Key to questions such as this is understanding the context
of specific lines. Romeo and Juliet have just met after Romeo's killing of Tybalt and
his subsequent banishment. They have had one night together, and now Romeo must leave
before the terms of the banishment come in to play and he can be killed for being in
Verona. As they take their leave from each other, they recognise the uncertainty of the
future that is facing them. After Romeo has left, Juliet personifies "Fortune," and
addresses him, saying:
O Fortune, Fortune! All men call thee
fickle.
If thou art fickle, what dost thou with
him
That is renowned for faith? Be fickle,
Fortune,
For then I hope thou wilt not keep him
long
But send him
back.
Of course, one of the
key themes in this excellent tragedy is the way in which fate or fortune interferes with
our plans. Romeo and Juliet are described at the very beginning of the play as "star
cross'd lovers," and fortune is refered to throughout the play. Fortune here is
personified as being almost like a fickle, capricious child that acts in an
unpredictable way. Juliet here almost prays to Fortune, asking him to return Romeo to
her as quickly as possible.
No comments:
Post a Comment