When considering the destruction of Romeo and Juliet the most significant fact you must think about is fate. Fate, above all, ended the lives of the two lovers. There were too many instances that were out of their control. Romeo and Juliet are doomed to tragedy as soon as the play begins. There are many examples of this in the play, which will be explained here. .
From the first lines of the play, the audience is made aware of the role of fate and the untimely deaths of the lovers. The audience is instantly aware that when fate is at work the outcome is inevitable. The stars which represent fate prove to be an impassable obstacle for Romeo and Juliet's love. It represents the fight against family, feud and city. Not only do the characters in Romeo and Juliet believe in the controlling force of fate, but it was also taken for granted that the stars dictated the general outcome of all things. In act 5 scene one, upon hearing about Juliet's death, says, "Then I defy you stars!" At first this seems insignificant, but it actually a main theme of the play. Shakespeare makes it known that they were doomed to die from the beginning, but the characters always try to defy fate, which is impossible. Romeo cannot defy the stars any more than he can change history. When Romeo tries to "Shake the yoke of inauspicious stars" in act 5 scene 3, he is making a final attempt to defy fate, but in reality the audience knows that it is fate who has won. .
Many instances in the play reveal that the love of Romeo and Juliet was doomed to fail and fate was to blame. "A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life." (Prologue, line 6) From the very beginning it is evident that fate will be against them. The prologue also tells us that their love was destined for death. "The fearful passage of their death marked love" (Prologue, line 9) Both of these quotes show us that fate will be the downfall of Romeo and Juliet.
