Fate Flashcards
Context
Elizabethan England believed various entities or figures were in charge of determining fates. Wealthy people would use horoscopes before making important decisions.
Thomas aquinas said choices people make determine their actions consequences
Shakespeare play very popular with contemporary audience who were debating this at the time
Prologue
A pair of Star crossed lovers take their lives. Adj star crossed shows people in e England put their faith in the stars. Modify the noun lovers establishes that they will fall in love and will die early on. Shows the importance to shakespeares story as it is tragic nothing can be dome to avoid it. Shows futility of their efforts. Creates pity for romeo and Juliet
True I talk of dreams, which are the children of an idle brain, begot of nothing but vain fantasy
Responding to romeo talking about premonitionary dream he had. Mercutio thinks little of fate and he believes in free will. Popular debate at the time
Mercuctio dies showing those who dismiss fate get their comeuppance showing shakespeare thinks fate is overruling
My grave is like to be my wedding bed-juliet
Irony as foreshadows end of play. Julie’s grave is actually her wedding bed. Reinforces her fate. Audience is acutely aware of forrshadinf bc we know the end already.
Prologue gives us dramatic irony.
These violent delights have violent ends
Thou art wedded to calamity
Calamity hints that marriage leads to disaster. Foreshadowing from the friar who represents religion. Shakespeare associates religion wutg fate showing God may have a role with what happens in people’s lives.
O I am fortunes fool
Romeo laments his fate. ! Indicates his distress. Fate is mocking him, superior to romeo, fate is cruel as its mocking him. Negative impression of fate as an entity.
I would the fool were married to her grave
Echoes Julie’s earlier line. Sees caplets matriarch foreshadow Julie’s death. Moadl verb would means wish. She wishes Juliets dead. Bitter wish comes true. Her line is shocking. Fate is cruel. Caplets negative wish can come true so be careful of what you wish for.
They are however devastated when she dies.
