Fate in Romeo and Juliet EssayDictionary.com defines fate as "the universal principle or ultimate agent by which the order of things is supposedly prescribed or the cause decreed of events". This vision of destiny is one of the most important themes in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Already in the prologue, the chorus speaks "From the fatal loins of these two enemies / A pair of star-crossed lovers takes their own lives"; (Prologue 5-6), informing the audience that the couple's fate is predetermined. Erin Reynolds in her essay “Defying the Stars” points out that Shakespeare presents the idea “that the two enemies have fatal loins, a play on the word “fatal with its double meaning of lethal and concerning fate.” The refrain also states, “the fearful passage of their death-marked love/And the continuation of their parents' anger/which, except the end of their children, nothing could/remove” (prologue, 9-12). From this passage emerges the idea that the feud between families is destined to end only thanks to the doomed love of their children. Throughout the play, both Romeo and Juliet feel that their fates are controlled by forces too great to imagine. After his victory in the duel with Tybalt to avenge Mercutio, he utters the words: “Oh, I am the fool of fortune” (III i 138)! This, when interpreted, is interpreted to mean that he is Fortune, otherwise known as Destiny, who is simply playing with him like a child's toy. Romeo and Juliet, each at different times, refer to the “stars” that determine their fate and the direction of their relationship. In Act 1 Romeo has a premonition that the flow of his life is directed by some force. He states this when he says: "Some consequence still hanging among the stars / will bitterly begin its fearful rendezvous" (I iv 107-...... middle of sheet ...... s Romeo's visit to the grave. Romeo loses Juliet's awakening for a few minutes Again, if he had been just a few minutes late, Paris would not have fallen, nor would Romeo and Juliet. Fate is a necessary and extremely influential element in Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet and the people around them want to end this long family feud and bring the resulting peace to Verona. Throughout the play Romeo and Juliet make extremely intriguing statements about this mysterious force that seems to shape and even end theirs. lives It is this extreme impact of fate that drives and shapes the plot and details of the story of Romeo and Juliet. Bibliography "Definition of fate." Dictionary.com, nd Web. 6 April 2014. .Reynolds, Erin. " Braving the Stars (nd): print no.