Answer:
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of fate or predestination plays a significant role in this excerpt from Romeo and Juliet. The characters’ words, actions, and motivations suggest that they believe their destinies are predetermined, and they cannot escape them.
One example of predestination in the text is when Romeo says, “My mind misgives / Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars” (lines 111-112). Here, Romeo suggests that his future is predetermined, and he is powerless to change it. Similarly, when Juliet says, “My grave is like to be my wedding bed” (line 134), she implies that her destiny is already written, and she has no control over it.
Another example of predestination is the role of the stars in the play. Romeo and Juliet's love is described as “star-crossed” (line 6), meaning that their fate is predetermined by the stars. This belief is reinforced when Romeo later says, “O, I am fortune’s fool!” (line 136), implying that he has no control over his own fate.
Finally, the actions of the characters support the idea of predestination. Despite their families’ feud, Romeo and Juliet are drawn to each other and fall in love at first sight. This attraction suggests that their meeting was predestined, and they had no control over it.
Overall, the evidence of predestination in this passage suggests that the characters believe in the power of fate and that their actions are predetermined. This belief creates a sense of inevitability and tragic irony in the play, as the characters’ actions lead to their downfall, despite their best efforts to control their own destinies.