Fate is used by Shakespeare throughout Romeo and Juliet it is used to give an idea of the end without revealing how it happens. In this essay i will analyse some examples of fate in Romeo and Juliet
A example of fate in Romeo and Juliet is how Romeo only met Juliet because the illiterate servant asked him to read the party invitation list and Romeo saw Rosealine on the list so he decided to go to the party and met Juliet, this eventually led to his premature death.
Shakespeare liked the whole idea of people life’s being planed and how they couldn’t change them this is expressed in Romeo and Juliet through metaphors, for example when Romeo says “But he that hath the steerage of my course direct my sail!” By this he means only god can decide what happens to him and that he will just also long with it. Another metaphor that expresses the idea of fate Romeo and Juliet is when Romeo says “some consequence yet hanging in the stars” this shows that Shakespeare has given the characters in Romeo and Juliet a almost super natural ability to predict the future this helps give away the ending without revealing exactly how it happens.
Another example of fate in Romeo and Juliet (only in the film) is how the weather changes to stormy and lightning when mercutio is killed and Romeo is angry, this is called pathetic falicy I think the reason baz luhrmann did this is to help create a atmosphere in the film and help show the characters emotions.
Dramatic irony is when the audience know something the characters do not know. An example of dramatic irony is when Juliet is on the balcony taking to her self and Romeo is listening to what she is saying. This is dramatic irony because the audience know Romeo is there listening but Juliet does not. Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to add realism too his plays. another big example of dramatic irony is when we know that Juliet isn’t actually dead but Romeo thinks she is so he kills himself this also relates to fate because if Juliet did not fake her death Romeo would not have died.
The film Romeo and Juliet by baz luhrmann the play is modernized this means he had to interpret things from romeo and Juliet into there modern counterparts for example swords are substituted for guns and the prince is substituted for the police officer.
In conclusion, Shakespeare used fate as a way to tell you what happens in the end without revealing how this made Romeo and Juliet a much more interesting and exiting play.
January 3, 2013 at 12:20 am
Hi Alfie,
In this essay you demonstrate a strong understanding of the mechanism of fate in Romeo and Juliet and you explain this with clarity – and you include a good range of specific quotations to support your ideas.
Your opportunities for improvement are:
1) Your introduction currently dives into your first example of the action of fate in the play. I suggest you keep that analysis to your body paragraph, and instead re-write your introduction as more of an overview of ALL the points you’re going to make in the essay. This will make the writing more confident and coherent – and may also help you to keep your writing focussed on the question all the way through.
2) I encourage you to avoid saying “I think” in this kind of formal writing. It can be assumed that you’re expressing your ideas – but because you’re providing evidence to support your points, they can be expressed in a more confident way. Often just deleting the “I think” makes your writing stronger.
3) You have some spelling and sentence capitalisation errors to correct. I know this is still a draft – but if you need help with that side of it, please let me know.
4) Each paragraph needs to develop your point about fate in the play. I think the main idea you’re communicating is that Shakespeare makes the play interesting by telling us what is going to happen, but not revealing how it happens. If this is your point (and it’s a good one), try to find ways to keep coming back to it as your essay progresses.
– This is shaping up very well. I look forward to the final result.
Mr Waugh
January 2, 2014 at 3:49 pm
yo alf