Fate

Question 1

What are the six ways in which fate is presented in Romeo and Juliet?

Answer 1

Individuals are powerless to escape their fate
Romeo and Juliet were fated to die to punish their families
Fate is often used as an excuse
Romeo and Juliet became each other’s fate, and were the chase of each other’s deaths
Fate makes Romeo and Juliet seem vulnerable, creating sympathy for them
Shakespeare could be seen as having mocked fate in the play

Question 2

‘I __, __ __: __ my __ __
__ __ __ __ in the __
__ __ __ his __ __
__ this __ __’

(Fill in the gaps, who says this? What does it mean? When in the play is it said?)

Answer 2

Romeo: I fear, too early: for my mind misgives
Some consequence yet hanging in the stars
Shall bitterly begin his fearful date
With this night’s revels’ Act 1, Scene 4

• Romeo feels the party will end badly, in his own death, due to fate. Foreshadowing because attending the party is what sets him on the path leading to death
• He feels any time he arrives will be too early, and the party would be best avoided. However he still goes because ‘fate’, which makes him look stupid. This can be seen as Shakespeare mocking fate

Question 3

'My \_\_ \_\_ \_\_ \_\_ my \_\_ \_\_!
\_\_ \_\_ \_\_ \_\_, and \_\_ \_\_ \_\_!
\_\_ \_\_ of \_\_ it is to me,
\_\_ I \_\_ \_\_ a \_\_ \_\_.'
(Fill in the gaps, who says this? What does it mean? When in the play is it said?)

Answer 3

Juliet: my only love sprung from my only hate!
Too early seen unknown, and know too late!
Prodigious birth of love it is to me,
That I must love a loathed enemy!’ Act 1, Scene 5’

• Love is a monster for making her fall in love with her worst enemy, love if cruel (fate is cruel)
• she has been raised to hare the Montagues, but fate does not care how she was raised or what she believes

Question 4

‘O, I am __ __ !’

Fill in the gaps, who says this? What does it mean? When in the play is it said?

Answer 4

Romeo: O, I am fortune’s fool!’
Act 3, Scene 1

• fortune is cruel to him
• referencing the prologue, where audience learns that Romeo and Juliet are fated to die

Question 5

How does Romeo and Juliet killing themselves relate to fate?

Answer 5

It is going against fate, and what was planned for them, defying fate