Fate And Timing In William Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

Chance, coincidence, fate, and timing are huge factors that make Romeo and Juliet a tragedy. Romeo and Juliet is a play written by William Shakespeare about two young lovers who suffer untimely deaths. There are many reasons why Romeo and Juliet can not have their happily ever after and most of them are out of their control. Fate and timing forecast the ends of Romeo and Juliet from the before they met until their deaths. One example of fate influencing the play is when Romeo and Benvolio stumble upon an illiterate Capulet servant who asks them to read an invitation so he know to whom he should deliver it. After reading the invitation, Benvolio tries to convince Romeo to attend the Capulet party by saying, “With all the admired beauties of Verona:/ Go thither; and with unattainted eye,/ Compare her face with some that I shall show,/ And I will make thee think thy swan a crow” (1.2.85 – 1.2.89). Romeo never has any knowledge about the Capulet party until now and still has to be convinced to go. Benvolio resorts to bribing Romeo with the chance to meet some other girls. This points to the fact that Romeo was so depressed that he did not even want to see his supposed true love, Rosaline, at the party. Romeo and …show more content…
As Romeo is about to take the poison that kills him, he says, “Thou art not conquered, Beauty’s ensign yet/ Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks/ And death’s pale flag is not advanced there” (5.3.94 – 5.3.96). Romeo notices many qualities that are very uncommon in a dead person, but he does not stop to consider the possibility that Juliet is actually alive. Romeo’s lovely words about his thought-to-be-dead wife reflect his longing to be with her. If only he had arrived a few minutes earlier, they both could be together and living. Timing was everything in this scene and it was a direct cause of Romeo’s