Fate and Destiny: The Idea of Predestination in the Elizabethan Era

Fate and Destiny

By Liza, Michelle, Emily

What were the perceptions of fate in the Elizabethan Era and how does this apply to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet?

Fate is the idea that people's lives are destined to end up at a certain place in a certain way, all according to the stars and how they were aligned at birth.

Zodiac signs, based on one's birthdate, supposedly played a large part in how your life was planned by the higher powers.

Most Elizabethans believed in the idea of fate and astrology; rich Englanders often paid for horoscopes for their children, and before major decisions such as marriage or travel, one would have to consult an astrologer. (To see if the stars favored it)

Many people believed that they had no free will; that they had no choice to change their destiny because everything was already predestined.

Shakespeare's View on Fate

Shakespeare's view on fate differed a bit from the rest of society; he believed that people ended up in this certain place and time by predestination, but he believed that they made the choices themselves to lead them there.

Fate Quotes in Romeo and Juliet:

Prologue: "From forth the fatal loins of these two foes / A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life"

Act 1 Scene 4: "Some consequence yet hanging in the stars"

Act 3 Scene 1: "O, I am fortune's fool!"

Act 3 Scene 5: "O fortune, fortune! … Be fickle, fortune"

Act 5 Scene 1: "Is it e'en so? Then I defy you, stars!"

Act 5 Scene 2: "Unhappy fortune!"

Act 5 Scene 3: "And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars"

Act 5 Scene 3: "A greater power than we can contradict/ Hath thwarted our intents"

Fate in Romeo and Juliet

As implied by character's reactions and the playwright's words, the different paths of the titular characters eventually resulted in death only as a direct result of the hands of fate. Friar Lawrence believes this especially; he prefers to blame fate for all of the trouble and deaths rather than himself.

(Friar Lawrence was the one who mixed a potion for Juliet to drink; this

risky plan eventually led to the death of Romeo and Juliet. (This will be read later in the play)

There seem to be many events that happen by coincidence; or rather, happen by fate. These events and circumstances include Capulet's illiterate servant accidentally inviting Romeo to the Capulet ball, the fact that Romeo and Juliet even meet, the vow of chastity taken by Rosaline, and many others.

Just to Recap...

What is the idea of fate?

Most Elizabethans believed that life's path was predestined by the stars to end up in a certain way.

Shakespeare believed in this idea, just as the majority of the Elizabethan Englanders did--but only to a degree. He believed that any given choice at any given moment was still up to the individual person to decide. Due to predetermined characteristics (fatal flaws), though, these choices usually had a clear decision. Shakespeare thought that it was only the outcome that was predetermined, even though humans technically had the right to decide.

How does this idea of fate apply to

"Romeo and Juliet"?

For everything bad that happens in the play, the invisible hand of "fate" is to blame. Romeo and Juliet often bemoan their fate, saying that the stars are against their love. The idea of fate and destiny is often mentioned by the characters. A strong supporter of this ideal is Friar Lawrence, who, from a modern perspective, is clearly at fault for encouraging the naive, young lovers in their ridiculous endeavors and coming up with an unpractical plan for the reunion of the couple.

Works Cited

What were the perceptions of fate in the Elizabethan Era and how does this apply to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet?

The Idea of Fate

Shakespeare agreed with Elizabeth England's common notions for predestination, but he also thought Aristotle was correct in saying that fate was also determined by one's "fatal flaw." Every character and person supposedly has a fatal flaw, and it is the errors that result from these flaws that shape our future. (According to Aristotle and, slightly, implied by Shakespeare.)

Assets

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Shakespeare believed in a sort of "predestination by free will"; however, in accordance with the idea of predestination, the choices one would make were already planned out.

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Budapest

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San Francisco

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