragedy.
Quote analysis - Mercutio act 3 scene 1
- “ a plague o both your houses”
- His curse serves as a warning about the dangers of unchecked hatred and vendettas, and it foreshadows the tragic events that will unfold as a result of the feud.
