The plot is slightly unusual in that it has dual protagonists. Shakespeare provides ample passages to both Romeo and Juliet, and neither character dominates the action. The main conflict, as the playwright makes abundantly clear, is Romeo and Juliet vs. Fate. Fate is a force that is mysterious, powerful, and capricious. Although the Church is represented through the character of Friar Laurence, Shakespeare never directly associates the concept of Fate as being under the control of God. Fate is separate and distinct and hardly appears to be benevolent. Rather, Fate appears to be cruel; and mankind is powerless to disrupt or thwart the power of Fate in any manner. As Shakespeare himself suggests, Fate should instead be called Sour Misfortune.
Minor conflicts involving fate also appear throughout the play. In Act I the conflict of Romeo (individually) vs. Fate appears in that Romeo has fallen in love with a woman who does not return that love (unrequited love). Fate prevents Romeo from developing a relationship with Rosaline. The character of Paris is also in conflict with Fate. He hopes to win Juliet as his bride, but Fate has caused Juliet to fall in love with Romeo; and unlucky Paris has no chance of winning Juliet’s love. At the end of the play, Fate, or, rather, Misfortune, has other plans for Paris.
In Act II Romeo again battles the force of Fate as he attempts to pursue a love with a woman who is the daughter of his family’s sworn enemy. And in Act III Juliet curses a Fate that brings about her cousin Tybalt’s death and her lover Romeo’s banishment. In that same act the force of Fate seems so overwhelming that Romeo even considers committing suicide as his only alternative. Fate also plays a role in Act IV: the message from Friar Laurence is prevented from reaching Romeo in time. Because Romeo does not know about Friar Laurence’s scheme to make Juliet only seem to be dead, he continues on a path toward selfdestruction. Fate also makes that path an easy one by inserting a poor and desperate apothecary in the way to deliver a poison to the reckless youth.
Finally, in Act V, Romeo arrives at the
Capulet tomb too soon. If he had entered just a few minutes later, Juliet would have been awake and Romeo would not have consumed the poison. In addition, the arrival of the Friar also was affected by the force of Fate. The Friar arrives too late: if he had come to the tomb just a few minutes earlier, he could have told Romeo about Juliet’s feigned death. Fate thus prevails over the Friar’s plan. The Friar, as well as everyone else, is unable to stop Dame Fortune (or Misfortune) from having her way.
Shakespeare’s play tightly follows
Aristotle’s definition of a well-written tragedy. The Greek philosopher and theorist, in his book Poetics (from the 4th century BC), maintained that the best tragedies follow Three Unities:
The time frame of the story should occur over just a few days (or less); the story should be set in just a few locales; and all of the actions that occur in the story should pertain directly to the main plot.
Although Shakespeare is noted primarily for his marvelous characters and the beauty of his poetic language, Shakespeare was a master at devising and arranging plots as well. Shakespeare did create his plays based on earlier stories or historical accounts, but Shakespeare nearly always altered and shaped his poetic work so that the plot became something new and almost entirely original.
The story and theme first appeared in several Italian Renaissance stories before making its way to England and France.
Shakespeare primarily used the poem by Arthur Brooke as his primary source; but since all of these sources are linked together and share many common elements, determining other possible sources that Shakespeare may have used is not possible.
Critics usually cite eight primary differences between Brooke’s poem and Shakespeare’s play:
(Brooke was a severe Puritan moralist)
Unity of Time)
Arthur Brooke’s poem certainly does not measure up to Shakespeare’s play or to the quality of the great poets of the 1580s and later (such as Sidney or Spenser). However, Brooke’s poem should not be dismissed so readily. Brooke’s poetry does have some fine moments, and Shakespeare probably enjoyed the dramatic moments and fine touches that Brooke brought to the story. Certainly, Brooke’s poem had engaged the imagination of a young man who would later become England’s and the world’s finest playwright.
Romeus Meets Juliet at Capulet’s Feast
(lines 191-252 of Arthur Brooke’s Romeus and Juliet)
So that he freely might the ladies view at ease; 191
And they also beholding him, their change of fancies please; Which Nature had him taught to do with such a grace, That there was none but joyéd at his being there in place.
With upright beam he weighed the beauty of each dame,
And judged who best, and who next her, was wrought in
Nature's frame.
At length he saw a maid, right fair, of perfect shape, Which Theseus or Paris would have chosen to their rape.
Whom erst he never saw; of all she pleased him most;
Within himself he said to her, "Thou justly may'st thee boast 200
Of perfect shape's renown, and beauty's sounding praise,
Whose like ne hath, ne shall be seen, ne liveth in our days."
And whilst he fixed on her his partial piercéd eye, His former love, for which of late he ready was to die, Is now as quite forgot, as it had never been:
The proverb saith, "Unminded oft are they that are unseen."
And as out of a plank a nail a nail doth drive,
So novel love out of the mind the ancient love doth rive.
This sudden kindled fire in time is wox so great,
That only death and both their bloods might quench the fiery
heat. 210
When Romeus saw himself in this new tempest tossed,
Where both was hope of pleasant port, and danger to be lost,
He doubtful, scarcely knew what countenance to keep; In Lethe's flood his wonted flames were quenched and drenched deep.
Yea, he forgets himself, ne is the wretch so bold
To ask her name, that without force hath him in bondage fold.
Ne how t'unloose his bonds doth the poor fool devise,
But only seeketh by her sight to feed his hungry eyes:
Through them he swalloweth down love's sweet impoisoned bait:
How surely are the wareless wrapt by those that lie in wait! 220
So is the poison spread throughout his bones and veins, That in a while, alas, the while, it hasteth deadly pains.
Whilst Juliet, for so this gentle damsel hight,
From side to side on every one did cast about her sight:
At last her floating eyes were anchored fast on him,
Who for her sake did banish health and freedom from each limb.
He in her sight did seem to pass the rest as far
As Phoebus' shining beams do pass the brightness of a star.
In wait lay warlike Love with golden bow and shaft,
And to his ear with steady hand the bowstring up he raft. 230
Till now she had escaped his sharp inflaming dart, Till now he listed not assault her young and tender heart.
His whetted arrow loosed, so touched her to the quick,
That through the eye it strake the heart, and there the head did stick.
It booted not to strive, for why, she wanted strength;
The weaker aye unto the strong of force must yield, at length.
The pomps now of the feast her heart 'gins to despise; And only joyeth when her eyne meet with her lover's eyes.
When their new smitten hearts had fed on loving gleams,
Whilst, passing to and fro their eyes, y-mingled were their
beams. 240
Each of these lovers 'gan by other's looks to know,
That friendship in their breast had root, and both would have it grow.
When thus in both their hearts had Cupid made his breach
And each of them had sought the mean to end the war by speech,
Dame Fortune did assent their purpose to advance,
With torch in hand a comely knight did fetch her forth to dance;
She quit herself so well, and with so trim a grace,
That she the chief praise won that night from all Verona race, The whilst our Romeus a place had warely won,
Nigh to the seat where she must sit, the dance once being done. 250
Fair Juliet turned to her chair with pleasant cheer, And glad she was her Romeus approachéd was so near.