Read the following extract from Act 4 Scene 3 of Romeo and Juliet, and then answer the
question that follows.
At this point in the play, Juliet is about to take a potion given to her by the Friar Lawrence
in order to appear dead, and therefore avoid her wedding to Paris.
JULIET
Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again.
I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins,
That almost freezes up the heat of life:
I'll call them back again to comfort me:
Nurse! What should she do here?
My dismal scene I needs must act alone.
Come, vial.
What if this mixture do not work at all?
Shall I be married then to-morrow morning?
No, no: this shall forbid it: lie thou there.
Laying down her dagger
What if it be a poison, which the friar
Subtly hath minister'd to have me dead,
Lest in this marriage he should be dishonour'd,
Because he married me before to Romeo?
I fear it is: and yet, methinks, it should not,
For he hath still been tried a holy man.
How if, when I am laid into the tomb,
I wake before the time that Romeo
Come to redeem me? there's a fearful point!
Starting with this speech, explore Shakespeare’s ideas about fate.
Write about:
● how Shakespeare presents fate in this speech;
● how Shakespeare presents fate in the play as a whole.
In this speech and the play as a whole, Shakespeare uses Juliet dialogue to exemplify how
she is still ignorant to the force and power of fate. It is not Friar potion, or Romeo’s timing
that may ruin her plan, but fate itself. Shakespeare’s presentation of fate in this speech is as
a force that is largely ignored, despite it being a leading factor. Juliet discusses everything
that could go wrong outside of their doomed fate. In addition, Shakespeare presents fate as
what ultimately betrays Juliet. It is nobody’s fault, except fate’s, that Juliet’s fake death fails.
Finally, Shakespeare makes it clear in his presentation of fate that fate is in control, rather
than free will.
In this speech, Shakespeare presents fate as largely ignored, despite it being a leading factor.
Juliet discusses everything that could go wrong outside of their damned fate. During her
soliloquy, Juliet says “Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again”, making it clear that
she is unaware of what the future holds for her, but is hopeful that she will meet Romeo
again. However, her tone becomes more pessimistic, using a metaphor to remark “I have a
