The play Romeo and Juliet, written by Shakespeare, has fate intertwined with the characters dialogue, literary devices, and the plot. Romeo and Juliet are about two “star-crossed” lovers who are marked for death from the start, and all they can do is play out their fate. Shakespeare’s wording and language that can be found in the play, has shaped the English language. He explored fate through the writing Romeo and Juliet with foreshadowing, stars, fortune, fate, and the sea. He was able to link many ideas to fate, this really helped the play have even more depth.

Throughout Romeo and Juliet Shakespear incorporates the stars, fate, and fortune into the dialogue of many characters. The stars, fate, and fortune are talked about a lot and referred to as the one in control. Everything that is to happen is already decided (written in the stars), and all Romeo and Juliet can do are to live out their lives.  Fortune and the stars fit into fate because they all have the same job, and are same high being.  In the play Romeo is upset and angry with the fate that has been written for him, so he shouts ” I defy you stars.” This show that Romeo believes in the idea of fate, fortune, and the stars being in control. He is telling them that he is no longer their puppet and that he is capable of choosing is own fate. This is because he is unhappy with the strings that are being pulled. He also is like a piece on a chess board. Which he is there to be moved to allow the desired end result. This shows that fate is present and controlling everyone lives with a strategic move or even a petty one. Juliet says “O Fortune, Fortune! All men call thee fickle. If thou art fickle, what dost thou with him that is renowned for faith? Be fickle, Fortune. For then I hope thou wilt not keep him long but send him back.” Juliet is talking about how Fortune who always changing, unpredictable. She says why does Fortune need to control someone who has faith. She asks for fortune to leave him alone, this is because fortune and fate are able to turn someone’s life upside down. They can make someone feel like they have it all, but then fate/fortune can crumble the ground beneath your feet. Fortune, stars, and fate link together because they are all seen as something that is unpredictable and able to control peoples destinies. They are the same thing, with the same job, which is to decide on what is to happen in someone’s life (fate).

Shakespear using many literary devices; one very common one is foreshadowing, which is used to tell you each characters fate. A large amount foreshadowing happens in Romeo and Juliet.  Through the whole play, you are given a clue to each characters fate. Frair Lawerences Dioluge contains many hints, such as “Wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast.” He is talking about how sometimes waiting and thinking through choices that are presented to you results in a better outcome. In this quote, I think he says that since they are rush (getting married) In the end it is all going to come crashing down. This foreshadows Romeos and Juliet’s fate. Another quote represents this is “These violent delights have violent ends and in their triumph die, like fire and powder, which as they kiss consume.” This foreshadows that Romeo and Juliet’s sudden happiness will result in sudden death, which then they will finally be able to be together. Also “like fire and powder,” is to express that their feelings are like a match touching gunpowder, a massive and sudden explosion. “which they kiss consume,” this is said because it talks about how the explosion that they are making grows each time they are with each other, and in the end it will consume them. Their feelings will consume them and direct their choices, which will result in tragic events. They also won’t go out quietly, their death will be known. Also where ever they end up, heaven or hell, it will be their chance to be together. Friar Lawrence, and other characters dialogue, continuously foreshadow the fate of many characters. Foreshadowing linked to fate because this literary device is used to give you hints on characters fate.

In the play, Romeo and Juliet Shakespear use the sea to show how fate is the one in control. Sometimes he uses metaphors to talk about the sea. Comparing the sea to fate is perfect because of the many similarities they have. He talks about how fate is the one directing the ship and plotting the best course, and how Romeo is only there for the ride. Juliet says this Quote, and it uses the sea to express her feelings. “My bounty is as boundless as the sea; my love is as deep, The more I give to thee, the more I have for both are infinite.” In this quote, Juliet talks about how the sea, and how it has no boundaries. Since the sea is so large and deep it shows that Juliet’s feelings for Romeo are powerful.  “My bounty is as boundless as the sea,” here I think the sea is talking about how her love has no limits just like the sea. Also, no matter how much love they give to each other their love will never run out because they have an infinite amount. “I am no pilot; yet, wert thou as far as that vast shore wash’d with the farthest sea, I would adventure for such merchandise.” In the play Rome says this to express that he would go to great lengths for Juliet. Also, he says how he is “no pilot,” this means that he is not normally one in control, and unable to steer his fate in the direction he wants it to go. The sea and fate are both controlling, spontaneous, and wild. The sea metaphors that Shakespear uses in this play show the reader that fate is on the boat too, but it is not there for the ride, but there for the control.

Shakespear weaved fate into Romeo and Juliet by using foreshadowing, the sea, and the stars, fate, and fortune. The purpose of this essay was to show that By reading Romeo and Juliet I was able to understand the fate and how and why it is in his work. Shakespeare links fate to many literary devices, to give the reader a greater understanding of fate. In the play, fate is continuously making an appearance to remind us that there is a higher power who is present and pulling the strings.