Free Will In Romeo And Juliet

Ah, finally. Act V. With it being the conclusion to the play, this Act is full of examples of fate and destiny being used. After all, the Elizabethans loved their plays to be all wrapped up at the end of it. Regardless, interestingly enough the characters resist fate the most in this Act, yet fate acts strongest in it as well. It’s first seen with Romeo hearing of Juliet’s “death” in Scene i, and torn apart in grief speaks of how he will resist fate and strive to be with Juliet. The issue is that contrary to what Romeo believes, fate has no desire of keeping them apart: it desires for both of the lovers to end up dead. A second example is when Friar Laurence discovers that Friar John could not deliver the letter of “the plan” to Romeo. In disbelief, Friar flees to Juliet’s tomb to try and stop the domino effect of misfortune before it tightens its noose, only to realize that fate has other wishes. …show more content…
In my previous examples no one quite grasped that their fate was already decided. Friar Laurence, taking on the wise role that he’s supposed to represent, is the one to realize this first, but not until he has found the bodies of Romeo and Paris in the tomb. Realizing his plan has failed, and turning to Juliet he says, “A greater power than we can contradict hath thwarted our intents” (V.iii. 159-160). Let me just say that in those lines, instead of taking responsibility for his actions, Friar puts it on fate. Just putting that out there. Even so, there is still a deep level of truth to what he has said- fate has made its decision. In these words Friar fully acknowledges his plan has failed, and now only wishes to get himself out of there before people arrive and start making